If you think I make a lot of smoothies, my neighbor Girly Girl makes a whole lot more. Lately she’s been on some sort of flax seed kick, tossing them into every smoothie she drinks. I haven’t tried then yet but here’s what I found out about them:
- First, they are an AWESOME source of fiber. One tablespoon packs about 8 grams of fiber. That’s better than a whole bowl of some cereals.
- Flax is a great source of Omega-3’s. If you are vegan, flax is particularly important, because you may not get enough Omega-3’s otherwise.
- Flax has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.
- Flax also has been shown to reduce symptoms of menopause for women {particularly hot flashes}. I have a friend who swears by this, she puts 2 tbsp. in her oatmeal every morning. In the interest of fair warning, start off slow {1 tbsp.} because it can apparently cause bloating at first.
I also found out that because the oils in flax seeds tend to go rancid quickly, it is best to grind them into flax meal only as you use them. Keeping the seeds in an airtight container in the freezer or fridge keeps flax seeds fresh for up to a year. And because they have small amounts of cyanide {yikes, that sounds very James Bondish, but apparently other foods share this little compound as well, like cashews, some beans, etc. so don’t panic} it’s best to keep your consumption limited to 2 tbsp. of flax seeds, or 3 tbsp. of ground flax meal per day to limit exposure.
Overall, I decided Girly Girl just might be onto something. How about you, do you use flax seeds?
~Mavis
Lorri says
Love them and use them all the time. In smoothies in the summer and oatmeal in the winter…ground of course. I am vegan so I also use them to replace eggs in baking. One tablespoon of ground flaxseed in 3 to 4 tablespoons of hot water whisked makes a goopy egg white like mixture that works great.
Mindy says
I have used the ground meal in smoothies but also love, love it added to muffins – has a nutty flavor that is great, especially in fruit type muffins. I am wondering how long the ground stays good. I keep mine sealed in a jar in the refrigerator.
Helen in Meridian says
A local farmer was promoting Idaho flax seeds in a nearby grocery. She said that as long as the flax seed was whole, you didn’t need to refrigerate it or anything. It is the ground flax that goes rancid. The new Costco magazine that came yesterday has a big flax seed article too.
Wynne says
I’m tempted to try them after your post, but we’ve been a chia family. Chia seed also has fiber and Omega 3s, plus it’s easier to store and doesn’t have to be ground. It also makes a good egg replacer.
Charlotte | Living Well on the Cheap says
Flax is also commonly believed to be a galactagogue (is that how you spell it?). Lactation consultants often suggest adding it and brewer’s yeast to oatmeal cookies to increase milk supply when breastfeeding.
Lisa says
My family uses flaxseed in smoothies and as an egg replacer when baking…it makes everything so much more moist too! We also use Chia seeds.
Karen says
I did flax seed for a while but you have to grind it to get any benefit. We use Chia because it can be used without grinding it and it is shelf stable much longer. It can also be soaked in water that creates a gel and can be used as an egg replacer. I sprinkle it into everything I make from salads to casseroles to baked goods. I even put it in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for school lunch. 🙂 My picky seven year old kiddo doesn’t even realize it is in there but once she learned, she started telling everyone about Chia.
Brenda says
I buy ground flax in bulk at Winco.
Simple tip to keep it from going rancid, Freeze it!
I just dump it in pint jars and stick them in the freezer. I use it everyday in my oatmeal.
Cindy says
I haven’t used flax seed before but just bought a bag of flax seeds @ Trader Joe’s — I didn’t know I had to grind them!! Yikes. Do you do this in a coffee grinder? I was under the impression I could just add the whole seeds to baked goods but what I’m hearing is there is no benefit from the seeds unless they are ground.
Thanks for your guidance.