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Flax seeds… touted for their amazing nutrients, are also known as the “holy binder” of raw foods. So what makes them so magical when it comes to using them in recipes? For being such a tiny, itty bitty seed, it has an outer hull consisting of five layers.
The outermost layer, called the epiderm, contains the mucilaginous material that is activated in the presence of liquid. Give it a stir and a little time to relax and bam (!) you have a slimy material known as mucilage or gel.
Flax seeds contain both the soluble and insoluble types and can be very bulk-forming in the colon. This process can be a real blessing for those who suffer constipation, but it can also hinder movement when you don’t drink enough water with them.
To get the best bang for your buck in nutrition, grinding the seeds is the way to go. You can even just blitz them in a spice grinder, cracking the seeds… making it possible to benefit from the core nutrition of the seed.
There is some benefit to just soaking the seeds in water and obtaining the mucilage. That mucilage is known to help to prevent toxic build-up in the bowel during fasting or a healing diet. Only you can feel your body’s response to individual foods, so pay attention. :)
Taste wise, flax seeds don’t have an overpowering taste, so it won’t alter the flavor of your foods unless you use too much. They can add a delightful nuttiness to just about any recipe. Some of you may be sensitive to the taste or don’t care for it. If this is you, chia seeds can often be used as a substitution or just be cautious in the volume you use in a recipe. For a standard, family sized recipe, you don’t want to add more than about 3 Tbsp of flax flour to it if you are sensitive to the taste.
Health BenefitsGround flax seeds are used in raw recipes to create a binding effect with ingredients and also as a thickener. For instance, I used them in my Raw Caraway and Dill Onion Crackers (nut-free). Another recipe where I used ground flax seeds was in my Raw Churro Pastries with Chocolate Dipping Sauce. I used the ground flax as a binder and to add bulk to my churros. In my Raw Spicy BBQ Flax Crackers, I used both whole and ground flax seeds. I wanted the visual effect of the seeds, the binding effect from the mucilage and then by adding in ground flax seeds, I created a thickener, giving the cracker more body. (also doubling up as a binder)
Yields 1 1/3 cup flax flour / meal
I wanted to touch on a few things that I see some confusion with. Flax seeds don’t require soaking and dehydrating in order to use them… like you do with nuts and seeds.
It’s true that flax seeds need to either be soaked or ground in order to get all the nutrients from them but what approach you use will depend on how you are using them in recipes. If you wish to keep the seeds whole for aesthetic reasons you will need to soak them prior to adding to a recipe or add them to a recipe that has extra liquid in it. That liquid will help to release the mucilage that is within the seeds, making them more digestible and absorbable. This mucilage that surrounds the whole seeds works as a binder and thickener.
I used whole soaked flax seeds in my Italian Sun-Dried Tomato Flax Crackers. I wanted the visual effect of the whole seed, yet I needed them to act as a binder to hold the cracker together. You can add either whole flax seeds to smoothies if your machine is powerful enough to grind the seeds down. But you can also just add ground seeds if you already have them prepared.
yields: depends on the amount of water used
I hope this helps! Blessings, amie sue
I’m writing to you from the UK. Am I correct that flax and linseed are the same thing? Also, what is flax meal – is it just ground up flax seeds, or is it something I have to buy? I can’t find it on Google.
Love your site btw. I haven’t quite got my head around raw yet, but I’m loving some of the recipes on the site.
Hello Sarah,
Yes, linseed and flax are the same. :) Flax meal (AKA linseed meal) is just ground flax sees. You can buy it but I recommend grinding it as needed since I can go rancid if stored for a long time and nutrients can be lost. Read this post I did on how to make it…its very easy! I promise. :)
https://nouveauraw.com/raw-techniques/making-raw-flours-explaining-the-difference-of-nut-flour-meal-and-pulp-plus-more/
If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to ask. Anything can be overwhelming at first. My goal is to simplify it in your mind! amie sue
Can I singe the flaxseeds?
