How to Get More Omega 3 & 6 Rich Flax/Flaxseed Into Your Diet

Fresh ground flaxseed is a hearty, tasty addition to any diet and is easy to incorporate into your diet once you know how. Flaxseed is rich in Omega 3 & 6 Fatty Acids so adding it to your diet can have significant health benefits. I have seen all of my own cholesterol numbers improve significantly by consuming more Omega Fatty Acid rich foods and it was easier than I thought it would be.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Fresh flaxseed (whole, clean)
• Regular coffee grinder or blender.

1. Using a regular electric coffee grinder: Grind fresh, clean flaxseed into flour by pouring in only the amount needed for a day or two then pulse it two or three times for about 5 seconds each pulse. Do not overfill the grinder. One quarter (1/4) cup of flaxseeds will give you almost a half (1/2) cup of flour. I keep a grinder handy just for my flax but any remaining flaxseed flour does wipe out fairly easily and does not hurt or change the taste of coffee. A blender can also be used instead.
2. Add the flaxseed flour directly into pancake/waffle batter, baking mixes, gravies, sauces, etc. Sprinkle some onto salads, cereals, and casseroles. Use as a topping or as a breading in place of or with, the less healthy ingredients. Wherever you would normally just add white flour, or more baking mix, etc. just add some flaxseed flour to it (instead) to enrich it.
   
   Unless you add too much, you will not even change the resulting taste. You will quickly get good at knowing just how much to add and to what...just keep trying it out. It is difficult to add too much so just have fun with it and enjoy all the health benefits.
3. Use in batter to make great tasting "flaxjacks" (pancakes), waffles, dumplings, biscuits, muffins, pasta, and yes...even rolls, breads, cookies, and cakes! I found it wonderful in oatmeal cookies and when added to my instant oatmeal cereal. It even makes crusts flakier. The golden flaxseed flour does not change the resulting color as much as the dark flaxseed flour does.
   
   IDEAS:
   Use flaxseed flour to make a rich spread by adding it into cream cheese, butter, or margarine. I love these on whole grain crackers and bagels!
   
   Add a tablespoon or two to protein shakes and instant breakfast drinks.
   
   Waffles are especially tasty with flaxseed flour added to the batter. Also add some finely chopped walnuts into the batter or top your flax waffles with them. I am diabetic so I just butter (with canola margarine) my hot flax waffles then top with walnuts, cinnamon, and sugar substitute (I use stevia powder). Mmmmm...so good.
4. When using flaxseed flour, you can also add less eggs and a little less oil. This is fantastic because you can avoid the extra calories and the cholesterol in egg yolks. On its own, the flaxseed flour becomes kind of rubbery looking when wet - just like when adding eggs to a batter. Use it accordingly. Generally, one half (1/2) cup of flaxseed flour will replace a small egg in batter mixes once liquid is added.
   
   Flaxseed flour makes a great instant thickener when you accidentally add too much liquid to food you are preparing. It is healthier than most alternatives.
5. I measure a quarter (1/4) cup of seed at a time, grind it, add the resulting flour to my batter, reduce the recipe by one egg, and add no oil or reduce oil. This works well for every 1 cup to 2 cups of baking mix, batter mix, or white flour. Adjust to your tastes. Some people do not like too much in certain foods. It is high in fiber, of course.

Tips & Warnings

• Buy whole flaxseed (golden or dark) as fresh as possible - shelf life is 2 years if seed is stored in dark, cool, and dry place. Store away from light, sunlight, moisture, and heat.
• Grind only as you need it (ground flaxseed is best used within 4 months even when stored properly). Be sure to grind your seeds because the seeds can pass through without benefit unless ground.
• As much as possible, ALSO use ground flaxseed after or without cooking or baking. Sprinkle on food and meals at the table, make or add into refrigerated spreads, and add to cold drinks like protein shakes for even better benefits.
• Add other Essential Fatty Acid / Omega-rich foods to your diet such as walnuts, many kinds of fish, supplements. Flaxseed oil is also good, but does not keep as well as the seeds and the flour. The flour will give you other benefits from the fiber and lignans that you do not get with the oil. The flour has less calories than nuts and fish, but will also add calories when you include it, of course, because it is fairly high in oil. You negate much of the added calories by replacing the white flour with flaxseed flour and reducing the eggs and oil.
• If you do not like dark flaxseed, try golden flaxseed. Golden flax is grown more as a food (non-commercial uses).
• Check the internet (including this site) for many great recipes and great info.
• Make a note of your current cholesterol number and start consuming more Omega FAO rich foods. Then have your cholesterol checked again in a few months. Compare numbers. You might be quite pleasantly surprised with the results and other health benefits!
• FACTOID: The world has only a few regions where grain can be grown in soil that has much selenium. In the United States, the Dakotas (North and South) are one of those regions.
• Foods rich in Omega Fatty Acid Oils keep fresh only a certain length of time so buy them as fresh as possible and consume them as often as you can.
• Store seeds in a dark, cool, and dry place. Use light-reducing or light blocking containers. If closed tightly, the flour can be stored in the refrigerator.
• If you have or had diverticulitis, check with your doctor about using ground flaxseed in your diet now. The flour, if ground well enough, should not cause a digestion or tract problem. I have been using flaxseed flour quite often and regularly for a couple of years now and it has not caused me any problems. I had diverticulitis (intestinal infection) a few years ago so I do have some diverticulosis. My health has actually improved since adding flaxseed flour to my diet, but check with your doctor if you have ANY concerns.