Flax Seed Revolution

With the awareness of Flax Seed and it's nutritional value, I have added it to my daily diet. Along the way, I have gained quite an education on these nutritionally valuable seeds.
Here are some very basics on Flax Seed:

• The small seeds are packed full of Heart Healthy-Cholesterol Lowering Omega 3.
• The seeds must be ground or broken to receive any nutritional value, hence the photo of a Coffee-Spice Grinder (I am not a Coffee Drinker) Simply sprinkling the whole seeds on top of your cereal, or adding them to a recipe will not benefit your health.
• The nutritional value is lost when Flax Seeds or Oil are exposed to heat. At one point, I thought I was increasing the nutritional value of my bread, cereal, etc. to add Flax Seeds... wrong. I am amused at how many commercially baked breads, cereals, and cookies are touting the added Flax Seed benefit.
• If you purchase Flax Oil, be sure it is in the refrigerated section.
• Do not cook with Flax Oil, heating it destroys any nutritional benefit. Drink the oil straight (1 tsp. a day-not as gaggy as it sounds) or add it to a smoothie, make a salad dressing with it, etc.
• When purchasing Flax Seed, it is best to purchase seeds that are in a Vacuum Sealed Pouch. (At Whole Foods, Fresh Market, etc) The seeds are fine at room temperature, yet you can refrigerate them once the package is open to preserve the freshness. Mainly- avoid heat with these seeds and the oil.
• I have used several methods to grind the seeds, yet this Coffee-Spice Grinder by Procter Silex is the best. It was $20 at Target. The seeds are ground in seconds and you only need to grind what you will use at one time.
• Using the Freshly Ground Seeds, or the refrigerated Oil is the purest form to consume Flax and receive Omega 3 benefits.
• Here are few ways I use ground Flax Seed: To top my morning Oatmeal, added to smoothies, sprinkled on top of salads, added to a sandwich spread, and several others. I like the ground seeds over the Oil. The Oil still gags me sometimes and occasionally gives me heartburn.

This information merely scratches the surface. I do not claim to be an expert, yet what I do know, is Flax Seed in my daily diet is important. For details and more benefits of this hearty healthy seed, visit here.