Hi--I'm new to the board, but not new to flaxseed, so I thought I'd chime in. Hope that's okay. I use it nearly every day for several reasons. #1-Regularity (this is particularly important to me due to history of colon cancer); #2. the high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids which we need and generally don't get enough of in our food; #3. its help in improving cholesterol profile (I believe it is particularly in raising the HDL levels (the "good" kind, although I'd have to do some research on that to be sure--I'm relying on memory here). While you can buy it preground (flaxseed meal), the fresher it is, i.e. you grind it yourself, the more benefit you will derive from it. And from the reading I have done, the golden flax has higher concentrations of lignans and omega3's than the brown. It's really easy to grind in a little coffee-style grinder. I mix about 1/2c. with plain yogurt with a small spoonful of Splenda. Great stuff!
Nancy

Hi Nancy...glad you joined us! Feel free to join in on a regular basis.

This is such a interesting thread,I know it is old but we have a lot of new people,I also use flaxseed,I use a coffee grinder as I don't have a flaxseed grinder,I guess it does the same thing?(I hope).

I don't think it really matters what kind of grinder as long as it crushes/opens up the seeds to release the oils. Actually, my grinder is the same kind I use to grind peppercorns. I basically use my flaxseed as a garnish rather than actually baking or cooking with it.

I am actually glad I read this post, I went raw vegan for a bit..and I used alot of flax seed in just about everything, I fell off the raw band wagon and I am just vegan now but probabbly should still be using flax seed, I just always forget!

One of the posts in the first page mentioned using in applesauce and I think that is going to be my morning snack today! Thanks for the idea!

what is flaxseed supposed to do?

quote:

Originally posted by Kirstine:
Kelly,
I try to eat flaxseed every day.

I've been very impressed with everything I've read about it: It's the HIGHEST plant source for Omega 3 fatty acids and is also high in fiber and lignans (believed to help prevent some types of cancer).

My favorite recipe:

I grind up about 1/4 cup of flaxseed, then add a few tablespoons of Natural Peanut Butter, a handful of raisins, and about a Tablespoon of honey. I stir everything together, adjusting the amounts, until the consistency is about like cookie dough. Then I form this into little balls and place them in the refrigerator or freezer, to harden them. Makes a healthy snack.

(Optional add-ins: a little oatmeal or oat fiber, raw almonds or walnuts, etc.)

do you use flaxseed for a cleanser?

I also use Flaxseed. I also buy the whole seeds and grind them up in my coffee grinder. Makes a big difference in how I feel. I have mine in the evening and then drink "LOTS" of water. Great stuff, plus it's so good for you.

I get mine via internet from www.flax4u.com Its called, "Golden Flax Seed". Comes from North Dakota. Great Stuff.

Until next time...
Susie

Kelly, do you still use flaxseed? I use a coffee grinder for mine and I put it on a frozen waffle (with a little butter ) and then I toast it. How much flaxseed do you use per day? Do you cook with it? Thanks for posting this...I was wondering if anyone else used flaxseed.

Tina

Yes, Tina, I still use flaxseed. I keep it in a grinder on my table and use it like I would salt or pepper. I pretty much grind it over everything except sweets. Hmmm...I'm not sure I can estimate how much I use in a day. Not nearly as much as I should, I'm sure. Maybe a tablespoon or two?? I guess some is better than none, lol!

The best way to get it I would imagine would be raw. This way it is protected by the cover it is in. You can easily blend them in a blender. I love em but like some of you other girls have not really noticed a difference. Heard they have a ton of fiber which is always good.

Hmmmmmm.....I was sure there was a new post on this thread earlier this month. Someone found the delete button?????

Don't be shy about questions, even if no one answers quickly. I think it had to do with whether or not flaxseed had to be ground. The answer to that, from what I've read and understood, is that our bodies can't break down flaxseed when it's whole. The shell is just too hard, so it's necessary to grind it, and the sooner you eat it after grinding the more nutrition you get from it.

Hope this helps.

Susanna

Has anyone noticed a change in their lipid profile after using flaxseed? DH had his cholesterol checked and it was quite high. They are going to let us try diet modifications for a month or so to see if we can lower totals before starting meds. He has a strong family history of heart disease (grandparents died in their 60s and dad died in his 40s). Just curious if this would make a difference.

Thanks for the info.

Shari

Mine definitely went down, but I can't be sure how much was due to the flaxseed and how much was due to the fish oil, which I also used at the same time. I have fairly high overall cholesterol genetically, but my HDL is unusually high, enough so that the ratio was still good and the docs at UPenn wanted my blood for a study. (Vampires, huh!) I've never been on meds to lower the overall figure, but it went down significantly after I added flax and fish oil.
Nancy G

Thanks for the answer Nancy! I really appreciate it. We'll get started on some flaxseed today.

Shari