Hello Par, flax seeds can be toasted. amie sue
I soak flax seeds to make hair gel, but have been ingesting a lightly ground version in oatmeal, salads, meatballs, you name it. Then, I’m reading all the health benefits of soaking, and alive food is my thing, so I soaked some flax seed and was totally unable to dehydrate them for sprinkling as is my habit. They stuck like glue to the coffee filters I lined the dehydrator with. So, how can I accomplish this better? Or will I have to be satisfied with wet seeds? I could soak them with other nuts which they would stick to and I might not mind this when all is dry. I Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks so much for your help and guidance.
Hello Marva,
Once you soak the flax seeds, you can’t drain them from the mucilage that they create. But in order for nutrients to be absorbed in the body from them, you must eat them ground or soaked. The wet soaked seeds are used in smoothies, salad dressings, raw crackers, desserts, etc. The ground flax can be used in all those things as well but also can be sprinkled on salads, etc. I hope this helps. amie sue
I’m still a bit confused about how to get them dry after soaking them. I’d like to use mine in granola. I’ve already soaked and dehydrated my oats and almonds. I wanted flax in the granola as well so I soaked them. Can I dehydrate them and put them in my granola? Or have I “ruined” them for that purpose and I now have to find ways to use them in their gooey form? Thank you.
Hi Rachael.
To use the flax seeds in your granola, soak them till the water that you added is soaked up, then add them to the rest of the recipe and mix everything really well. The seeds will stick to the other ingredients. Then spread the granola out and dehydrate. Nothing is ruined. :) You can spread your soaked flax seeds out on a teflex sheet and dry them but they will dry in clumps and you will have to break the clumps up… but I would just mix them up with the rest of the granola recipe and it will be perfect. Does that help? Have a great day, amie sue
She could grind them up dry as well, couldn’t she? That would be just as good, right? I discovered that total inability to drain them after soaking once when I was making a cake that called for flax. Ha ha! I just ground up the slush in a blender and used them like that and it was fine. BTW, I love your site. I think you did some choc hazlenut icecream recipe that I have saved to make later. And now I’m looking for something else and your site pops up again! Thanks for the info. I am sure I will have a couple of questions for you also on oats . . .
Yes she could Joy… there are many ways to use flax :)
I accidentally drained my flax seeds, is there anyway to fix this? If I add more seeds to them? I had no idea what to do until I was done and went to look it up since my boyfriend wasn’t around.
Hello Paz,
So you soaked the flaxseeds in water, and had some excess in which you drained off? How long were they soaking prior to doing this? What are your plans for the flaxseeds? These questions will help me in answering you. :) amie sue
They didn’t soak for very long (about an hour), but I not only drained, I had also rinsed the seeds. To use them in a smoothie. But I was scared of the smiley material, and panicked.
It’s all ok Paz… I can understand, flax mucilage is something to get use to at first. :) It’s just a learning process. You could easily add water back into the dish and let them soak for a few hours. It’s hard for me to know exactly how much mucilage they released without seeing it in person. I would add about 1″ extra water that sit on top… then just give them a stir every once in a while to see how they are doing.
If you want to add flaxseeds in a smoothie, you can usually just add them right into the blender at the time of making your drink. The blending process should grind them up, releasing all the good nutrients. You can also grind them up in a spice grinder and add directly to your smoothie too. You have many options here. Does this help Paz? Have a glorious day. amie sue
Hi Amie! I love you website! It is the most informative website for Raw Food. I would love to prepare some cracker with flax seeds for my small daughter (2years old) too. I read somewhere that is not good for children under 12 year to eat flax seeds. I was confused…we eat every day flax seeds at home. Is this right?
Thank you in advance!
Good day Anna. Thank you for all the kind words. I appreciate that you took the time to share them. :)
Regarding your question, personally, I don’t see that there is an issue as they are a good source of Omega 3’s and fiber. Be sure to buy fresh flaxseeds (preferably organic), keep them in the refrigerator (due to their fat content, don’t want them to go rancid). And before use, grind the seeds to a powder. Cold-press flax oil is another good option. For her age, I would start with 1 teaspoon within a day to see how she tolerates them… working up to 3 teaspoons max (spreading it throughout the day).
