Flax seeds, oil, and tea
Flax is famous as a rich source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fats help brain function, support the thyroid, adrenals and hormones, strengthen immunity, break down cholesterol, maintain healthy blood, nerves, arteries, skin and hair. They do it all! These Omega-3 fats even prevent cancer, clear the heart and arteries and alleviate arthritis. They soothe your body of inflammations. You can choose the seeds or oil. Flax oil is delicate and can go rancid easily. Make sure your oil is cold pressed and unrefined. Never heat it, and keep it in the frig. If it tastes bitter, throw it out; it's rancid. Use the oil quickly, within a month. Use it raw, on salads or over grains. You can find it in the refrigerator section of the grocer. it needs to stay cool and away from light.
The flax seeds are heartier and will last a while. To release the goodness in them, grind them in a spice grinder and put a tablespoon or so on a salad or grain dish. You get the fiber that's not in the oil, and flax meal give you lignan, a mild phytoestrogen that can help balance hormones for women. These little seeds are mucilagenous. They become slimy (like okra) and and gel up with water. I like the soothing property; it helps soothe the stomach and intestines, coughs, sore throat, and chronic bronchial complaints. The seeds have a mild laxative effect that the oil does not. Sometimes the seeds are sold already ground up. I prefer to buy them whole and grind them myself. Once they are ground up, the delicate Omega -3 oils begin to oxidize and go rancid. Flax Tea This is my favorite way to use flax. This tea has a mild taste and soothing quality. It's definitely mucilagenous! You can add in licorice to sweeten it. Licorice is good for a sore throat and good for reducing stress. 1 Tbsp flax seeds 2 cups water Optional: 2 inches of dried licorice root Simmer in small pot for 20 minutes. strain and drink. If you don't have licorice root, you could add licorice tincture after the tea simmered. Flax Egg Substitute I have used this in grain burgers; the grain holds together better and makes a lighter burger. Take 3 Tbsp seeds and grind in blender or spice grinder. Add 1/2 cup water and blend 30 seconds. Or whisk the ground seeds and water vigorously by hand. Use in place of 2 large eggs. Here's an interesting note. Flax contains prussia acid, which is good in small amounts but dangerous in excess, causing respiratory failure and even death! So don't go crazy overboard with raw, ground flax. Often people think more is better but it's not the case at all. Use ground raw flax seeds in moderation. In traditional diets, flax was cooked or processed into oil. This inactivates the toxins. So let flax seeds soothe you, healing your insides as an oil, tea or meal.
Food for Thought: "In the 8th century Charlemagne considered flax so essential to health that he passed a law requiring its use" --Rebecca Wood, Whole Foods Chef
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