A notice to the fat free crowd: Nuts and seeds are good for you! Yes, they have fat, but the healthy kind. Studies consistently show that people who eat nuts and seeds have less heart disease and live longer. Include some nuts and seeds in your diet. I am not suggesting you go nuts-- eating them by the handful will give you too much fat and too many calories. A couple of spoonfuls a day is about right.

 

Flax seeds are high in fiber, and they're commonly used in laxative medicines. 2 to 3 doses of a tablespoon of ground seed in a half-cup of water or juice relieves constipation. And just like it absorbs the liquid in your cereal, it also absorbs the water you've mixed it with and whatever liquid is in your stomach, so drink plenty of fluids when consuming ground flax seeds. They can absorb 5 to 6 times their weight in water. Other great herbal remedies for the "sit down and go" effectinclude senna, psyllium and plain old bran.

 

Recent studies show that the EFA in flax can change our immune response and help people with autoimmune diseases. By changing the fats found in our cell membranes, the EFA in flax lowers the arachidonic acid (AA) production. AA is used by the body to make chemicals that cause inflammation, such as prostaglandins, eicosanoids, and cytokines. Therefore adding flax to the diets of those with lupus, arthritis, psoriasis and multiple sclerosis is probably a good idea.

 

Soy gets all the press for being a phytoestrogen, but it's time that flaxseed shared the glory. Phytoestrogens are plant substances with estrogen-like properties. In the body, they can prevent negative effects of estrogens made by our bodies. They do this either by blocking estrogen actions or by replacing estrogen at estrogen receptor sites.

The high consumption in  flax seeds are fibers called lignans. Populations with high amounts of lignans and high fiber diets tend to have less estrogen-dependent breast cancer. Scientists are still figuring out the exact role of lignans and cancer in humans, so stay tuned for further developments.

Ground flaxseed makes an excellent egg substitute. One tablespoon of ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons of liquid replaces one egg in baking. Mix ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl and let sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Add to any recipe as you would an egg. This works especially well in muffins, pancakes, cookies and cakes. These baked goods are slightly gummier and chewier than normal, and not quite as fluffy, but when you use flax in place of eggs you know you are making a heart-healthier product. Soy substitutes are also a boon for the egg-allergic.

 

Flaxseed can also stand in for all oil or shortening in a recipe because of its high oil content. If a recipe calls for 1/3 c of oil, use 1 c of ground flaxseed to replace the oil - a 3:1 substitution ratio. When flaxseed is used instead of oil, baked goods tend to brown more rapidly. Check the cookies early unless you like them really toasty. I made flax seed chocolate chip cookies for my kid's school last week and the kids loved them!

 

You can use the oil in your food, too. Never heat it. Instead, use it as a salad dressing base or as a topping for pasta, potatoes, rice or vegetables. It can be added to hot cereal, soup, sauces, dips or blender drinks. Mix flax oil with butter or a non-hydrogenated margarine for an omega-3-rich spread. The oil can also be taken as a supplement (1-2 tsp./day or in pill form for those who don't like the taste).

The oil from flax seeds is highly unsaturated, which means that it is easily damaged when it's exposed to light, heat, or air. Flax oil is therefore normally packaged in black plastic bottles or dark brown glass bottles to protect it from light. The oil must be kept refrigerated and will stay fresh for up to 8 weeks after it is opened. Check the expiration date! If your oil is about to expire, put it in your freezer; it'll last for a year or more in there. If your flax oil stinks, it is rancid flax oil, so toss it. As for your keeping seeds, a recent study showed that ground flaxseed kept well for 128 days at room temperature, but freezing is recommended for any ground flax not to be used in a few days.

Well, now that you have the facts on flax, start adding this wonderful food and oil to your diet. Healthy eating!

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