Sep 15, 2013
Flax Attack
FLAXSEEDS. It may be small, but it gives you BIG benefits. It's called a wonder food because of it's amazing nutritional and health benefits. Not only is it a good source of "good fats" antioxidants, and fiber, modern research suggests that flaxseed can help lower the risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease! It's low in carbs, so it's ideal for people who are trying to cut out their intake of starches and carbs.
But which kind of flaxseed should you pick up from the supermarket? Whole, grounded or the oil from the flaxseeds? Each form has different uses. While whole flaxseeds are good for topping foods and for baking, ground flaxseeds are good for mixing in foods like oatmeal and smoothies. Flaxseed oil is great for salad dressings and can be drizzled on roasted vegetables. Whole flaxseeds contain the most protein, calcium, and fiber, while ground flaxseeds are lowest in calories. Flaxseed oil is great if you're looking for the Omega-3's. If you're debating between the whole or the ground, go for the ground because it's easier for your body to digest and your body would absorb most of the nutrients. Whole flaxseed is beneficial because it has a longer shelf life, so you could get whole flaxseed and grind it up with a coffee grinder to get grounded flax.
Ways to add flaxseed to your diet
Adding just a teaspoon of grounded flaxseed to many foods fulfills the daily Omega-3 requirements without changing the flavor too much. Whole flaxseeds can be toasted or baked into goods. Use flaxseed oil to replace other oils and butter but keep in mind that if you use the oil for baking, it tends to brown faster. I personally wouldn’t use flaxseed oil for cooking because it’s easily oxidized. BUT you could use it to drizzle on foods after they’ve been prepared to make add a nice nutty taste.
You can mix it into:
1.Cold or hot cereal I start my mornings with a bowl of oatmeal with flaxseeds and top it off with some berries and other fresh fruit. I also like to throw in toasted nuts or dark chocolate chips for those times I’m feeling decadent. I like to get Trader Joe’s Oats & Flax because it contains whole grain oats and organic cane sugar.
2.Yogurt or smoothies A teaspoon of grounded flax is all you need to get your Omega-3. It also adds some fiber to your yogurt or smoothie, which is good for elimination of waste from the body. Toasted flax with your yogurt works just as good
3.Commonly used condiments like mayo, mustard or ketchup. It also works great in salad dressing or as a topping to salad
You can also bake grounded or whole flaxseed into:
1.Cookies, muffins, bread and other baked goods
2.Pizza crusts, dinner rolls and casseroles
What kind of flaxseed do you use?
