Grinding flax seeds

Grinding flax seeds yields a great daily source of fresh omega-3 fat; and lignans which help prevent malicious breast and prostate tumours

It will take just 20 seconds every morning to significantly increase the omega-3 from your food. In fact, you can cheat a little; whizzing the seeds does enough for two and the rest can go into the refrigerator for tomorrow.

It adds both nutritious fat and fibre giving your food extra satiety; you will not be famished at 11 o'clock.

So prepare these seeds perhaps once or twice a week; the surplus should be stored in the freezer.

This page was last updated on 6th April, 2024.

What is odd is that freshly-ground seeds have a very faint fishy smell; the odour that we associate with salmon, mackerel and pilchards is actually from the omega 3.

But it is so faint that it will not turn your stomach; in fact I sometimes wonder if I am hallucinating.

But the long and the short of it is that cold-water fish, in particular and flaxseed are the two richest sources of these wonderful fatty acids that are so profoundly important for our wellness. It is no coincidence that all five Blue Zone countries are islands or close to the sea.

• Blue Zone longevity
  

The brain is rich in fat and about 30 percent of it consists of these omega-3 compounds.

Adults who consume little or none were found to have brains that were actually smaller; equivalent to being two-years older than those who ate plenty of fish and flaxseed.

It is particularly true in pregnancy; research published in Lancet concludes that the children of women who consume little omega-3 are 50 percent more likely to score significantly lower on IQ testing.

Today much research is concluding that omega-3 has a profound role to play in those suffering from early senile dementia, depression and bipolarism; everyone should be grinding flax seeds.

Flax seed nutrition information

If you check out this flax nutrition information page^[3] you will see that it is the richest vegetable source of the oil. It is also known as linseed.

It is loaded with alpha linoleic acid; the important omega 3 plant-based fat.

Like sesame, eaten whole flax-seeds pass through the intestines without being digested. It is a complete waste and worse, they may get stuck in diverticuli.

Hence the importance of this grinding flax seeds page.

 Anti-inflammatory omega-3

Anti-inflammatory omega 3 is vital to reduce the pain in our joints and muscles; enter this grinding flax seeds page.

The good news is that with a cheap coffee grinder you can turn your flax seeds into a readily absorbable powder; rich not only in omega-3 but also the lignans that have now been proved to be a powerful aid in the prevention of prostate and breast tumours.

• What are lignans?
• Lignans help protect the prostate gland
  

Thus it comes as no surprise to me to discover recently that my PSA is less than one; under four is considered normal at 70.

All men should read the Lancet Commission report on prostate cancer^[7]. They are predicting a tsunami. The disease is already the most common malignant tumour; and they predicting the rates will double in the next twenty years.

Lignans are the phytosterols that compete with cholesterol in the gut for absorption, and reduce it by the same amount as statins. They also block the sites in the breast and prostate where circulating-hormones may stimulate the formation of tumours. 

Flax seeds are cheap. On the left of the grinder below you can see a one kilogram packet that costs only R37 in South Africa; about $2 per pound. That is a 3 months' supply; very inexpensive.

Grinding flax seeds

Grinding flax seeds helps to lower the omega 6 to 3 ratio which is vital to reduce inflammation in muscles, joints and blood vessels; probably in the intestine and other organs too.

Whizz it for 10 - 20s and voilà, you have your ground flax seeds powder. What could be easier?

Nutritious breakfast menu

This looks like a dog's breakfast, but I promise you it is loaded with good stuff; and tastes delicious. It takes less than five-minutes to put together; while it soaks in boiling water for a few moments, I enjoy a cup coffee and shave. Nuke it briefly if you like.

On alternate days we enjoy Eggs Florentine on toast made using 100% flour for breakfast; it is equally good, and also rich in lignans and some omega-3.

Refrigerate

The omega-3 fat, Alpha Linolenic acid, or ALA, is a very powerful antioxidant and, exposed to air, gets rapidly hot and goes rancid. Make sure you refrigerate or better still freeze any that is left over.

