Fall, 2000

. . . Flax: a few basic facts.

Other Uses for Flax

Aside from being an excellent food, flax can be used in skin care, hair care, as a poultice, in paint, and in textiles.

For skin care, mixing equal parts of ground flax seed and wheat bran with enough water to form a paste makes a great cleanser for oily, dry or blemished skin. Used as a mask it stimulates circulation and leaves skin feeling soft and smooth. The ground flax seeds being mildly abrasive help slough off dead skin cells. For hair care, flax mucilage makes a natural, non-toxic setting gel.

One cup cracked flax mixed with one cup hot water can be used in a poultice to provide relief from sore muscles, inflamed tissues, rheumatic pains and neuralgia.. For detailed instructions on how to make the poultice please refer to Siegfried Gursche’s Fantastic Flax published by Alive books.

Flax seed has also been called "linseed". This name came from the practise of making fine linen from the plant stems. Linseed oil (a denatured version of flax oil not suitable for use as a food) is used in paint.

Flax Seed or Flax Oil?

Consuming flax seeds will provide more nutrition than the oil alone. Not only will you benefit from the omega-3 EFA content, you will also benefit from the fibre, lignans, protein, mucilage and a wide range of vitamins and minerals. However, since we use oils in every day food preparation, flax oil is an excellent choice for people with an omega-3 deficiency. Over the long term however, flax oil needs to be balanced with oils high in omega-6 EFAs such as safflower, sunflower or sesame oil.

Purchasing and Storing

The most cost-efficient way to purchase flax is to buy the whole seeds in bulk. They will keep at room temperature for up to one year. Whole seeds must be ground in order to reap the nutritional benefits. A coffee grinder or food processor will do the trick. Grind the seeds only as you need them. Once ground, the oils being exposed to air and light will oxidize and quickly become rancid. Refrigerated, flax meal will keep for 90 days, but it’s always better to have it freshly ground.

Flax meal sold in stores should be freshly ground and kept in a refrigerated section. You can also purchase it vacuum sealed. Again, keep all ground flax in the refrigerator for up to 90 days.

When purchasing flax oil look for cold pressed unrefined varieties packaged in dark bottles. These oils will be kept in a refrigerated area, and the bottles should indicate an expiration date. If you wish to stock up on flax oil, keep it frozen solid and it will remain fresh for about one year.

Stay away from "lignan oil", especially if it’s more expensive than regular flax oil. Lignan oil is simply flax oil that contains some of the seed residue. Lignans are far more abundant in the actual seeds and will cost less than lignan oil.

Some manufacturers are producing oil blends which include flax oil and another oil(s) high in omega-6 EFAs. These blends are excellent for maintaining a balanced EFA dietary intake. Flax oil and flax oil blends can also be purchased in capsule form for those desiring a quick and easy way to get their EFAs.

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