I want to add flax seed oil to my regimine of vitamines - I've read that flax seed increases metobolism and helps lose weight. Has anyone got any comments on this. Also flax seed is high in fat, i'm assuming this is a good thing in the LC WOL.

Thanks.

I just started taking flax seed oil about 10 days ago and since I am at goal weight I wont know if it helps to lose, BUT it does have many benefits. It contains omega-3 fats which is the GOOD kind of fats our bodies cant produce on their own. I think it is an excellent source to add to our systems.

G'day,
about your question on flax seed oil. It also has the good omega 6 and omega 9 oils, as well as the omega 3s. One anti-cancer dietition recommends eating this with low fat cottage cheese. This helps give one all the right fats. Apparently quite a few people with cancer have been cured on this diet. Normally about 2 tablespoons a day combined with 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese. The up side is that it also makes it easier to get down as it tastes quite reasonable on it own, or as a salad dressing. I add a twist with low fat yoghurt, but that's up to you.

Omega EFAS (Essential Fatty Acids) have been linked to decreased tumour growth, increased immune health, decreased cardiovascular disease and increased fat metabolism. EFA's are essential in that they cannot be created by your body and must come from your diet. Your body uses them for cell repair, among other things. Because they are so essential they are not used for energy - they are more important than that.

Flax seed is rich in both 6 and 3; but is predominantly 3 which is why it is something most of us supplement with. Our modern diets have resulted in a imbalance of the two EFAs in our bodies and flax oil is a good way to set this right. Ratios should be 2:1 for Omega 6 to Omega 3 but are currently estimated at 20:1.

Supplementing with flax seed has another benefit over using the oil - it contains lignans which also help in reducing cardiovascular disease.

To get the benefit from the seeds they must be ground, however. A coffee grinder does this well. You can make a flax porridge out of them that tastes pretty good with some cream, cinammon and a little splenda. Be sure that you do not use boiling water, however. Flax oil (which is released when the seeds are ground) is a polyunsaturate that deteriorates when exposed to heat (and light when in oil form) rendering it toxic to your body (similar to trans fats).

If you opt for flaxoil as a supplement be sure that it comes in a dark/opaque bottle and has been kept free from light oxidation. It should be 'cold pressed' - meaning it has not been heated. Buy only what you can consume within 3 weeks as it goes rancid fast. It should have a light, nutty, almost delicate taste. When flaxseed oil goes bad you'll know - it's vile!

RDA is 1 tblsp per 45 lbs of lean body mass - around 3 tbsp a day.

Nat

Hi Nat

Thanks for ALL your great information. I learn something new on here everyday!

I was wondering if I should be counting the cal and fat from Flaxseed Oil on my daily fitday totals. There are 361 cal and 41g fat in 3 Tbsp.

Also re: fitday the percentages come out about right {65% fat and 35% protein} but when I look at the grams, the fat and protein are usually about the same. Is that correct?

Akiwican

Some people use the calories from flaxoil (and other EFA rich oils) toward their calorie count, but it's not advisable. Your body recognizes this 'food' as something that is essential and shuttles it off for more important things than energy. If you start counting those 361 calories toward energy you could end up short changing yourself on calories in the long run.

Yes, the grams of fat and protein can be similar but the % and the calories will be quite different. This is because one gram of carbohydrate and one gram of protein have 4 calories, whereas one gram of fat has 9 calories, making it over 2x as calorie dense. This is why we advise that increasing calories be done with fat, it takes less

Nat

Thanks for the quick reply Nat You answered all my questions in a clear and concise manner as usual

Akiwican

How in the world do you retain all of this knowledge, Nat? I am sooo impressed!!! thanks very much for the info, I also checked out Doreen's link in another thread, very informative!! It's good to know that as an added bonus, it may help dissolve gallstones (my latest torment). This looks like very good stuff although rather icky tasting. I think I'll develop a taste for it though. Thanks very much for the search tip, Nat.

I put my flaxseed oil on top of my salads, along with my dressing, and also add it in with my TUNA!! Very yummy, gives the tuna a very tasty flavor, and gives a ton more moistness, along with the mayo I havent' noticed any real changes from flaxseed oil yet, but its so good, I don't care lol

Hi there,

I love flaxseeds, I grind them up just like Nat says in my coffee grinder to make the flaxmeal, then I use it to make pancakes or bread, it's got great flavour.

One question however, how much flaxmeal in oz or grams does it take to made the RDA of 3tbsp of flaxoil? I don't eat it everyday, maybe I should, especially if I don't have to count the calories or fat from it!!!!!!

Thanks
Banana

30 grams (1 ounce) of flax seeds will yield 12 grams of fat, which is equivalent to 1 Tbsp of oil.

1 oz/ 30g flax seeds measures approx. 3½ Tbsp when ground.

hth

Doreen

Thanks Doreen for your speedy reply.

Corr!!

10.5 tbsp flaxmeal a day, is that really the RDA? Does anyone eat that much flaxmeal in a day? How can I get that much into me in one day? I'll give it a try if that's what the recommendations are!!! Have to try it as hot cereal substitute, anyone got a yummy recipe?

Banana

Banana, in the kitchen forum there is a recipe for flax porridge - you may have to try a search for it, but it's there and it is nummy!

Nat

Hi there,

I tried a recipe with flaxmeal and protein powder, added water, mixed to a paste and nuked for 2 minutes, then added cream, sweetener and cinnamon. It was yukkkkk!! For one thing, I think I made it far too solid, to say the least!! and it just tasted awful. I didn't sweeten it too much as my UK sweetener has too many carbs in it and too much saccharin leaves a bitter taste, maybe that didn't help!

I'll see if I can find a different recipe maybe. It also made enough to sink a ship, I ate about 1/4 of it and that was a bowl full, and the recipe did say one serving!!! Boy was it a big one.

I made the remainder into pancakes, which were much nicer!

Thanks all
Banana

Interesting Banana....I have been havings recently kinda the same type of cereal and I love it! I mix in a bowl about 1/4 flaxseed meal. 2 tbsp of pure bran flakes and a big scoop of vanilla protein powder. I add enough hot water to make it like cream of wheat, top with lots of cream and I love it!~ Course we all have different tastes!