Flax seed oil

N

noc529

Guest
Hi ladies,
I hope all of your workouts are going well. I have a question--I was reading some people's backgrounds like Rhonda Davis or whatever her last name is and she said she puts flax seed oil on her salad everyday. What is the point of flax seed oil anyway? Thanks for your help, girls.

Lisa
 
Flax is a source of essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6, which are also found in fish).

Rather than flax oil (which can last about 30 days refrigerated without going bad) or even ground flax (which can last 90 days refrigerated), I prefer to buy whole flax seed (which can last a year under refrigeration) and grind a few days' worth of it a couple of times a week (in a dedicated coffee grinder). With the flax seed, rather than oil, you also get a bit of fiber and some other nutrients. I like golden flax seeds, which I think taste better (nuttier flavor), and which you can get under the "Now" brand.
 
Thanks for getting back to me. What about those flax seed pills? I see vitamin store selling them. Where can you get the flax seed itself? Does it taste very strong or moderately strong?
 
Lisa~I agree. The best way to buy them is whole seeds which are VERY tiny and then I grind them with a coffee grinder. (You can pick a grinder up real cheap at WalMart, K-Mart or such.) Like Sherry said, they have a good flavor to me, not strong at all. I buy mine at GNC. They are not expensive and a bag lasts a long time. HTH!
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.smilies-world.de/Smilies/Smilies_klein_1/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
I put the freshly ground seeds over cereal, then pour the milk.

I also put them on oatmeal, in protein shakes and on salads.

It's easy to eat 2 T. a day.
 
Thank you so much, guys. Also, does it help constipation? I sometimes have constipation problem when I'm eating carefully. Is grape seed oil good for you as well?

Lisa
 
Flax seed (but not the oil) has fiber, so it could help a bit with constipation. Be sure you are getting 25-35 grams of fiber a day (through whole grains, beans, vegetables) and the constipation shouldn't be a problem.
 
RE: Flax seed oil v. prostate cancer

Hi all: I read somewhere recently in a medical journal that flax seed is not recommended for men (like it is for women) because of an increased risk of prostate cancer (something like a 300% increase?!?!). The article recommended fish oil for men for EFAs. However, in attempting to research this for DH, I haven't seen it anywhere else.

Have you run across this in your research?

Thanks
Katie
 
RE: Flax seed oil v. prostate cancer

I haven't heard of that, but maybe you can find out on Dr. Weil's website. His book is where I first heard about the benefits of flax seed.

By the way, I have heard the body absorbs the benefits of flax better if the seeds are ground.

I throw flax seeds in my oatmeal because I hadn't yet figured out an easy way to grind them. I had never thought of putting them in a coffee grinder. That gets me thinking about a mini food processor I was given that I could use for this. (Duh.) Thanks for yet another great idea!

juliee
 
RE: Flax seed oil v. prostate cancer

I assure you that if you don't grind them, they will go right through you. You are wasting your money.
 
RE: Flax seed oil v. prostate cancer

I did find some conflicting advice on flax, flax seed, and flax seed oil for men. Apparently there is contradictory scientific evidence support ing both approaches - suggesting that flax and flax seeds (and the fiber therein) do help prevent prostate cancer but the flax seed oil (and the alpha linolenic acid) has been shown to create up to a 300% increase in the cancer in men. So, bottom line from the researchers is that flax seeds and flax seed oil are highly recommended for women but men should look elsewhere for their EFAs.

If anyone sees anything else on this, I'd appreciate your input.

Katie
 
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