I am totally gung-ho about taking my flax oil but it's so hard to swallow!! I tried mixing it into my shake and it floats to the top and actually makes me gag!! I took a "shot" of it in a shotglass yesterday and just about lost it. I am going to try it in a caesar salad tonite but I'm not holding my breath that it will taste good. I really want to take the "fresh" stuff as opposed to the capsules. The slight "fishy" taste is pretty hard to stomach so if anyone has any ideas about consuming this as painlessly as possible...I'm listening!

Sunshine Smiles!!

Are you sure the one you have is fresh? Did the store you bought it from keep it in the fridg? I drink often and wouldn't describe it as "fishy", more like "nutty" flavour.

Wa'il

The pressing date is Feb 6 and it was refrigerated in the store when I bought it. Omega Nutrition is the brand. I asked the gal at the store how it tasted and she said "slightly fishy" and she was right. Bleckkk!!! What brand do you use and how do you take it? Maby I just need to try a different kind. I bought the biggest bottle so it will be awhile until I finish it.

SS!!

That's the one I use, Omega. Just drank some, and nothing in it's taste get close to "fishy". Smells and tastes like a seed, maybe like sunflower seeds. There's a very slight aftertaste, not sure how to describe it, a bit "medicinal" maybe?

Another thing I use, tastes nutty as well (to me) with no aftertaste is Udo's blend of essential oils.

Wa'il

I can't take the stuff, either. Go in, come up. Yuck! Switched to the less effective pills.....

I use the fresh pressed flax seed oil too. Mine (Omega Nutrition) tastes nutty, and I buy it in small bottles to make sure it stays fresh. The health food store keeps it in the fridge, and understands why. I actually open the bottle at the cash register before I pay for it, and take a taste from my finger, to make sure it is fresh. They have yet to complain.

I find it easy to take when mixed into my home made oil and vinegar dressings, or poured on the salad first, then tossed, then add the dressing. The second way makes sure the oil sticks to the lettuce leaves and does not sit on the bottom of the bowl.

As a salad dressing, I find there is no after taste. I have developed a bad habit now though. If there is oil and vinegar left in the bottom of the bowl, I spoon it out and eat it. (and Ssshhh, don't tell anyone...when no one is looking I drink it from the bowl, the same way kids drink the left over milk from their cereal) No sense wasting good fats.

Are you trying to take all 3 Tablespoonsful at once? Try just using one Tbsp at a time. One Tbsp mixed in your shake, another Tbsp added to salad dressing, and another Tbsp mixed with mayonnaise or sour cream for tuna or egg salad or for dipping pork rinds or veggies. Or mix 1 Tbsp flax oil w. 1 Tbsp soft butter as a topping to dress cooked veggies or chicken breast or fish. Flax oil mixed 50:50 w. soft butter can be stored tightly covered in the fridge for up to one week ... just don't cook with it.

I've noticed that there can be a difference from batch to batch, since the oil is cold-pressed and unrefined. But never a truly bitter taste or smell .. that's a sure sign of rancidity. As far as tasting "fishy" .. I go by the rule that even fresh fish should not smell or taste fishy

hope this helps,

Doreen

I can't stand the taste of the stuff either. And using it on salad just ruined the salad for me.

I found that if I just swallowed it quick right from the spoon, then immediately drank a glass of ICE water, it was tolerable. I guess maybe the cold took away how awful it tastes.

Just a rambling, musing thought here ..

After years and years of using "light-tasting", highly processed and refined salad oils and margarines for decades .. for many of us, the graduation up to unrefined, cold pressed oils that actually taste like the seed or nut they're derived from can really take some getting used to. How many are using "light" or processed golden yellow olive oil?? rather than the green, highly flavoured virgin or extra-virgin oil, which hasn't been bleached and refined?? Unprocessed oils have a lower pH, and therefore slightly higher acidity than refined oils, and this can add a slight "bite" to the palate.

Getting in the flax oil may need to be a very gradual process, starting at only one TEASPOON at a time, mixed with olive or other seed oil or soft butter .. then slowly increasing the ratio of flax until better tolerated.

Doreen

I've been taking a more bitter combination of oils from Omega Nutrition that includes pumkinseed oil. Now that one's really hard to swallow without making your whole body shudder. I've gotten more accustomed to it (can't do it without making a face) but I've been following it with an almond butter chaser. I meant to stir the bitter oil into the almond butter and eat it that way, but haven't gotten around to trying it yet. I think it will bury the bitter oil.

Allison

I personally use flax meal. It tastes good, and when I sprinkle it on my salads it adds the most wonderful flavour, as if there were nuts on it! Nothing to gag at! The thought of drinking oil just doesn't appeal to me at all. I don't doubt for a moment that it's tough!

Ground flax seed (flaxmeal) is a good source of the Omega-3 rich oil, and fiber too. However, a person would have to consume a very large amount every single day in order to get the desired amount of fatty acids for therapeutic uses. It would take 100g (3½ oz) ground seeds to provide the equivalent to 3 Tbsp of the pure oil. That's almost 3/4 cup seeds, which must be thoroughly ground to release the oil, and FRESHLY ground at that, to ensure the essential fatty acids have not been oxidized from exposure to air.

A typical one oz (30g) portion of flaxmeal measures approx. 3½ Tbsp, and provides 12g fat, which is equivalent to 1 Tbsp flax oil.

Doreen

Hi Patrizia, I am new to this site. Saw your name and New England so thought I would like to talk with you. I lived in NE all my life. R.I., moved to a very sm. island of the coast of Me. 16 years ago. Where my dad was born. Love it. We are right on the Bay of FUndy. How to you like the diet. I started 2 wk's ago. Lost 10 pounds. My husband has been on it before. So I thought this time I would go on it with him. SO FAR SO GOOD. LOL I am on aol
instant messenger could chat if you are. Carroll

I figured that there would be a major difference in the amount of EFA's in oil to ground flax. It's interesting to find out just how much of a difference however! I do take 1000 mg CLA every day as well, so I think that makes up the difference for me.

I just love the wealth of knowledge that surges from these boards!

Gotta finish watching the hockey game now!

GO CANADA!!!

I just started taking the flaxseed oil and I dont mind the taste at all. LOL guess Im just weird. I believe Doreen answered my question but just to clarify it, we should be taking 3 tablespoons a day? And when is the best time to take it? I use flaxmeal but simply for baking for added fiber.