Flax: A Powerhouse of Nutrients in a Little Seed

High in antioxidants, flax seeds are idea for folks with many adverse health conditions associated with free-radicals, including high blood pressure, inflammation, blood sugar disruptions, etc. For general health for generally healthy people, these seeds are also important. This humble seed is appropriately called a superfood.

Flax seeds are a complete protein with the added value of healthy fat. Flax seeds contain alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3 oil), soluble and insoluble fiber, including the special fiber, lignans. Proportion of omega-3 and omega-6 is key to health.

Regular flax seed consumption aids in soothing or reversing many compromised health conditions and adds to a greater sense of well-being. Flax is a regular part of my own daily food consumption.

However, taking a spoonful of whole flax seeds can give you a tummy ache and very little nutrient value. To be of maximum use to the body, you need to be attentive to using them in a form that the body can assimilate.

The Forms of Flax

We generally think of flax as available in three forms: whole, ground/meal, oil.

Whole flax seeds do not require refrigeration, but ground flax seeds need to be frozen or can be refrigerated for short periods. Flax seed oil is quite unstable and requires refrigeration. I store whole flax in a glass container in a cupboard away from heat.

Whole flax loves water and drinks it rather quickly. This happens inside or outside your body. If you feel bloated from eating whole flax seed, you can do one of several things:

• Soak the whole seeds in water first (this produces a gelatinous mess which you might not like), or
• Chew them very well to reduce this internal swelling somewhat, or
• Grind the flax into meal and soak before using.

Flax meal (or ground flax) is very unstable. If you purchase flax meal, be certain to check the label. I expect that manufacturers of ground flax add stabilizers. And if they do not, the meal will likely be rancid.

Here’s what I do: I grind my own flax. I have done this in all my grinding or blending equipment and find that it works, each with a slightly different texture. Occasionally I am tempted to purchase a flax seed grinder, but then I reason with myself that I have enough equipment! I grind enough for a week or two and freeze it. It is ok refrigerated for up to two days.

When I grind flax seed, I don’t over-grind, as I find it pleasant if the texture is a little uneven, some coarse and some fine. I use my high speed blender because I can get exactly the texture I want quickly. However, if I didn’t have a high speed blender, I’d simply use a regular blender or food chopper. (See my earlier article on Raw Food Equipment.)

Flax seed oil is also highly unstable. At one time, I purchased flax seed oil. When I did, I always made sure to purchase from the refrigerated section and checked the dates on the label. I get plenty of flax seed oil in my daily consumption of flax. When I want this type of oil in a bottle, I use something else, like hemp seed oil.

Selecting Flax

I usually purchase my flax at one of my local health food stores in a package, certified organic. I pass up the bulk bins as these are rarely certified organic and I have no way of knowing how long they’ve been in the bin or if the clean out the bins.

I also buy online if I’m placing an order for other items either at RawFood.com or NaturalZing.com. Both these outstanding web sites have whole flax and various raw food flax products. Visit either site and search for "flax."

Golden Vs Brown flax. My understanding from reading someone who was involved in the original project of producing golden flax, that there is no difference in nutritional value between these two varieties. There is a slight difference in taste (golden flax is milder). For my taste, I much prefer the darker variety and now purchase only that.

Flax Can be Added to Many Recipes

Flax adds a slight nutty flavor to foods. I add it to raw soups, salads, salad dressings, and smoothies. In most cases, I soak it at least ten minutes in liquid before adding it to other ingredients.

Whole flax seeds, soaked first in water for several hours to activate the gelatinous quality that acts as "glue," make an awesome cracker for the raw foodist who does not consume bread. Recipes are included in most raw food cuisine books.

My morning smoothie starts with ground flax seed, soaked overnight in a little water. To that I add whatever else I want. I’ll include some recipes in future articles.

I eat 1/8 to 1/4 cup of ground flax seed a day. It is important to start small and increase to that amount if you want to take that much.