Flaxseeds can inhibit the body’s ability to absorb and break down certain medications or supplements so if this is the case for her, you may want to avoid them. They can also have a slight laxative effect on her and can lead to diarrhea if taken in large doses. So keep an eye on that end of things. I would talk to her physician before adding them to her diet. I am not a nutritionist and have to be careful about “recommendations”… if you know what I mean. :) I hope this helps. blessings… amie sue
Are flax seed bad for health as some web research reflects..?
Personally, I think they are wonderful. But in the end, it depends on how your body/digestive system likes them. :) I am not sure what negative articles you are reading about them so I can’t really comment on those, but my main advice is to eat / use them in moderation and listen to your body as to how you feel over-all when you eat them. Have a great day, amie sue
the best way to consume flax seeds for good skin is soaked or grounded?
Both ways are good Sandhya. With doing both techniques the body can absorb all the that have to offer. :) Have a blessed day, amie sue
Amie, as someone who wants to extract as much nutrition and goodness from each grain of whole food that I can, would you recommend soaking the seeds, possibly even sprouting them, dehydrate, and then grounding them up into the flax meal that you use in so many of your recipes?
Or possibly even skip the dehydrating part and just ground the soaked or sprouted flax in a blender, and then throw it together in a lot of the recipes that call for the flax meal which has some moisture anyways.
Your Italian bread is absolutely AMAZING by the way. I am seriously on a roll making so many of your recipes. You are a genius and I’m beginning to understand why flax is such a great ingredient for these recipes, which is of course making me want to know how to extract as many nutrients as possible from these powerhouses.
I understand your position and I think it is safe to say that that is all of our main goals as well.
There are two ways to extract the nutrients from flax seeds… soaking and grinding. I personally don’t believe that you gain any further nutrition is you soak, dehydrate and grind them. Flax seeds don’t “sprout” like a grain do.
How you use them (soaked or ground) will always depend on the recipe and what their role is in the recipe. As you are learning through the bread recipes, it is used as a binder. Also, some people don’t like the texture of small seeds, they opt to grind them.
I am thrilled that you are enjoying the bread recipes. They are by far my favorite as well. :) Have a wonderful day, amie sue
Hi. I have a recipe that calls for two table spoons of “soaked flax see meal.” How on earth do I soak flax seed meal? I know it sounds silly, but in the video to the recipe I found they mention how it’s like a gelatin.
Do I just add water and let it sit until it forms this gelatin like form?
BTW, nice site. I’m just changing my eating habits and stumbled on to your site. I’ll be back. :)
Hello Deb… Yes, you are correct. Add water to the flax meal (ground flax seeds), stir really well and let it sit for about 10 minutes or so, it doesn’t take long. It will be like a super thick gel. Good luck on your journey to better eating! I am cheering you on. :) amie sue
Thank you so much Amie Sue. Looking forward to my new adventure. :)
possibly first dude here. anyway.. what abour soaking and then grinding. this is just going to be used in my smoothie anyway. but i want to soak for the release of live enzymes. any idea on soak times? thanks
Hello Ej…. not the first dude here… but nice to have you here :) For smoothies it is great to soak them first then blend the flax gel into the smoothie. You can even grind the seeds into a powder before soaking to get them to break down even further for digestion. Enjoy! amie sue
Hello there.
I have some queries. Does grinding and soaking them afterwards, for the night, neutralize the inhibitors and cyanide-like content in the seeds? Or do these two unwanted substances remain in the water in which you soaked the powder? I’m not sure if you should throw the water out, because some nutrients might be released in it now that the seeds are finely ground, and it would also be very hard to separate the mixture.
In case the two negative aspects (cyanide and inhibitors) don’t get neutralized after 24 hours of soaking, would it be better to first soak them whole and rinse, and then grind them somehow afterwards? After which you leave them in some more water to get the same homogenized mixture as in the first case. Or would that also make them loose some nutritional quality? I’ve read that the cyanide-like content does get neutralized to some extent when soaking the seeds.
