I’m sure you’ve heard of flaxseeds before but do you know why you should be including them in your diet? Flaxseeds deserve special attention because they are the best plant source for Omega-3 fatty acids (in fact they contain almost twice as much as fish oil). Currently flaxseed products are the quickest and most effective way to get this important nutrient into your daily schedule. While that alone makes flaxseeds a “superfood” they are also very rich in protein, fiber, magnesium, iron, potassium, and last but not least fiber!
What are flaxseeds?
In appearance flaxseeds are seeds that are a bit larger than sesame seeds, dark in color, and can be very shiny. You can purchase them in different forms, as a flaxseed meal (pre-ground flaxseeds), in seed form, or as an oil. To get the most nutrients the flaxseeds must be ground in order to the oils contained inside, eating them in seed form makes that very hard to do. It’s important to know that the oil spoils quickly so grind as you go and don’t buy a lot of flaxseed oil at one time.
Grinding your own flaxseeds
You can grind your own flaxseeds with either a food processor or coffee grinder. Grind them in small amounts to prevent spoiling, and always store flaxseed in the fridge. Two tablespoons a day is all you need, that’s how rich flaxseed oil is in nutrients. I’d recommend have a grinder specifically for grinding flaxseeds, coffee and flaxseed oil just doesn’t mix very well. If you can’t bear the thought of eating two tablespoons plain then I suggest putting it either on yogurt or oatmeal for a morning boost.