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8 winks
Jul 13th, 2004, 11:53 PM
the other day one of my vegan friends mentioned flax seed. so i got some and it's really good. i've been putting it in my oatmeal and in steamed veggies concoctions and just about everything i can. is this okay? as far as i know it is good for u but should i not eat too much of it for any reason? thanks for any info

Sabster
Jul 14th, 2004, 03:48 AM
I love flax seeds! Gotta love the vegie source of omega-3's. I read something somewhere about something in flax seeds interfering with the absorption of certain minreals/or vitamins. But that's more in excess. A little daily flax or 'flaxing' a few times a week is good for you. I think it's calcium... but no quotes on that. If I run across the info. I'll post it if someone else doesn't. Pretty much overdoing it is not good... but that's the case w just about everything. I love sprinkling the seeds on cereal... and I don't currently use the oil but I've had it in sandwiches and it's so so good too.

eve
Jul 14th, 2004, 05:42 AM
I just have a spoonfull of flax seed oil in a glass of vege juice each day. I consider that to be sufficient omega-3.

ConsciousCuisine
Jul 14th, 2004, 05:43 AM
It is good to soak the seeds and add them to baked goods, oatmeal, stews and more. As an egg replacer, grind the seeds in a coffee grinder and add a bit of liquid. Well, here...check this out:

http://www.vegfamily.com/dietician/0604a.htm

gertvegan
Jul 14th, 2004, 08:13 AM
Thanks for the article ConsciouCuisine, I sprinkle Granovita NUTRASprout Sprouted Flax Powder, a 100% sprouted golden flaxseed product.

harpy
Jul 14th, 2004, 10:12 AM
I believe that if you consume the seeds (as opposed to the oil) it's meant to be better to grind them first as otherwise they tend to pass through the system undigested (which may be good for the digestion but means you don't get the benefit of the omega 3 oils within)

gertvegan
Jul 14th, 2004, 11:49 AM
From the worlds healthiest foods website, lots of info on flax. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=81
Like harpy said, it says "Grind flaxseeds in a coffee or seed grinder in order to enhance their digestibility and therefore their nutritional value. If adding ground flaxseeds to a cooked cereal or grain dish, do so at the end of cooking since the soluble fiber in the flax seeds can thicken liquids if left too long."

Gorilla
Jul 15th, 2004, 11:40 PM
interesting website, thanks gert. shame it's not totally vegan though, they're still pushing the myth that fish is healthy i see :p

eve
Jul 16th, 2004, 06:59 AM
Thank you for the url gertvegan - that's quite a hefty website so I'll take it in stages to read through. :)

danielle
Jul 22nd, 2004, 07:48 AM
my best friend and i are addicted to the stuff, barlean's forti-flax to be exact. we eat so much of it and i worry sometimes we go overboard, but it has really made a huge difference in the way we feel. it suggests 2-4 tablespoons a day, and we eat the max.


LOVE it.

Atlanta Newbie
Aug 25th, 2004, 04:30 PM
I've heard all the advice lately about eating flax seed to obtain ALA, which the body can convert to DHA. I've also read information from other sources asserting that the conversion of ALA to DHA/EPA is a very inefficient process.

My question is this: why not just take a vegetarian DHA supplement instead of eating flax seeds? Wouldn't this be a more direct way of getting one's omega-3 essential fatty acids?

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks! http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/images/smilies/smiley.gif

veganmike
Aug 25th, 2004, 05:56 PM
As you noted we need ALA, EPA i DHA. It would make no sense to eat DHA and not to eat ALA since ALA is essential. When you eat ALA i DHA, EPA is no longer a problem.

Besides, we need to eat fats and flaxseed is one of the best options out there.