I’ve recently started consuming them like in the first case: grinding them and soaking 3 tablespoons in a cup per day, after leaving them overnight. But then I found out about the cyanide. Even before finding out this piece of info, I didn’t experience anything adverse, but on the contrary. The problem is that I want to consume them for a long period of time, and it gives me some concerns. At least if it is possible I would like to prepare them without loosing out on the nutritional benefits. Also no cooking them since that doesn’t make them alive anymore.
Thank you.
Great questions Alex. I will some time to dedicate some further research about all this. I just wanted you to know that I got your comment and will be working on it. Blessings, amie sue
Was there ever a reply to this question? It goes to the heart of my thinking and endless search has not found an answer. This is the ONLY place I found that has asked this specific question.
I would really appreciate your time and effort i8n response to this.
Thank you in anticipation
Les, I never was able to find concrete information regarding his question about the cyanide-like content in the seeds and if soaking reduced that. amie sue
Hi. I’m just starting out with healthy eating. I’m guessing a blender wouldn’t be able to dry-grind just 1 teaspoon of flax seeds so I was wondering – is it safe to soak 1 teaspoon of seeds in water overnight and then blend the seed/water ‘gel’ in the morning before adding it to a smoothie to make sure the seeds are broken down? (My blender is old so I don’t think it would be able to break down the seeds if I just added them whole with all the other smoothie ingredients.)
Thanks.
Hello Ryan,
Your right, the blender won’t do a good job at with grinding down such a small quantity. The soaking process alone will help in making them easier to absorb and digest, so you are correct in your thinking. I think that adding it to the smoothie ingredients and blending would be good enough. Just blending the flax gel might cause the gel to just spin around and break down any further. As a side note, purchasing a $10 spice grinder would be handy for grinding down small amounts of flax. Have a great day, amie sue
Hi!
I recently bought golden flaxseed in bulk from winco and used them in my Nutribullet to make a smoothie and they made my smoothie SUPER GELATINOUS!
Like jello thickness.
I have been using golden flax from Trader Joes regularly without this problem.
My question is: What is the difference, and what makes the seeds do that?
Both seeds look the same in color and name, yet TJ’s seeds never did that to my smoothie.
I’m super puzzled…help!
Boy that is a puzzle. I never seem to get different reactions from different brands of flax-seeds. I can see that flax-seeds can differ in taste if they have gone rancid. Did you use any other ingredient that you normally don’t? amie sue
The only thing I can think of is that the TJ ones are roasted and winco bulk seeds are not.
I’ve experimented a little and if I soak the winco brand for about 10 mins, the smoothie doesn’t get gelatinous.
Either way, I’m sticking to the Trader Joes brand-they seem to be better all around.
Ah, you didn’t tell me that bit of info. ;) I would always use untoasted flax-seeds to get the most of them nutrient wise. amie sue
What ratio water to flax seed do you use?
Hello Marcy,
When soaking flax seeds it all depends on how you will be using them. The less water, the thicker and more dense the mixture will be… the more water added, the loser. There isn’t an exact ratio because again, it will depend on the recipe. The main thing to remember is that you don’t drain the liquid from the flax once it is soaked. When the flax seeds are soaked, they will have absorbed the water, creating a musalige which has wonderful binding powers in recipes. Have a great evening, amie sue
I couldn’t post a reply to the replies. I can’t even see the buttons, but thank you so much! They’re all slimey and good now! Thank you! I was worried and felt like I should let them go through the whole process since I usually rush and abrupt things and they probably had more to go. They’re fine now, it coats my fingers (it’s very dense). But thank you so much for your input and it actually calmed me down. Have a beautiful day. Thank you again <3
You are on the right path with slimy flax-seeds. hehe We learn from all our experiences… next time it will be a cinch. :) And you are so welcome. Glad that I could be of assistance. :) Blessings, amie sue
i soaked a bunch of whole flax seeds for 10 hours and I put them in the oven at 170 ( this is the lowest temperature my oven can go to) for 12 hours , as I usually do with my nuts. The result is like a whole piece of dry seeds sticking to each other. Should I keep them this way and ground some of it when I need to or should I ground the whole piece and store it?
