Vegan Omega-3: Flax seeds / linseeds

[Evilfluffbunny]

Am I correct in thinking that you should grind them up to get the most nutrients from them, and that if they are eaten whole they are only really good for fibre? Ive been grinding mine but i don't have an electric grinder so it's really bothersome doing it in a pestle and morter. If they are best eaten grinded I think i'll invest in an electric grinder.

Yeah, I heard they just go straight through you without really doing anything unless they're ground first. :) They're a real pain to grind with a pestle & mortar like you say though - you can buy mini grinders that should do the job though if you don't want to buy a food processor or something.

You can buy 'Nutrasprout' which is sprouted and powdered flax, but I think it tastes bogging since it's flavoured. :( I'm going to try sprouting them myself in a jar as this is meant to at least triple their nutrient value. :)

[eve]

I put a dessertspoonful of flaxseed oil (linseed) in the glass of vegies that I juice each day. As evilFB says, they can go right thru you unless ground up, and I'm not into grinding seeds every day when flaxseed oil is readily available in bottles. And I keep the bottles in the fridge.

[tails4wagging]

Thanks guys, I think I will get the oil.

Eve what veggies and what fruit for the blender??. I have blended fruit but never veg,?

[terrace max]

Another question: I've been putting flax oil in my dough before baking it into bread. Does its goodness survive being cooked??

[cedarblue]

Thanks guys, I think I will get the oil.

Eve what veggies and what fruit for the blender??. I have blended fruit but never veg,?



here (http://www.veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2072&highlight=juicing) are some ideas for you tails :)

[Melina]

Well I learned that flax oil should not be heated terrace, that you should only use it on cold foods, or in cold juice, etc, because the heat will destroy it's goodness. I use a teaspoon every morning in my bran cereal with soy milk, for my omega 3's, and my 16 month old daughter gets it in her calcium-fortified orange juice.

[terrace max]

Thanks for that Melina.

I guess I'll have to find another way of sneaking it into my childrens' diet...orange juice anyone?!

[tails4wagging]

Thanks for the ideas folks,. I have a juicer, but havent used it much.

I will get the flaxseed oil next time.

[Peas'nHominy]

Yeah, I use flaxseed oil too, and slip it into smoothies for the kids. Keep the oil in the fridge, though.

I like flaxseed tortilla chips, too. :) Like to use it with salsa, guacamole, or hummus.

[Seaside]

If your flaxseed/linseed oil goes past its sell-by date, use it on your furniture!

[eve]

Eve what veggies and what fruit for the blender??. I have blended fruit but never veg,?
And I never blend fruit - preferring to eat it as is. The vegies I blend each day comprises a couple of sticks of celery, a couple of carrots, and a small beetroot. Then before taking the delicious drink, I add the flaxseed oil. Occasionally if I'm out of beetroot, I might blend an apple despite what I said at first! :) If out of carrots, I blend in a piece of sweet potato. I like the raw veges in liquid form, and as I've said before, the idea of chomping away on raw beet, celery, and carrot, gives me an aching jaw - and that's just the thought of it!

terrace max asks if its goodness survives being cooked. Well I doubt if the efa would survive heat, but certainly having a few extra grains in the bread should be ok for chewing on!

[tails4wagging]

Thanks Eve, I will try that mix of veggies. I am growing my own beetroot and carrots. So that will have a better taste!

[Geoff]

If your flaxseed/linseed oil goes past its sell-by date, use it on your furniture!
The linseed oil that you get from the hardware is SO different from the flax oil you get for human consumption. I suppose it's just a lot less refined. I use it on my tool handles (axes, spades etc) to protect them when they're left out in the rain. :)

[Mystic]

I stir flax oil in my hot oatmeal. is that bad? I don't cook it.

[Seaside]

Posted by Geoff:
The linseed oil that you get from the hardware is SO different from the flax oil you get for human consumption. I suppose it's just a lot less refined. I use it on my tool handles (axes, spades etc) to protect them when they're left out in the rain. :)
Hardware store linseed oil is boiled, and leaves a resilient coating when rubbed into wood. Flax oil won't protect wood if its left out in the rain, but it works well on furniture, smells nice, and I hate to throw it out if I don't use it all before it expires. :)

[eve]

]I stir flax oil in my hot oatmeal. is that bad? I don't cook it.
It's up to you, Banana, but since flax oil loses its potency when heated, is it wise to stir it into your hot oatmeal? :)

[Geoff]

Askdrsears.com says that oil should be pressed at below 110 deg but doesn't say if that's C or F. Presumably, as it's an Ameican site and they don't know of other systems, it would be F! (Which equates to around 43C (What we call 'room temperature' in Qld!)) :)

[Seaside]

Posted by Geoff:

Askdrsears.com says that oil should be pressed at below 110 deg....(Which equates to around 43C (What we call 'room temperature' in Qld!)) :)
Ugh! No wonder you treadmill in your birthday suit! ;)

[Veganbear]

What do I do with Flax Seed Oil? I recently picked up a sample at a health food store, and am not quite sure how to use it. Do I put it in something? Use it straight out of the bottle? Since it's a sample bottle, there's no directions on it--how do I store it? Does it need refridgerated?

[tasha]

I keep my flaxseed oil in the fridge. Normally, we pour a little oil on our veggies just before serving. I've heard it isn't good to actually cook with it as it loses it's value. I think you can add it to just about anything without changing the taste (it is more of a health thing, I guess). We normally don't buy it, my hubby's mom gave us a bottle.

[ConsciousCuisine]

Keep it cold, in the refrigerator. Do *not* heat it. Use it as salad dressing, put it in smoothies, make pesto out of it, do what ya like as long as it's not heated!

[Mister The Cat]

Yeah, welcome to flaxseed oil - I use it lots, it's soooooooo good for you, I feel great! Pricey though like all our special food!!! :(

[Tigerlily]

I know there are other threads talking about flax oil and flax seeds, but this thread isn't asking about nutrition, it's asking about TASTE.

Does flax oil taste okay? Or is it vile?

I bought flax seeds a few months ago, I have only used maybe 1/4 of the package (I keep it in the freezer and the package says it won't expire until September). I chose the seeds over the oil, because I thought it would be easier to consume and it was also much much cheaper than the oil.

Boy, was I wrong. I can't stand the seeds. I can't stand the texture of ground flax. I can't stand the taste. I find it soooo hard to consume. I'm lucky if I get a tablespoon or two of the ground seeds a week! It's gross in oatmeal, turns it all gelatinous. And I never bake, so using it as an egg replacer isn't something I'm doing. I can only tolerate it in a smoothie but it's a nuisance to grind up the seeds, to pre-freeze the berries or ice cubes, blah blah blah....especially if I want a quick breakfast.

I'm thinking that I might have to get the oil. I'm thinking of using it in my salads instead of olive oil, drizzling it over my steamed veggies, and maybe pour it on other foods. Will it taste okay?

[adam antichrist]

I put the seeds in after my porrige (oatmeal) is cooked so they don't get cooked themselves and that may be why I haven't experienced what you described. The oil is very expensive and shouldn't be heated, you only need one tablespoon per day so you could actually mix it with other oil for a salad dressing.

What about whole or cracked seeds?

[Nivvie]

I make flapjacks with flax seeds in, and haven't noticed them. I can mainly only taste the sunflower ones I stick in too.