Tips on consuming organic linseed

[Hemlock]

This may be stating the obvious BUT:
I bought a large packet of linseed, I prefer the seeds to the oil because I am trying to cut down on fat, also linseed is a good source of omega 3 etc usually found in oily fish that we are always being told to eat:(
The guy in the health food store asked me how I was eating them and I said I just sprinkle them on salad. He said that is worse than useless as they just go straight through the digestive system without being absorbed properly.
He suggested putting them in the coffee grinder, grinding them up to a flour like consistency then adding to flour, breakfast cereal or whatever - brilliant!
I wish all health food shop owners were as helpful as him:)
I may do that to all the tiny seeds we eat to obtain maximum nutrition from them.

[Hemlock]

Also a great way to get fussy or very young vegan kids to consume linseed or small seeds, grind and add to pancake batter:) Nutritious pancakes that taste just like regular pancakes!
I put mine in my morning smoothie.

[cedarblue]

thats right hemlock, if you grind them down, it releases all the good stuff from the hard shell.
i think its worth grinding down tiny seeds as they can be swallowed without being ground and broken open by the teeth, other seeds eg sunflower/pumpkin are much more nutritious if you soak them overnight to allow them to germinate and get going, then whizz them up in your morning smoothie - thats what i do! :)

what a helpful chap btw!

[Robert]

I was wondering the same about flaxseed. You can buy ground flax seed here which I do not like much (except in my smoothies) but you can also get split flax seed which is essentially like really tiny split peas in appearance and they taste good on salads and such. I had heard though that the body cannot break down whole flax seed - so does this mean there is no benefit to eating the split seed?

[BonnieParker]

yep! the whole seeds are still a great source of fiber! :) to get the omega 3's from the seeds, it's important to grind them up! chia and hulled hemp seeds are also good sources of omega 3's and those don't need to ground up! :)

flax seed oil is made from flax seeds! so they are also "fatty"! but in a good way! omega 3's are what