Hello Kenza… I am not sure why you soaked and dehydrated all the flax seeds. To get the nutrients from flaxseeds they either need to be ground (no soaking required) or they can be soaked. But I only do this in batches as needed. It depends as to how you are going to use them and what a recipe calls for.
But since you have a large sheet of dried flax seeds, I would leave them in larger chunks and just grind them as needed. Flax has good natural oils in them and if you grind them now and don’t use them for a while, the nutrients will lesson and they have a chance of going rancid. I always keep my seeds in the fridge or freezer to prevent them from going rancid as well.
Does this help? Happy to work through this with you. :) amie sue
Hi, i d like to ask (it s impossible to find out on net), you say that flax seed must not be soaked, just ground. but when every nut, seed, wheat must be soaked to neutralize inhibitors and other toxins, why then not flax seed??
I am not sure where you read that I say that “flax seed must not be soaked, just ground.” amie sue
i understood it here “To get the best bang for your buck in nutrition, grinding the seeds is the way to go. You can even just blitz them in a spice grinder, cracking the seeds… making it possible to benefit from the core nutrition of the seed. There is some benefit to just soaking the seeds in water and obtaining the mucilage.”
But if you soak them then you get “mucilage”, and i dont think it s possible to dry them the way to prepare flax seed flour..
so you say that you have to soak them everytime? cause for me it s wonder..some people say you have to soak them, some say you dont have to..and it s the same with sunflower seeds..i just want to know how it is..if you can help??!!
Hello Vladja,
If you continue to read through the whole post in its entirety, you should have a good understanding of how to get the best nutrition from flax seeds. I am sorry that doesn’t read clear for you. Let me see if I shed some more light on it so I can help you. :)
A little further down in the post I also said…
“I wanted to touch on a few things that I see some confusion with. Flax seeds don’t require soaking and dehydrating in order to use them… like you do with nuts and seeds. It’s true that flax seeds need to either be soaked or ground in order to get all the nutrients from them but what approach you use will depend on how you are using them in recipes.”
Bottom line – you won’t absorb the health benefits of flax seeds if you eat them whole right out of the bag. They either need to have their outer hard cover cracked (which I do when I grind them down to a flour like texture) to expose the inside, or they need to be soaked. You don’t soak them then grind into a flour.
Does this make it more clear Vladja? I know it can be confusing at first when learning about different ingredients. Let me know. amie sue
I m really glad that you try to help me..i appreciate it. and i like your side too. your side was the first i started to read when i started to learn about raw food. :) (you could try to write not so complicated, or simpler, for us not native speakers :))
and about the seeds – I know that i have to soak them or grind them, when i want all nutritions. i just want to know if they contain antinutritions (such like inhibitors of enzymes). cause i learned that every seed, nut and wheat contains it. and when you want to reduce it you have to soak them..but some people say that flax seed must not be soaked. (and they say it about sunflower seeds too)..so for me that s a wonder.
that s why i m asking, is it necessary to soak them to reduce antinutritions or it s not??
Hello Vladja,
Let’s see if I can answer this for you.
First of all… yes pretty much every nut and seed has phytic acid in them and soaking them helps to reduce it.
Phytic acid isn’t necessarily evil, our body needs some, it’s just that many people tend to go over board with consuming nuts and seeds which can be taxing on the body.
It’s all about moderation regardless of how a person eats. So if you are eating a diet that is high in phytic acid foods, then you want to reduce them as much as you can. Over consumption can prevent minerals from being absorbed into the body.
I have never heard that “flax seeds must not be soaked”… this is false information. Nor have I read that regarding sunflower seeds.
In my years of research, I have come to learn that yes… you need to soak flax seeds in order to reduce the phytic acid. Grinding them to a flour only won’t cause a reduction, it just makes it easier for your body to absorb the other nutrients found in flax.
You can alway grind the flax to a flour and then soak it in water, this will create a thick slurry which will be great to add to recipes to use as a thickener or a binder.
