Eat Flax Seed

Flax seed, though small, is packed full of nutrition and nutty flavor. A single tablespoon of ground flax seed provides about 1,600 mg of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, more than three times the daily minimum value recommended by the American Heart Association.[1] This makes it one of the best sources of omega-3 for anyone who does not include fish in their diet. The benefits of flax seed include improved heart health, improved regularity, and potential protection from certain types of cancer. You can grind the seeds into a powder, drink flax seed oil, or take a flax seed oil supplement.[2]

Steps

Preparing Flax Seed

  1. Leave the flax seed whole. Small flax seeds are the perfect size for adding to your food when whole. Make sure you chew the seeds thoroughly to aid in their digestion and access the nutritional benefits flax seeds have to offer. Whole flax seed can be kept fresh for 6-12 months at room temperature, and one year in the refrigerator.
  2. Grind the flax seed. The Omega-3 fatty acids present in flax seed are located inside the seeds and therefore the seeds need to be opened to access the nutritional value. You can grind the flax seed using a coffee or spice grinder to ensure that you are reaping the benefits of flax seed. Ground flax can be kept for one week in a room temperature setting or for up to two months in the refrigerator.[3]
  3. Take a flax seed oil supplement. If you want to get the benefits of flax seed without the taste or hassle of adding it to your food, simply purchase flax seed supplements and take one pill daily.
  4. Drink flax seed oil. You can also buy flax seed in its liquid oil form and add it to your beverage of choice. Flax seed oil has the same nutty taste as the seeds themselves but without the seedy texture.
  5. Use two to three tablespoons of whole seed per serving. If you are simply adding the flax seed to an individual meal, this ratio will give you a beneficial serving without affecting the flavor of your food.

Adding Flax Seed to Sweet Foods

  1. Put flax seed in your morning cereal or oatmeal. Flax seed gives your boring bowl a fresh, nutty flavor. Try adding some fresh berries in to complement the added flavor of the flax seed.
  2. Add flax to yogurt or applesauce. Add whole seeds for a nice texture that boosts the health value of your creamy snack.
  3. Mix them into bread or muffin batter. Simply pick your favorite muffin or bread recipe and add about 1/4-cup of flax seed per batch. The final product will gain a nice crunch and an interesting texture.
    • You can also use ground flax seed and water as a replacement for eggs.
    • For one egg, the ratio is one tablespoon of flax seed to three tablespoons of water.[4]
  4. Add flax seed to a smoothie. Fruit smoothies are nicely complemented by the addition of nutty flax seed. Boost the fiber power in your smoothie by adding about one tablespoon per serving.
  5. Put flax seed in your french toast. Add flax seed to your french toast dip and allow the flax to coat the bread before pan frying it. Not only does the flax add a nice crunch, but the flavor goes perfectly with a traditional french toast recipe. You can use either whole flax seeds or ground flax.
  6. Make flax seed cookies. Add flax seed to your favorite trail mix cookies. Cookies with dried fruit, nuts, oats, and other chunky ingredients are nicely complimented by flax seed.

Adding Flax Seed to Savory Foods

  1. Sprinkle flax seed on your salad. Nuts are often a nice addition to a salad, and flax seed can give the same flavor effect. Dark greens like spinach taste especially good with flax.
  2. Coat meat or vegetables in a flax seed crust. Add flax seed to your usual crusting mix with other complementary spices to add crunch and flavor to your choice of meat or vegetable.
  3. Mix flax seed into your meatballs, meatloaf and casseroles. If you really have to disguise the flax seed to get your family members to eat it, put it in a complex dish like one of these to get the benefits without even knowing that the seeds are there.[5]
  4. Make savory flax seed bread, crackers or chips. Add whole flax seeds to any of these carbohydrate products to boost the health value of your meal.



Warnings

  • Flax seed is a laxative when taken above the recommended quantity. Be sure to only take in recommended doses.
  • Raw Flax seed (ground and whole) contains cyanide in large amounts. Don't eat more than two tablespoons of raw flax a day. Heating the flax destroys the cyanide compounds, so toast your raw flax if it makes you nervous.

Tips

  • Eating whole flax seeds may not provide the same health benefit as ground because the shell is hard to digest. However, there is still not any medical research to support ground over whole seed.
  • Keep your flax seed in a dark container in your refrigerator.
  • When purchased already in liquid form, flax seed oil will spoil quickly even when kept cold. Store it in the refrigerator and use it quickly. Do not purchase the oil in large amounts to avoid wasting it.

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Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0816p48.shtml
  2. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed
  3. ↑ http://www.eatbydate.com/proteins/nuts/flax-seeds/
  4. ↑ http://www.thekitchn.com/egg-substitutes-in-baking-try-95072
  5. ↑ http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meal-ideas/10-tasty-ways-eat-flaxseeds?page=5
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