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Flax seeds


kelley
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I posted this on another forum but no one has responded yet! wah!

 

So here goes:

 

I recently bought a boatload of whole flax seeds, of which I have been grinding up 2 Tbsp/day and adding them to a fruit & rice milk shake thingie I make for breakfast every morning. I started this four days ago. I've heard different people say after adding flax to their diet, they start feeling better/sleeping better/ their hair becomes more lustrous, etc. So my question is, how long does it take for one to start seeing positive effects from the Omega 3's and 6's in flax? (it does contain 6 as well as 3, right?)

 

Aslo, since they are whole seeds, I have left them in the paper bag I bought them in, and just keep the bag in the fridge. Am I storing them right? Or do they have to be in an airtight container? Since they are whole seeds I didn't think it would matter, but maybe I'm wrong?

 

Thanks!

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Good article! Thanks! But darn!!!!! because it says not to use the same grinder for flax as for coffee, and that's exactly what I've been doing!! I wonder why this is?? Anyone know? The artice doesn't say. Well, I guess I will just have to go get myself a new coffee grinder!

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I recently bought a boatload of whole flax seeds, of which I have been grinding up 2 Tbsp/day and adding them to a fruit & rice milk shake thingie I make for breakfast every morning. I started this four days ago. I've heard different people say after adding flax to their diet, they start feeling better/sleeping better/ their hair becomes more lustrous, etc. So my question is, how long does it take for one to start seeing positive effects from the Omega 3's and 6's in flax? (it does contain 6 as well as 3, right?)

 

Also, since they are whole seeds, I have left them in the paper bag I bought them in, and just keep the bag in the fridge. Am I storing them right? Or do they have to be in an airtight container? Since they are whole seeds I didn't think it would matter, but maybe I'm wrong?

 

I was the one who posted about the thicker, stronger hair transformation. Flax seed is quite possibly the cheapest superfood you can add to your diet, especially if you are consuming it in the way you mentioned in your post. Stay away from processed, commercial products, oils, etc. They are horribly overpriced and less viable than just purchasing the whole seed and grinding it fresh as you need it.

 

To answer a couple of your questions, yes, flax has some Omega 6, but is overwhelmingly composed of Omega 3 ALA (alpha linolenic acid). Storing in the fridge in a loose paper bag is fine--the important thing here is keeping the seed coat intact, which protects the oils and lignins. Expect to see positive health results in 4-6 weeks.

 

I use flax just about every day, 2 tablespoons freshly ground in a coffee grinder. This morning I added it to homemade hemp milk mixed with pumpkin seed, rolled oats, ground sesame seed, almonds and fresh strawberries.

 

Recently on vegan.com, author Erik Marcus stated that from now on he plans to incorporate freshly ground flax into his daily dietary regimen for the simple reason that it adds such an incredible 'bang for the buck' from a health perspective

Edited by michael
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But darn!!!!! because it says not to use the same grinder for flax as for coffee, and that's exactly what I've been doing!! I wonder why this is?? Anyone know?

I assume it's just because of flavor transfer. Most people wouldn't want their flax tasting like coffee.

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I posted this on another forum but no one has responded yet! wah!

 

So here goes:

 

I recently bought a boatload of whole flax seeds, of which I have been grinding up 2 Tbsp/day and adding them to a fruit & rice milk shake thingie I make for breakfast every morning. I started this four days ago. I've heard different people say after adding flax to their diet, they start feeling better/sleeping better/ their hair becomes more lustrous, etc. So my question is, how long does it take for one to start seeing positive effects from the Omega 3's and 6's in flax? (it does contain 6 as well as 3, right?)

 

 

Aslo, since they are whole seeds, I have left them in the paper bag I bought them in, and just keep the bag in the fridge. Am I storing them right? Or do they have to be in an airtight container? Since they are whole seeds I didn't think it would matter, but maybe I'm wrong?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Hi, Kelley,

 

Flax is definitely a benefit to anyone's diet, whether vegan or not; but especially vegans, who need to get adequate essential fatty acids. Dr. Fuhrman recommends 1 TB ground flax seeds; I think 2 would be fine, but 2 TB whole may be a bit much:

Use 1 TB whole seeds, if you want 2 TB ground; Use 1 heaping 1/2 TB whole seeds, if you want 1 TB ground.