I hope this helps. I would really like to say to not stress over this. Do your best with the information that becomes available to you. Stress is probably harder on the body then phytic acid. :P Just do your best and eat in moderation. Rotating foods is always advisable. If you have any medical conditions, then you will want to talk to your health care provider to see what is best for you.
I hope this helps. Blessings, amie sue
thank you very much, you were helpful!!
You are welcome Vladja ;)
Hi, My mother was diagnosed with stage0 breast cancer and underwent a surgery.I read many health benefits about flax seeds but it’s confusing too.I am a lil worried if I am giving flaxseeds the right way to my mom r not.I need ur suggestion.
I bought Mantra organic flaxseeds.I grind it in mixer then ad a piece of banana, apple a bit water to make a smoothie.I tell her to drink a glass and a half water after this.she drinks it in morning almost in empty stomach 30mins after having some tea biscuits and fruits,Is this the right way?pls help.
( I sometimes roast it also after grinding and she takes it with rice..)
My email ad [email protected]
Good morning Urmi,
I am sorry to hear about your mother’s diagnosis. I am thankful that she has you to help her. Regarding your question… you have it right in the fact that she really needs to drink a lot of water when consuming flax. That will help keep things moving. If she starts to notice that her bowls are slowing down, etc… then I would re-evaluate the usage of it.
Roasting flax seeds is fine, studies have found that the ALA in flaxseeds and the lignan phytonutrients is surprisingly heat stable but be sure that you don’t use heated flaxseed oil because it can easily oxidize and lose too many of its valuable nutrients.
I noticed that you don’t add any greens to the smoothie… I would try to if possible. :) Sending love and healing energy your way. Blessings, amie sue
Thanks a lot ami sui for such a warm and caring reply.. I will follow ur suggestions .. Could u pls guide me what kind of greens can i ad to the smothies..
Thanks again for ur help.
Good evening Urmi,
You’re welcome. When it comes to greens, there are so many! I am not sure where you live and what you have available. I have a posting on green juices here: https://nouveauraw.com/raw-recipes/smoothies-juices-nut-milks/green-juice-recipes/ . But the greens can easly just be added to smoothies. Here is a sample:
Kale
Traditionally Used For:
Anemia / Asthma / Arthritis / Circulation / Eye Problems / Hair Loss / Hay Fever / Impotence / Liver / Skin Problems / Ulcers / Weight Loss
A Good Source Of
Calcium / Iron / Vitamin A / Chlorophyll
Freshness Test
Kale is best in the spring or fall. Look for firm Kale leaves.
Due to the fact that Kale is a green juice, you will find it beneficial to have no more than about ¼ of your juice consisting of green juice.
Kale can have a powerful taste, although it’s definitely a vegetable worth juicing to its high chlorophyll content. You can grow Kale quiet easily yourself.
Kale is very high in calcium and makes an excellent calcium alternative.
It’s important to rotate greens too.
Have a great evening, amie sue
I new to smoothies and flaxseeds. I brought milled seeds can they be used out of the bag. I don’t see how I can soak.them thanks
Hello Karen,
Yes, you can just add the milled flaxseeds to your smoothies. In the future, it is always best to purchase whole seeds and grind them as needed so you don’t lose nutrients. You can even add whole flaxseeds to a smoothie and they will get broken down through the blending process. But use what you have for now… you are good to go! Blessings, amie sue
Hi, I was told by my sons doctor to soak flaxseed in water and make him drink it to help him poop. I bought golden flaxseed because it was the only thing I could find in my store. As I am trying to look up how to soak them threw google, I have realized she never told me how much to soak per 8oz of water or for how long I should. My entire family is overweight and we don’t eat right. I am taking steps to change that. I would also like to start adding flaxseed to my diet, but I have IBS. and I’m not sure how much I should eat or how to prepare it. If you know, could you please send me an e-mail informing me. Thank you so much for your time.
Good afternoon Malinda,
Regarding your son, I would give the doctor a quick call and ask how much she wants him to have. I can’t really answer that not knowing his situation. It will be important that he drinks plenty of water with it. (that goes for anyone eating flax, chia seeds, or psyllium).
