Re: Flax & good fats/bad fats

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks for this info. I just checked my brand of flax seed and the

seeds are mostly cracked but with some whole seeds too.

So, this is what happens when your eyes get old... you have to remove

your contact lenses to get a better view!

Anyway, it's definitely *not* flax meal, which I make by putting these

seeds into my grinder.

Simpoulos's says these two things about flax seeds:

(p. 149) " Save some to use as whole seeds and grind the rest in a

coffee grinder or similar device. "

(p. 238) " If using whole flaxseeds, soak them in warm water for ten

minutes before adding them to your baked goods. "

She doesn't say how much water. I've never soaked the seeds before

baking, yet I still see that " tender " effect she talks about in her

book -- that baking with flax gives a more tender, quicker browning

result. But then again, I've been using this product is mixed with

some soy, and cracked seeds. Some help I am!

The first time I bought a sack of seeds they were definitely not

cracked. I used them whole and also made flax meal. When I ran out it

was a few months before I bought more and I switched brands.

I'll have to experiment. I wonder if the purpose of soaking in water

is to soften the seeds (by their absorption of water), or help leach

the oil from the seeds? If it's the latter, wouldn't you want to use

the water because of the leached oil?

Kim

--- " KM " <hbyc7@r...> wrote:

> Hi (and others interested in the 'good fats/bad fats/flax'

topic);

>

> I just corresponded with Kim on this and thought it would interest

you as well:

>

> I checked my copy of Udo Erasmus's book, " Fats that Heal, Fats that

> Kill " and this is what it says:

>

> " Whole flax nutrition. If you swallow flax seeds whole, your body

will not

> get the nutrients they contain, because they are protected by a

tough seed

> coat. After the seeds go through you, you could plant them and they

would

> still grow. To break the seed coat and make the nutrients available

for

> digestion, grind whole flax seeds in a small grinder ... . In this

way, you

> get the freshest, best-tasting, least spoiled possible, plus all of

the

> other nutrients contained in flax. Even better results can be

expected from

> flax if vitamin and mineral intake is optimized.

>

> Note: Take freshly ground flax with plenty of fluid, because its

mucilage

> absorbs 5 times the seed's weight of water. ...

> 1 tablespoon of flax contains about 1 teaspoon of oil ... "

>

> Kim's experience seems to be that some oil does escape when she is

using just the unground seeds. I wonder if it is inevitable that some

seeds are cracked and so they leak some oil and nutrients.

>

> The Omega Diet book that Kim recommended is excellent. I also like

Erasmus's book that I mentioned above ... particularly because it

explains the biochemistry of essential fatty acids (among other

things). I think, for CF, learning about essential fatty acids is

particularly valuable because knowledge of the difference in fats

seems to be a weak area in CF care in most clinics.

>

> Reseaarch has shown that people with CF have a larger than normal

imbalance between DHA and AA (essential fatty acids) ... way too much

AA and deficient in DHA. By the way, they are called 'essential' fatty

acids because the body can't make them ... they must be obtained

through diet. Diet alone cannot correct the imbalance but

substantially increasing the Omega 3s in diet certainly can't hurt and

some evidence is emerging that it can make a difference.

>

> M

>

>