Flaxseed
- Nicole Dawson Cullinan
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
I spy with my little eye… A vast crop of luminous lime fields… long stalks with green bobbles… what is it?
This is flax!
Evidently flax flourishes in Normandy’s temperate climate of alternating fine rain and generous sunshine.
Travel opens one's mind through our senses. It is true that travel stimulates, teaches and gives us new experiences… this is what I learned on a recent getaway to France, gazing out of the car window while roadtripping… And when I got home I discovered flax growing in my own garden! It was in the wildflower seed mix that I sowed in a new flower bed and still showing its beautiful blue flower - the bloom we had just missed in France!
I know Flaxseed as ‘Lin’seed - On this trip I made a new connection… the link from seed to linen, the fabric.
Are these also those little brown superfood seeds that I buy from the shop, grind and put in my cereal or baking?
Flax is both a food and fibre crop
Flaxseeds are a powerhouse food source of
omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fibre and
lignans.
Flaxseeds are a functional food
🌱source of both soluble and insoluble fibre
🌱laxative
🌱expectorant
🌱cholesterol lowering
🌱blood sugar stabilizing
🌱hormone balancing
Now more on Lignans
They are phytochemicals that can act like a phytoestrogen and bind to our oestrogen receptors.
They act like adaptogens —they weakly amplify oestrogen levels when deficient, or block excess, stronger oestrogens to help balance your hormones..
They can be effective in managing PMS, fertility and menopausal symptoms with their modulating effect on oestrogen receptor function.
Oestrogen Dominance
If your body is exposed to and retains an excess of oestrogen (including hormones we make, synthetic hormones and xeno oestrogens), the fibre and lignans in flaxseed can bind to these hormone and other toxic metabolites in the intestine and excrete them, preventing them from recirculating.
In this way, flaxseed as a functional food has been thought to alleviate conditions like endometriosis, fibroids, and breast tenderness etc.
How to Use Them
For these health benefits, eat flaxseeds ground, as whole seeds pass through the body undigested. Aim for about 1 to 2 tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed per serving. You can easily add them to smoothies, oats, yoghurt, add to souls or even make crackers with them.
Click HERE for my Flaxseed cracker recipe
Click HERE for my Berry smoothie with flaxseed recipe
Flax is both a food and fibre crop
💙versatile, zero-waste plant
💚every part of its structure is useful
💙long fibers for textiles, linen clothing, tent fabrics, car doors, airplane seats, tennis rackets, concrete insulating panels etc.
💚short fibers for paper and composite materials
💙shives are used as fuel for boilers or incorporated into particleboard
💚seeds for their oil and functional food benefits
If you want ot know more about other common medicinal and edible plants, read my blogs on 'wise weeds' HERE
So let's go on a plant safari... growing with the seasons and learning with plants
From my wild heart to yours
nicole
My Books
Spring wise weeds are featured in my book Wild Spring.
Download a sample here
Summer wise weeds are featured in my book Wild Summer.
Click the link below for more info
Disclaimers
Please note that the information in this blog is not intended to diagnose illnesses or replace the advice of a qualified health professional. It is intended as an introductory guide for my community and complementary info for the clients I work with. I can in no way be held responsible for any adverse effects and negative consequences that arise from ingesting wild plants or using medicinal products made from them, or for errors in plant identification and self -diagnosis. Please seek qualified help if you are concerned about your health.
Source
PMID 2041228480
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