I am so proud of you for stepping up to the plate to change your families eating habits. For IBS, I would be sure to grind the flaxseeds into a powder. Flax absorbs very large amounts of water, causing it to swell and form a soothing gel. So again, be sure to keep your water intake up! :) If you have hormone issues, you might want to use chia seeds instead. http://www.livestrong.com/article/532654-can-flaxseed-increase-estrogen-levels/
But as far as how much and how often… if you are taking it to help with bowel issues, I would grind a teaspoon worth and add it to a smoothie or sprinkle over a salad. Start small and watch how your body responds to it. Any dramatic shift in your diet can cause bloating, stomach upset, etc. So just be mindful. I hope this was helpful. Blessings on your journey. amie sue
Hi I recently had been having flax seeds and drank lots of water. Take my advice have a jug with lilts on put in fringe drink all 2 lit a day. And eat slowly I telling you I stopped flax as was told by my gp. I had a bowel obstruction through the seeds. I drank water all day. It was horriable never touch flax seeds or any seeds. My dr gave me powered meds to take. And said no more flax fruit only water only. I not had another constripated moment for a whole month. Stop all junk food and I workout 3 times a week. It scared me. It upto you but no more for me.
Thank you for sharing Karen. I am sorry that you reacted to it as you did. Our bodies are so unique and different. Learning what effects your body positively or negatively is priceless! Blessings, amie sue
Love your website I am a clinical dietitian studied in the US. I am currently in Cyprus working in private practice and recently started a small business of healthy snack bars with a long shelf life. Would you be interseted in working with me to develop 2-3 recipes? if so please contact me
Good day Katia,
What are your goals with the bars? I have tons of bar recipes on my site… do any of those work for you? Let me know, amie sue :)
Hi there!
Do you have any recipes for making a porridge out of ground flaxseed? I tried to make some following a recipe online but it was so gel-like I couldn’t even get it on a spoon! Do you think I overcooked it? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hello Caitlin,
I don’t have any straight-up flax porridge recipes. I don’t cook flax and when I use it, it is never the main ingredient.I use it as a binder, thickener, as well as for the added nutrients. As you have experienced it gels up really thick. So if you plan on creating a porridge, back off on the amount used. It soaks up liquid so be sure to double or triple the amount added.Once you mix it together, let it sit for about 15+ minutes and see if it needs adjusting. Is that helpful? blessings, amie sue
Hi I have started a plant based diet and I’m using flax seeds. After you soak the whole flax seeds do you put them in the oven to get them dry so you can then grind them and use them daily like in oatmeal or smoothies. I realize there are several to use them I would just like to have them ready daily to use for a few days or so without having to do the whole soak, rinse, dry, grind daily. So after I soak them I guess overnight then do I rinse them and put them in the oven on 150 to dry (I don’t have a dehydrator) so I will be able to grind them and use daily for a few days? I’m not sure about the part after soaking to get them dry to grind. I hope I’m making this question to where you can understand. Than You so much. I found your site today and I love it.
Good morning Holly,
You don’t soak and then dehydrate flax seeds. They create a very very thick gel. As indicated in the post… there are two ways to use flaxseeds; whole or ground. If using whole it is best to soak them in some water (or liquid) first so their nutrients are better absorbed. Once the liquid is thick, add to the recipe. The seeds will remain in the whole form. Nowhere do I talk about soaking, rinsing, drying, and grinding daily.
You can also grind the seeds which makes them ready to be absorbed into the body. Once ground, just add to your smoothie. Just remember that they will thicken in the smoothie so don’t add too many. I hope this helps, blessings, amie sue :)
I soak flax seed by covering with water in a container with lid then placing in fridge. I then use in cereal or just with fruit and yogurt over next 5 or 6 days.
Sometimes they begin to sprout. Is it safe to use seeds in this way. Why do they only sometimes sprout? Does it depend on the volume of water ?