 

I suggest organic for flax seeds, as well as all other seeds and nuts, but, if you can't for all, at least for your flax buy organic.

 

Store the bulk of your flax in the freezer! Flax, especially organic, is very vulnerable to rancidity; do not store it out! If you want to keep a portion in the fridge, that's fine; but if you have a lot, keep the rest in the freezer for longer storage. Why take a chance? I have never heard/read anyone recommending it to be stored out...(I didn't read the link suggesting it, but I wouldn't follow that advice). I store all of mine in the freezer, no matter what, just to keep it safe

Also, grind as you need it; it's best NOT to grind and store in the fridge, as it loses nutrients as it sits.

 

You may need to drink more water because flax seeds expand and absorb liquids, so be sure to drink lots.

 

Yes, the benefits are real! My hair began to grow in thicker and stronger. Interestingly, it's gotten darker, which I love. For hair results, it takes a bit longer to see results; but it will happen. I am still growing in new hair. I hope to get back to my teenage thickness. I made a huge mistake back in the day...I got perms! : Yea, yuck, lol. But I fried my hair ; worse, I got one after the other,after the other So my hair got thinner, and a lot just fell out, never to be seen again. But, yes, a lot of it is back.

My nails and skin improved as well!

 

As far as feeling good, it can help if you have been on a poor diet, or a diet otherwise okay, but lacking in e.f.a.'s. It can elevate mood. Flax seeds supply DHA conversion, which is necessary for brain health and proper functioning.

 

The results reveal themselves in different times, as we are all individuals with different needs and constitutions.

 

Best thing, is to vary your e.f.a. sources (sometimes, in rare cases, individuals do not convert the flax to dha): Add flaxseeds, ground (otherwise you will not absorb it!), hemp seeds, and a good variety of nuts (walnuts are great) and seeds every day for variety; but take the flax daily. All should be raw, by the way.

 

I have a bagful of a variety of seeds and nuts I keep in the fridge and freezer so I can change it up: I have pistachios; Brazil nuts; cashews; walnuts; almonds, hazlenuts; pecans; pine nuts; fresh, raw coconut; sunflower seeds; hemp seeds; pumpkin seeds; sesame seeds; etc. And I eat a different one every day, in addition to my daily flax.

 

I've also discovered, recently, what the original Americans have known for centuries -- the miraculous Chia seeds! I have been reaping the benefits of them for a couple months now. They are similar to flax, but better.

 

Check my blog, (link below in my signature) for info. The right side has a few links to read: it's all true! I love my Chias I also believe, it is an option for those who do not convert flax to try first, before going on to fish oils...

Dr. Fuhrman told me that Chias are a great e.f.a. addition to the diet! So there's my credibility clause

 

As a side note, I think it was Evan who recommended Nettles for hair growth. I found some in a capsule -- Solary Organic Nettles -- and, in the short time I've been taking them, my nails have grown like wild! I don't know if it's contributing for myhair yet; I'll have to wait and see. But I imagine it is, since nails and hair are very similar.

 

Whew, I'm longwinded, no?

Hope this helps, though

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@ michael - thank you for good info! I was wondering who it was that had the beautiful hair. I've read elsewhere as well that buying the oil is iffy, because it is too unstable. that's why I went with the whole seeds - much cheaper too!

 

 

@ kathryn - ok, thanks. I wasn't sure if maybe the caffeine or something else in the coffee would interfere with the beneficial substances found in flax. I guess not?

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Use 1 TB whole seeds, if you want 2 TB ground; Use 1 heaping 1/2 TB whole seeds, if you want 1 TB ground.

 

Oooooooh. Thanks! hehe. I didn't realize there would be a difference in the measurement but it makes sense now that I think about it!

 

 

Store the bulk of your flax in the freezer! Flax, especially organic, is very vulnerable to rancidity; do not store it out! ...

Also, grind as you need it; it's best NOT to grind and store in the fridge, as it loses nutrients as it sits.

