Flax Oil vs. Flax Seeds

[Veg4Life]

My hubby and I are trying to lose some weight, build some muscle, etc. We've been told by our personal trainer to add healthy fat to our diet. She suggested fish oil or flax oil. Obviously, we prefer the flax, but the oils in the hfs are much more expensive than the actual seeds. Is there any benefit to buying the oil vs. just buying the actual seeds and grinding them into a powder to use in our shakes???

[Dimond]

The oil goes bad very easily and some think it's not the best form of flax. I'd stick with the seeds. Even better is the sprouted flax which doesn't need refrigeration.

[DopeRawAbundance]

The oil is the fat itself concentrated so the absorption of the oil should be more efficient and what not, but I don't think you can lose with the seeds.

What I'd consider is keeping Flax Seeds in your diet, and maybe less often have the Flax Oil. Also, there's Hemp Seeds and Hemp Oil to consider, which can be pricey as well but I prefer it to Flax Seeds/Oil... the benefits and taste are incred.

If you are able to buy stuff online, I would give the internet a good lookin' for your Seed/Oil needs. My healthfood store sells 8 oz of Hemp Oil for $10, and the website I get it off of sells 24 oz for $14. And if you can't get stuff online... shop around multiple healthfood stores for the best price... call around to avoid driving to billionz of places for price checks. Ya can't lose with shoppin' schmart.

[Shine]

I tried the oil for a while and it always went bad on me as I couldn't finish it before the expiration date taking a Tbs a day. Also, I hated the taste!! blech! ;)

I like the seeds as I can add to smoothies or "burgers" and what have you and I know I am getting the benefits without the taste. They are also easy to use and store!

[Veg4Life]

The oil goes bad very easily and some think it's not the best form of flax. I'd stick with the seeds. Even better is the sprouted flax which doesn't need refrigeration.


Sprouted flax?? Do I just soak them in water? How do you do it and how do you store them??

[Dimond]

I'm talking about pre-sprouted flax powder you can buy from a couple different raw companies. It's great because it's already grounded and doesn't need refrigeration.


Organic Sprouted Flax Seed Powder's process of germination fundamentally changes the nutrient composition of the seed. Nutrients such as enzymes, amino acids, vitamins and Antioxidants are substantially increased and become more bioavailable, allowing for better absorption. Sprouting doubles the antioxidant (ORAC) value of flaxseed. The "anti-nutrients" such as phytic acid, enzyme inhibitors & insoluble fibers are decreased, again allowing for increased bioavailability & nutrient absorption. Sprouted Flax Powder can be described as a "pre-digested food" making it more bioavailable for your body to absorb. A 20-gram serving gives you 4600 mg of Omega-3 ALA, with all the proper nutrients to properly convert ALA to EPA and DHA. Sprouted Flax Powder has a long shelf-life and doesn't need to be refrigerated. Since Sprouted Flax Powder tastes better than regular flax seeds, it can easily be added to any meal.

[DopeRawAbundance]

I just had a flax sprout salad earlier. Just put a bunch of flax seeds in a tray of soil, water them in, place in window sill, in a couple days you'll have a lil flax sprout jungle.

[Johnny B]

I use the sprouted flax from time to time and quite like it. However, I usually default to the whole flax seeds. I'll grind them up (sometimes with black sesame seeds) in a small coffee grinder to help release the oils and aid in digestion/absorption.

[Veg4Life]

Huh, I've never heard of pre-sprouted flax or sprouting your own flax in a window...I mean I've soaked flax for recipes and I do grind up my flax in a coffee grinder-where do you buy the pre-sprouted flax?

does flax have enzyme inhibitors like other seeds and nuts??

[DopeRawAbundance]

I've actually never heard of window-sill flax sprouting either but it works for me, the seeds didn't claim raw but I tried anyway, viola and such. If you were to attempt this the soil method would probably be your best bet, putting them in a bowl of water wasn't working for me, they get all gelatinous and go rancid quickly.

On the enzyme inhibitor tip, I've read that the only seed that doesn't contain enzyme inhibitors is hemp... and I'm not even sure if that is true. I think its safe to assume that all dormant seeds contain enzyme inhibitors, you can't go wrong with a quick soak.

[Seedy]

Flax seeds have important fiber and lignands you can't get in the oil. Flax oil is very prone to rancidity and needs to be kept in a dark cool place - even then the shelf life isn't great. There is one problem with the seeds. The lignands do tend to have a phtyoestrogen effect. Good, as they reduce the risk of breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. But some people do find that the estrogen-like effects bother them.
Seedy

[Dimond]

There's two brands of flax powder, Navitas Naturals being one of them. I used one brand and thought it was the best way to consume flax because the taste is good, esp for those that don't like it, and can be easily added to salad or a smoothie. I also like that it doesn't need refrigeration, grinding or soaking. So it's similar to chia seeds when it comes to using it and also having for traveling, emergencies, etc.