Flaxseeds are a powerhouse of nutritional benefits!
Flax is an annual plant with pale blue petals. The fruit contains the seeds. Flaxseed has a firm, shiny outer coating that varies from a golden wheat hue to a deep toasty brown.
Flaxseeds contain 7 times more potassium than a banana and more calcium than a cup of skim milk! Consuming about a ½ cup of flaxseeds per day will provide you with 831mg of Potassium, 236mg of Calcium, 431mg of Magnesium, and 112mcg of folic acid.
One tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains 1 gram of protein, 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams of polyunsaturated fatty acids (including the omega 3s) and 37 calories
Flaxseed is very versatile and is an excellent egg replacer in baked goods and can be sprinkled on salads, hot cereal, and in smoothies. Another boost is simply adding 2 tablespoons of our milled flaxseed into water or juice and drink it like an elixir.
Grind flaxseed with your coffee grinder, food processor or blender.
To incoporate more flax into your diet, you can use flaxseed flour when baking. Because flaxseed flour has such a high concentration of oil, you can use it as a substitute for eggs or fat in some baked goods as well as a replacement for some of the flour. Use it to make cookies, pancakes, muffins and cakes both lower in fat and vegan.
1 Tbsp. of ground flaxseed and 3 Tbsp. of water = a replacement of one egg in baking
3 Tbsp. of flax = 1 Tbsp. butter, margarine, shortening or vegetable oil
You may have to add more water to a recipe containing flaxseed flour to account for the high fiber content of the seeds; flaxseed flour soaks up moisture quickly.
Finely-milled flax flour lacks wheat flour’s gluten, so it won’t make a fluffy bread by itself. It’s also low in starch, so it won’t thicken a sauce in the same way wheat flour would.