 

I thought it was just the pressed oil, or the "already ground" flax that was vulnerable, and not the whole seeds? If I store the whole seeds in the freezer, can I grind them straight from the freezer? I don't why not I guess, but you guys seem to know more about this than me.

 

You may need to drink more water because flax seeds expand and absorb liquids, so be sure to drink lots.

 

So is THAT why I've been really thirsty this past week?? lol! I thought it was just the heat wave. I've been eating flax but not drinking enough water (I usually don't drink enough anyway - time to change that bad habit)

 

As far as the hair, skin, and nails, etc... My hair is actually already dark and very long, and pretty thick. I'm Italian, it comes with the territory I guess. But, I have noticed a lot of grays popping up! I don't know if this is just normal aging (I'm not THAT old though!) or indicates something is lacking in my diet? This will be a good test to see what happens. And yeah, my skin can use a lot of help. I have good ol' adult acne. Whoopeee. I am on a treatment regimen for it and it is starting to help, but I also want to try any anything in my diet that might help too.

 

 

You're not long-winded! I need this info. I'll check out your blog. And I have one more q. Who is Dr. Fuhrman? What are his qualifications?

 

Thanks again!

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I personally haven't noticed any direct effects on skin/hair/etc. that I can attribute to flax seeds that I can't attribute to my vegan diet and exercise in general: more consistent energy, healthy weight loss, better digestion, etc. However, I take in flax (both seeds and oil) for the protein and the free radical/cancer-fighting benefits of omega-3's and omega-6 fatty acids.

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Dr. Fuhrman recommends 1 TB ground flax seeds; I think 2 would be fine, but 2 TB whole may be a bit much:

Use 1 TB whole seeds, if you want 2 TB ground; Use 1 heaping 1/2 TB whole seeds, if you want 1 TB ground.

 

Wouldn't it be the other way around? Use 1 1/2 TBSP whole to get 1 TBSP ground? The whole seeds don't pack down as much as the ground 'meal,' so they would take up more space.

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That's a good question. Although raven's comment made sense to me because I'm not using it "packed" down at all, just taking it straight out of the coffee grinder so there's plenty of air space in there too. But yeah I'd be interested to hear the answer to this too!

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Hey, Kelley,

 

Yea, it's best to freeze flax seeds. You can grind them straight from the freezer just fine.

Since you bought a lot, it's best to store excess in the freezer, and you can keep a smaller portion in the fridge.

Yes, the oils are worse for rancidity, and are also not recommended for consumption, actually. No oils are. Flax, especially for men, is not recommended

 

Is your gray hair just coming in or is this something you've had for a long time?

If you eat a lot of fresh, raw foods, you *might* see an improvement in gray; but it's not always a given. E.F.A.'s are great for hair, skin, and nails; but other things, like fresh raw foods make a huge contribution. You can think of it this way too: Since you have a hard time drinking lots of water, the more you increase your raw-food consumption, the less water you need to drink . The water contained in fruit and juices is superior and more hydrating than any water you can drink, and contains all those vitamins and minerals to further nourish.

 

 

Dr. Fuhrman is an awesome doctor and author of "Eat To Live" and a few other books, which promote a mostly vegan diet for optimal health. everything he advocates is science based and factual, which is great for proving how healthy vegan diets are. He has many, many patients from raw foodists to meat eaters, so he accommodates all.

His "Eat to Live" plan is, bar none, the best, healthiest plan out there.

He has an excellent BLOG with TONS of info, (the archives are awesome for just about anything you want to know), and his SITE offers lots of info too.

 

His book, "Eat to Live" is one I highly recommend if you want optimal health! It tells you how to lose weight, but that's just a side effect of eating properly, really. His plan is a way of eating for life, for health, and not *just* a diet to go on to lose weight (though you will lose, if you need to!)

 

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Dr. Fuhrman recommends 1 TB ground flax seeds; I think 2 would be fine, but 2 TB whole may be a bit much:

Use 1 TB whole seeds, if you want 2 TB ground; Use 1 heaping 1/2 TB whole seeds, if you want 1 TB ground.