As a general rule there are two great enemies; air which leads to oxidation of the oils in grains, nuts and seeds, once the outer shell has been broken; and moisture than brings with it fungi, some of which produce aflatoxin for example. That is very dangerous.

To that we could add various insects like the granary weevil.

In particular, make sure that both your elderly parents and children are getting adequate levels of cold-water fish and flaxseed in their food.

Kids suffering from attention deficit, and those who display aggression in school, also respond well to these three fatty acids. Omega-3 is brain food; as well as for the joints, muscles and blood vessels. Read more at pathophysiology of atherosclerosis; it is scripted in simple layman's terms.

Every family should be grinding flax seeds on a regular basis.

Heart failure

Much of the research on omega-3 has been done on the two compounds from fatty fish. Now scientists have found that ALA from plant sources gives those suffering from heart failure a 39% lower chance of dying or being admitted to hospital^[5]; that's massive.

Purslane plant, freshly-ground flax seed and walnuts are three common sources.

Use freshly-ground flax regularly for your vegan seed bread recipe; although we do eat meat, we do log into all the benefits of those who enjoy plenty of salads, fruit and the nutritious wholegrain loaf. To a very large extent it means growing and baking your own food wherever possible. Those are true Blue Zone activities, where ten times as many people live to vibrant old age^[4].

It is either that or spend all that time, and often a lot more, consulting doctors and swallowing bucketfuls of pills; not to mention the pain and the cost.

It does mean retraining the tongue; sugary sweet rolls, bagels and highly-refined scones with strawberry jam should be kept for high and holy days.

Stroke

It's commonly advised that healthy elderly folk take aspirin as prevention of heart disease or stroke.

New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that low dose aspirin in healthy older people greatly increases the risk of intracerebral bleeding; worse, it gives no protection against a blood clot to the brain^[6].

Let your food be your medicine; grinding flax seeds gives you the protection without these serious side effects.

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Newsletter

Our newsletter is entitled "create a cyan zone" at your home, preserving both yourself and Mother Earth for future generations; and your family too, of course. We promise not to spam you with daily emails promoting various products. You may get an occasional nudge to buy one of my books.

Here are the back issues.

Flaxseed oil

The research is unequivocal; and it's probably the lignans in the freshly ground powder, but not in flaxseed oil that makes the difference in the management of your cholesterol profile.

Read more at this ground flaxseed vs oil page.

Choice foods

Nutritious choice foods if you do not want a body consumed with inflammation, must include plenty of omega-3 fatty acids. The best sources are fatty fish and freshly ground flax seeds; grind them yourself.

Bernard Preston

Bernard Preston, yes, that is me, is committed to helping you enjoy choice foods that can be made in a jiffy. Well, our low GI bread takes five hours to bake; but it's only 5 minutes of preparation time, including grinding flax seeds that help lower the glycemic index of the starch in our daily loaf even further.

There is in any case strong research that whole grains like this bread from 100% flour are true functional foods that promote well-being and reduce disease.

• Low GI bread - rich in lignans too.
• Vegan seed bread
  

True 100% wholewheat, like grinding flax seeds, is also a great source of both lignans and nutritious fatty acids, but there is a proviso for some; the protein is more difficult to digest. Understanding the meaning of gluten is important if bread gives you abdominal pain, cramps or diarrhoea.

Luckily there is a solution; you can have your bread and eat it, even if you are gluten intolerant, but you have to learn how to make sourdough^[1]. It is not difficult; once you are into the swing of it, it takes only five minutes every day and you can enjoy your daily loaf.

Smoothies

Start enjoying a lot of simple and quick ways to get more coloured foods into your stomach; using flaxseed for example in this nutritious berry smoothie.

USEFUL LINKS

• Fish oil for omega-3.
  
• Nutritious Breakfast menu
  

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Create a Cyan Zone at your home; one which complements blue areas for longevity with green for protecting Mother Earth.