9 Fast Facts about Flax You Should Know ...

1. One and the Same

One of the facts about flax most people don’t know is that flaxmeal and milled or ground flax are actually the same thing. Both are interchangeable in a recipe, and excellent to bake with.

2. Easy to Make

Speaking of ground and milled flax, it is nothing more than ground-up flax seeds that you make at home! All you need to do is take whole flaxseeds and grind them into flaxmeal in a coffee grinder. You need to grind flax to reap the heart healthy benefits from it. The nutrients in whole flax can’t be absorbed into the body like those in chia seeds can, so eat it ground or grind it before use.

3. Hard to Find

Most people say they can’t find flaxseeds at the store if they’ve never bought them before. This is because they are hiding on an aisle you wouldn’t think to look for healthy food: the baking aisle! You can usually find flaxmeal/flaxseeds in the baking aisle or cereal aisle, or it could even be in the bulk foods section of your grocery store. Be sure to check all these places before giving up on finding it.

4. Keep It Safe

Flax is one delicate seed. It doesn’t like air or light, which can cause it to go rancid. Store it in your fridge or freezer in a colored package or container to keep the light away from it. It will keep in the fridge tightly sealed for 6 months and in the freezer one year.

5. Low Carb

Flaxmeal only has 1 net carb and it has tons of fiber. You can use flaxmeal in place of flour in low carb baking recipes. The fat content will go up, but the net carbs will be much lower than that of flour.

6. Great for Constipation

Flaxseed is a great remedy for constipation. It contains 4 grams of fiber per two tablespoons! Be sure to always drink extra water if you're eating flax products, and if you have any intestinal discomfort, start with a lower amount of flax and increase gradually.

7. There’s More than One Kind

You have two color choices when it comes to pretty little flaxseeds: dark brown and golden. Both are nutritionally equal, but dark brown flax tastes nuttier and golden flax has a sweeter taste, making it my personal favorite. I like to use golden flax for a prettier appeal, but pick whichever one you want and mix them together if you like.

8. By Any Other Name

In other parts of the world, you’ll hear people refer to flax as linseed and it is a part of the popular combination LSA, which contains linseeds (flaxseeds), sunflower seeds and almonds ground together.

9. Hormone Friendly

Flaxseeds are one of the best sources of phytoestrogens, which aid in hormonal health when estrogen levels are low. If you suffer from PMS or menopause, add flax to your diet, but if you suffer estrogen dominance, be sure to watch how you much flax you eat since it could drive you into estrogen overload.

Flaxseeds are excellent for your skin too! Their fats and fiber help to keep your insulin levels stable, which is key to balancing your mood and blood sugar. I love them on yogurt, oatmeal, in smoothies, on salads, and in homemade energy bars. Do you eat flaxseeds?

Sources: facebook.com