The benefit of flaxseed comes mostly from its high omega-3 and fiber content, which are both things that are underrepresented in a standard diet.
Flax also has lots of minerals, like phosphorus and magnesium, and vitamins, especially folic acid thiamin.
Not only does flaxseed have a lot of nutrition, it works fantastically as a binder so I use it a lot in baking and veggie burgers to replace eggs.
One of my favorite things is to blend flax with cocoa powder, banana and water or almond milk to make a chocolate pudding.
The best way to enjoy your flaxseeds are to grind up the whole seeds in a coffee grinder or high-powered blender with a flat blade. You have to break the hard shell to get the nutrients.
Always keep your flaxseeds in the fridge, before and after grinding them, because they’ll go rancid quickly.
If you have trouble with digestion, you might not get everything out of the flax that you can, and need an even more concentrated source of omega-3 fatty acids. In that case, using cold-pressed unrefined flax oil can be helpful.
Be sure to buy one that’s been kept refrigerated, and the best is if it’s in an opaque bottle because light exposure can cause rancidity.
Chia, hemp and sacha inchi seeds are all also great sources of omega-3, but the reason I like flax so much is that it’s really cheap and it’s easy to find in North America.
If you want to learn more about how to incorporate healthy foods like flax into your healthy eating plan, you may want to check out my online meal plan.
Click here for meal plan details
I put together all your meals – all your breakfasts, lunches, dinner and snacks. You don’t have to think at all – just print off the grocery list for the week and go for it.
All of the quantities of foods for every meal are portioned based on the information you put into a calorie calculator, so they’re individualized for your needs. Plus, you can add in any family members with their specific portion size.
