Eating the right foods can help you optimize your health and flaxseed is one of the least expensive superfoods you can benefit from adding to your diet. Flaxseeds have potential benefits to reduce your risk of developing heart problems, helping to stabilize your blood sugar levels and possibly preventing breast and colon cancers. You can buy whole flaxseed and then grind it yourself to obtain ground flaxseed, or you can buy flaxseed meal.
Ground Flaxseed vs. Flaxseed Meal
Ground flaxseed and flaxseed meal are the same thing and consist of whole flaxseed that has been ground or milled. Milling flaxseed makes it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients flaxseed contains. Ground flaxseed or flaxseed meal is sensitive to oxidation, and it is best to grind flaxseed yourself as you need it to guarantee its freshness.
Nutrition
Ground flaxseed, or flaxseed meal, offers a lot of nutrition for few calories. For example, 2 tbsp. contain 72 calories; 6.6 g of total fat; 3.2 g of omega-3 fats, which are also called alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA; 3.2 g of protein; 4.6 g of carbohydrates; and 4.4 g of fiber. The ALA of flaxseeds are better absorbed when flaxseeds are ground or milled and have the ability to improve your blood cholesterol levels and heart health. The fiber of flaxseed is good to keep your bowels regular, stabilize your blood sugar levels and also contribute to lowering your blood cholesterol levels. Flaxseed is also an excellent source of lignans, a phytoestrogen that can protect you against certain types of cancer.
Storage
ALA is highly sensitive to heat, light and air. With ground flaxseed, or flaxseed meal, ALA is exposed to a greater degree to these sources of oxidation. This is why it is best to grind flaxseed as you need it. You can also grind larger batches at a time and store the excess in an airtight container that you can keep in the refridgerator or freezer to prevent the ground flaxseed from going rancid. If you buy flaxseed meal, check the date to ensure it is as fresh as possible.
Use
Ground flaxseed, or flaxseed meal, can be used in any baked goods. You can add it to your muffins, cookies, breads and pancakes recipes. You can also sprinkle a few teaspoons over your yogurt, morning cereals or unsweetened applesauce. Be creative. Flaxseed has a mild nutty taste that makes it suitable for almost any dish. Some even sprinkle flaxseeds over salad or pasta. You can also add flaxseed meal directly to your spaghetti sauce, chili or a meatloaf.
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