 

Wouldn't it be the other way around? Use 1 1/2 TBSP whole to get 1 TBSP ground? The whole seeds don't pack down as much as the ground 'meal,' so they would take up more space.

 

You would think so! But, if you grind 1 TB of whole seeds, it comes to about 2 TB ground flax.

According to Dr.F. one shouldn't take too much flax. (I asked him because I actually wanted to increase my flax intake because I was enjoying the taste atop my smoothies). I was taking too much, he told me. So I had to cut back to 1 TB ground, which is a heaping 1/2 TB whole.

Like I wrote, though, if you get a bit more than that, it's not really that bad; I just prefer to be correct and very specific about what I take and what is recommended.

 

E.T.A:So you can probably continue taking 1 1/2 TB whole, if you want! I don't want to tell you what to do

 

But if you want to, t ry it This was discussed with Dr. F. several months ago, actually.

 

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_raven_ - my grays have been creeping up on me for a long time actually, it's nothing new But I am seeing more lately. I'm 37 so I expect to see a few I guess. It's nothing some coloring won't take care of, but that's not my ideal. I have been making a point to drink at least 2 glasses of water each day, the past several days. I am going to the bathroom more! lol I guess the other benefits will come with time!

 

Anyway, I don't know if my diet before going vegan helped the grays move in. I was not conscienscious enough about getting the proper nutrition - although I certainly wasn't terrible about it either. But I'm sure I was low on some essential nutrients. I hope I am correcting that now with the flax as well as bumping up my fruit and veggie intake, and supplementing, etc.

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I always wondered why it said to use GROUND flax seed all the time. I figured it was because it's more versatile (put in smoothie, etc). I don't have a coffee grinder (I don't drink coffee) and so I've just been eating the whole seeds. Is that bad? Would I get more benefit from grinding first? I like the taste. Should I go buy a coffee grinder now? Sometimes I eat them plain, grinding them with my teeth. Is that not adequate?

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I always wondered why it said to use GROUND flax seed all the time. I figured it was because it's more versatile (put in smoothie, etc). I don't have a coffee grinder (I don't drink coffee) and so I've just been eating the whole seeds. Is that bad? Would I get more benefit from grinding first? I like the taste. Should I go buy a coffee grinder now? Sometimes I eat them plain, grinding them with my teeth. Is that not adequate?

 

I think grinding them with your teeth would work well, though not as well as ground. Anything that breaks up the seed and exposes the inner part, and makes it small enough to digest makes the seeds more assimilable. (The problem with whole seeds is when people don't chew enough, and they come out pretty much the same way they go in, the way sesame seeds can).

 

You can also grind flax in a blender (especially if you have a blender with a small jar attachement, or one that can hold a small Mason or Ball jar).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey Everyone,

I didn't want to do it but I went ahead and bought a coffee grinder and that thing rocks! I used it on the flax seed and it's great but I also used it on oatmeal to make a skin mask and I ground up nuts in it for a less-obtrusive nutty topping. Using my coffee grinder is fun!!! but I am not going to start drinking coffee now, no sir or ma'am

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I think grinding them with your teeth would work well, though not as well as ground. Anything that breaks up the seed and exposes the inner part, and makes it small enough to digest makes the seeds more assimilable.

 

I read that for you to chew flax seeds to the point where the nutrients are as bio-available as ground up seeds, you'd need to chew eat bite of food 100 times, do it's definitley not as good of an option.

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I read that for you to chew flax seeds to the point where the nutrients are as bio-available as ground up seeds, you'd need to chew eat bite of food 100 times, do it's definitely not as good of an option.

 

Interesting. It would be almost impossible to 'teeth-grind' the seeds as fine as meal, so it makes sense. But I wonder how much of a difference it makes?

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I read that for you to chew flax seeds to the point where the nutrients are as bio-available as ground up seeds, you'd need to chew eat bite of food 100 times, do it's definitely not as good of an option.

 

Interesting. It would be almost impossible to 'teeth-grind' the seeds as fine as meal, so it makes sense. But I wonder how much of a difference it makes?

 

Teeth grinding? Not enough to prevent me from getting a device to grind them for me.

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