Flax: For thousands of years, this blue-lowering crop has been cultivated for food, linen cloth, and fine-quality paper. Today we’re learning why flaxseeds are good for you.
Let’s start with taste: Flaxseeds add a nutty flavor to breads, muffins, cookies, cereal bars, pancakes, even smoothies! Buy flaxseeds whole, ground, or as flour.
As for health: Small, oil-rich flaxseeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s may help lower your heart disease risk, protect you from heart arrhythmia, and boost your immune system.
Flaxseed contains two types of fiber: soluble, with cholesterol-lowering properties, and insoluble, with potential cancer-fighting ability. Flaxseed is also rich in lignan (phytoestrogen), which may help protect against breast and prostate cancers.
Cook with flaxseed.
- Get in the grind. For health benefits, grind whole flaxseeds in a coffee grinder until granular or processed into flour. In a recipe lax can replace some flour.
- Use flaxseeds as a fat replacer. If a recipe calls for V3 cup oil or shortening, use 1 cup of milled flaxseed instead. When flaxseed replaces oil, baked goods tend to brown faster.
- Another nutri-bit: Omega-3-enriched eggs come from hens that eat flaxseed.
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