Ode to flax seeds

I have eaten flax seeds before but I purchased them this past week because they were on sale. I have been adding them to my salads and other meals and my husband has been eating them too.

Flax seeds are better than flax oil which can go rancid quickly AND they are good for up to a year after opening the package. I store mine in the refrigerator.

They should be ground up for their optimal nutritional benefit but so far I have been too lazy for that. Since we don't drink coffee and have a coffee mill or spice grinder I would have to do it in the blender. I really do need to ground them up to get any value out of them...maybe I'll buy a spice grinder this weekend. That would come in handy...

These tiny seeds are packed with really great nutritional value...fiber, omega 3s, protein, antioxidants...

Too much of them are a bad thing. They contain cyanogen (cyanide) which keeps the thyroid from taking up enough iodine- a problem I do not need. When they aren't ground up they not only pass right through you but they can also cause cramping, especially for those with IBS or other similar issues. I need to be careful.

All in all, I think the good more than out weighs the bad when it comes to flax seeds.


Since I love smoothies so much here is a morning smoothie recipe.

• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup milk (you can use soy, rice, almond, etc--I used to use soy, but it isn't good for the thyroid)
• 2 tbsp flax seeds
  
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 banana