Atlanta Newbie
Aug 26th, 2004, 12:20 AM
Hi Mike, thanks for the input. I think I will use a DHA supplement and make occasional use of ground flaxseeds. Hopefully that way I'll have my bases covered.

gertvegan
Sep 10th, 2004, 09:11 AM
Optimum Vegetarian Nutrition: Surprising New Research on Omega 3's and B12 from the veganmd. An interesting piece to listen to, flax seeds are discused. Click here. (http://www.veganmd.org/talks/#nutrition)

cedarblue
Sep 10th, 2004, 02:39 PM
if i dont add it over my cereal in the morning i just sprinkle it into curries, chillies, soup, cakes, pizza dough, gravy, pasta sauces...hehe no one knows! :)

cowpie
Sep 16th, 2004, 10:44 PM
I always grind my flaxseeds as soon as I get them home from the store, then I keep them in the freezer, so they won't go rancid. I usually add a tablespoon to my oatmeal in the morning. I love the flax oil, but it's a lot more expensive than the seeds. I, too, have read that whole flax seeds pass right through your system--they should be ground first. Love them omega 3's!

Kiva Dancer
Dec 18th, 2004, 11:44 PM
I don't understand how seeds can pass through undigested if one chews them up beforehand?

Can someone kindly explain?

martinired
Jan 12th, 2005, 05:26 PM
Hello all!

Does anyone know if flaxseed can harden in your colon and block the absorption of food? I started taking flaxseed about a month ago. It was working great at first. I think it THOROUGHLY cleaned my colon out and I was feeling great! My skin was beautiful and my psoriasis was gone. Then all of a sudden I noticed that my bowel movements kind of went back to happening less frequently and I started feeling so bloated. Then my psoriasis slowly started coming back.

What could that be? I was initially taking about 2 tablespoons of flaxseed in a glass of orange juice every morning. Now I take it sometimes with soy milk instead.

Please excuse me if I put this in the wrong area. :confused: I'm new here and I searched for the best place to put this topic but couldn't seem to find a better place.

Christi

MzNatural
Jan 12th, 2005, 06:19 PM
Hi Christi, Welcome to the forum!

What are your eating habits? Has your diet changed in any way?

I eat mainly whole foods. I rarely eat processed foods. That is harder to digest than whole foods. I am regular. I have bowels movements at least 3 times daily.

Are you staying hydrated? Food items that contain caffeine can make you feel more dehydrated. It is important to stay hydrated since flax seed do expand when they are absorbed.

IHTH!

PinkFluffyCloud
Jan 12th, 2005, 06:43 PM
Hi, Christi!
I wonder if the fruit juice was helping the flaxseed pass through, and with the Soya milk it is kind of compacting, instead??

bulletproof
Jan 12th, 2005, 06:51 PM
you are supposed to drink at least a quarter of a pint of water for every 2 spoon fulls of flax seed.. i think it was 2 spoonfulls, you might want to check

martinired
Jan 12th, 2005, 07:08 PM
MzNatural, I think you may have hit the nail on the head suggesting that it might be dehydration. Just yesterday I started drinking LOTS more water and it seems to be getting a little better.

As for my diet, I'm ashamed to say what my diet routinely consists of, it would be like profanity to your ears. :eek: But let's just say I'm seriously making changes. I'll be 40 years old this year and I'm determined to be one of the hottest 40 year-olds around! :D

Christi

martinired
Jan 12th, 2005, 07:11 PM
Well, actually it started compacting with the juice which is why I switched to soy. I'm drinking lots more water though so I'm really hoping that this will help. The bloat that I had was making me feel like I was constantly in PMS mode!

martinired
Jan 12th, 2005, 07:14 PM
Yep! I think water seems to be the key here. I'm starting to drink much more of it. I've always had some digestive problems--all the more reason why I should have a better diet. Alas, some folks just have to learn the hard way. :(

MzNatural
Jan 12th, 2005, 07:57 PM
Yep! I think water seems to be the key here. I'm starting to drink much more of it. I've always had some digestive problems--all the more reason why I should have a better diet. Alas, some folks just have to learn the hard way. :(

So do I! I have to make sure I drink/eat properly otherwise there will be problems. :o
I eat around 2 tablespoons of flax seed daily. I have a grinder, so grind them on the spot. At times I sprinkle it over my food. Normally I just take it by the spoonful followed by water.