Thanks
Hello Chriss,
Yes, flaxseeds are good when sprouted. Anytime a seed sprouts, it unlocks more nutrients. The conditions do need to be just right to sprouts seeds and since that hasn’t been your goal, you just happened upon some random sprouting. amie sue
Hello Amie-Sue
I have been told that I need to reduce pytates and so I soaked my flax seeds before I ground them. I read an article saying after overnight soak, drain and rinse 6 times then they are good to eat but I have just a pulp that will not drain?
How do I best eliminate the phytates from flax seeds?
thank you kindly
Kim
Good afternoon Kim,
You are doing about all that can be done to help reduce the phytates in flaxseeds… as you are well aware of, they are next to impossible to soak and drain due to the musalige that they create. Trying to wash that away is an endless battle. I have soaked and drained (took them draining overnight) to get most of the musalige to pull away, you can then dehydrate them if you want to use them in a dry format. Otherwise, if you are being told by a health practitioner that you need to reduce the number of phytates for health reasons, then you just may want to cut them out for now or at least look heavily at the foods you eat and reduce certain foods. I hope that makes sense. blessings, amie sue
Hi There thank you for all the information
can grounded flaxseeds be eaten raw
for eg one table spoon of them a day our not thanks
Hello Wasim,
Yes, flax seeds can be eaten raw… the best form. They just need to be soaked or ground up first so the body can absorb their nutrients. blessings, amie sue
My doctor has recommended 1 tbsp of flax seed per day. When it is soaked it expands. How big a portion should be taken after expansion?
Thanks,
Delight
Good morning Delight. My guess is that your doctor want’s to take a full Tablespoon of dry seeds but then either soaked or ground so your body can absorb it. It’s too hard to say how much that would equate to once soaked. To ensure you are getting his prescribed amount, I would daily take the 1 tablespoon, grind it up and add it to your smoothie, sprinkle on your salads, porridge, etc. I do that since I seed cycle. Blessings, amie sue
Hi, I’m wondering what impact the high level of phytic acid in flaxseeds, which is said to interfere with calcium absorption, has on its suitability for a low oxalate diet, meant to be high in calcium? Thanks Lynn
Good evening Lynn,
I think it’s all about balance. The majority of foods contain some level of phytic acid and we need it for various health reasons. BUT if a person eats a diet that is limited and rich with foods that are high in phytic acid such as eating a lot of nuts, seeds, grains, etc. it is a good idea to go through the soaking process with an acid to help reduce them. If you or a person has health issues that involve poor nutrient absorption, then soaking along with reducing the consumption of high phytic acid foods might be advisable. So I don’t really have a straight answer to our question. I am not sure how much it would take in volume to interfere with calcium absorption… I suppose that it is very individual. amie sue
For smoothies, would it be optimal to Whole flax seeds soak overnight and then blend in a high-powered blender? Or is it just as good to grind the dry whole seeds and then add to morning smoothie?
Good morning Tamara,
Great question with a simple answer. When adding flaxseeds to a smoothie, you can just add them whole (no blending or soaking required). As long as you have a good blender it should grind the seeds up while you are blending the smoothie, making their nutrients readily available for absorption. IF your blender is low-powered, you could pre-grind the flaxseeds before adding them but again they don’t need to be soaked since they are being ground down.
I hope this helps. blessings, amie sue
GREAT INFO FOR ME, A NEWBIE!
I am glad that you found it helpful Larry. Thanks for leaving a comment. blessings, amie sue
Why do the seeds yield more volume when ground? I weigh mine and they weigh more after being ground too, I don’t understand why
Good day Jamie,
I don’t know, flax seed sorcery? lol
Hi.. I just found your site…I have terrible digestive problems and can’t have much roughage so I was wondering can I just soak the flax seeds whole and strain it for the gooey stuff which I understand is good for my intestines?
Hello Prema,
There’s a lot on the topic of digestive issues and what helps and what hinders but since we are talking about flax… I would recommend grinding the flax and adding it to water to drink. I would only do a little bit at a time to see how your body handles it. But I wouldn’t take if you are in a IBS flareup. I don’t know your situation so I suggest talking to your wellness practitioner to see what is best for you. blessings and healing, amie sue