how to take linseed/flaxseed

[flips sake]

To cook or not to cook,that is the question?

In Stephen Walsh's 'plant based nutrition and health' he says its ok to cook with ground linseed and even benificial as this eliminates the cyanogenic glycosides.
However i've heard conflicting advice saying that cooking destroys the ALNA present.
Could someone out there please clarify this for me,thanks.

[emzy1985]

Hmm I'm not sure! I take my flaxseed groundup on my cereal everyday so I guess that makes it raw? I dunno lol!

[auntierozzi]

I grind mine too and either put it in orange juice or on porridge.

[BlackCats]

I stir it into baked beans/soup/curry etc after they are cooked or mix it with PB.
I try not to cook it, it I'm not sure if it the nutrients are destroyed or anything with cooking.

So, in other words, I am probably being no help to you.

[Helen_Edwards]

ALNA is an oxidisable fatty acid, so in theory heat could change it – however, I have seen studies which used linseed baked (into bread/muffins etc) and showed positive health benefits (e.g. improving blood lipid profiles). As these improvements are thought to be due (at least in part) to ALNA, it seems that enough ALNA (or whatever else is giving the benefits) remains after cooking.

Grinding the seeds appears to increase the bioavailability of lignans (phytoestrogens which are also antioxidants).

[flutterby]

The Omega-3: Flax seeds / linseeds thread may help flips sake.

[flips sake]

So, in other words, I am probably being no help to you.
Not really! But thanks anyway

[eve]

I buy the flaxseed oil, and it needs to be kept in a fridge, so there's no way I'd use it in cooking. I just put a dessertspoon of it into either a vege juice, such as when I juice up some carrots and celery, or I pour that amount over my morning bowl of fruit. One spoonful per day is sufficient.

[flips sake]

thanks for the replies and link flutterby,very interesting.

still not 100% sure,the majority seem to think heating would make the ALNA unstable,but Helen sounds as though she knows what shes talking about and she would be in good company with Stephen Walsh.

I think at the moment I shall still have a teaspoon raw with my breakfast but also add a teaspoon with my evening meal therefore having a bit of a compromise.

[John]

I've never tried cooking with it but I like it on bread. Sometimes with tomatoes and nutritional yeast.