Nov 2, 2007
BOSSY MOMENTS THROUGHOUT HISTORY – Flax Seed.
The Flax plant produces linen, paper, soap, dye, and fishing nets—which is why it makes perfect sense that its seed is known to promote eternal health and beauty.
High in protein, soluble fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, Bossy doesn’t really know what these things are, manganese, and carotene, Flax seeds are thought to play a role in reducing cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, preventing breast cancer, stabilizing blood sugar, balancing female hormones, and promoting a good night’s sleep.
This is partly due to its high content of alpha linolenic acid which is an omega 3 fatty acid similar to what’s found in salmon except this fatty acid comes from a plant and not a fish because we are talking about a plant here and who else thinks Fatty Acid would make a great name for a punk rock band?
Anyway. Here’s what this alpha linolenic omega 3 fatty acid action is all about: it lowers the bad cholesterol and reduces inflammation throughout our bodies—which is key when evidence suggests that inflammation may contribute to issues such as heart disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, and cancer.
Flax seed is also rich in lignans which is an estrogen-like chemical found in plants. Estrogen. In plants. These lignans act to flush excess estrogen from the body and may promote fertility and reduce the symptoms of menopause. Lignans may also have significant antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties.
To recap: these bitch-ass seeds are good for you and taste kinda smokey.
Possible problems: Due to its high fiber content, flax seeds may induce bowel movements. Similarly you may become constipated. Also there’s the little matter of cyanide compounds, but only when flax seeds are consumed raw. Additional note: you must consume flax seeds raw.
Shall we begin? First you’ll need one of these:
Because in order to benefit from the nutrients, the flax seeds need to be ground. Oh, and you shouldn’t buy them pre-ground because the oil in the seeds is unsaturated and therefore prone to rancidity. The best way to keep them fresh is to buy them while still contained within their safe little seed shell—where they’ll stay fresh for one year when stored properly.
Next you’ll need this:
That price represents a case of four 24-ounce packages! And 4 multiplied by 24 is… two kabillion flax seeds! Note for Amazon customers: buy new, not used.
And finally you’ll need this:
It’s a cookbook to inform you of all the ways you can hide assimilate flax seeds into your diet. And by the way, the recommended amount is ¼ cup of freshly ground seeds three to seven days a week. Happy milling.
Happy pooping!
What a fortuitously timed post. I tried starting up with raw flax seed a few months ago (for the anti-inflammatory properties) and failed miserably. I caved last week and bought a bottle of supplements. I haven’t yet noticed any promotion of a good night’s sleep, but my female hormones seem to be in balance…
This should turn me into a new woman
Sounds like a lot of flushing going on here.
My folks started using this, but they use the pre-ground seeds. I guess they’re willing to risk a little randicity.
Flax is used in a lyric from the musical “Hair.” Well, flaxen, anyway.
Also “Sweeney Todd”
Blackbird feels a little crampy now.
OHMYgOD!!!!
I am eating ground flax seed right now, Bossy. REALLY. Toasted multi-grain English muffin, peanut butter, and flax seed.
I buy mine pre-ground, and then they are stored in the fridge for a month (in a lock-and-lock container). I buy new each month.
I love coming here and getting an edumacashun like this. Thanks Bossy for teaching us.
If they make me look like Bossy, I am skippity-skipping off to get me some.
Yeah, David! Shining, streaming, gleaming flaxen waxen! Did hippies take flax seed for that gorgeous hair? Or did the “gleaming” and, more particularly, “waxen” quality stem more from a lack of personal hygiene?
A puzzlement: Flax is also the name of an art supply catalog.
Thanks, bossy. With you around there really is no need for me to do any research of my own.
OMG Bossy .. that’s scary, mesmorizing and complicated all at once!
I so take the easy way out on this and put the flax seed oil (must be kept refrigerated! does not have a long shelf life!) in my protein shakes in the morning. I am a big cheater, I guess.
Hi Bossy… thanks for your comment! Loved reading your family tree archives! What an interesting life story(ies) of your family. Do you always refer to yourself in 3rd person (o:
Trader Joe’s has some awesome flax seed chips that I buy every two weeks. Come to think of it — they do have a smokey flavor to them!
will amazon be upset when they see your ad for their BITCH-ASS SEEDS???
for a minute there, i thought you were back to pimpin the CDC again…
bossy you sure know how to multi-task. i think i’ll stick to my stinky fish pill (omega3). eating ground flax seed sound about as exciting as ohhhhh….trying to keep down my mothers meatloaf as a child.
xoxo
stells.
Flax seed, hmmm? So is THAT how Bossy maintains her trim and girlish figure?
My favorite name for a punk band–an ALL-GIRL band, or maybe not–is the Toxic Dumplings.
I’m glad you mentioned pooping (I always am) and the fact that flax seeds should be ground.
For those unwary souls who buy bread with whole flax seeds, be prepared to rip yourself a new one. (Those are hard and pointy little buggahs)
I take a flaxseed supplement to keep my colestrol levels down, but I read where it could help with exzema. So…….my son has a mild case of exzema so I have been giving him one capsul a day and he has become con-sta-pa-tated and I wonder what it is doing to his estrogen levles, yikes maybe I should stop that.
haha i think i’ll stick to the flax oil capsules from metabolic research center! that’s just way too much work for biddy
Flax seed could cure the whole world’s ills. You know, there are several WORLD LEADERS who could benefit from flax seed in their diets so they could poop out their bad moods. Literally. Bruce Springsteen could also use Flax seed. Maybe Britney Spears, too. Think of it! The whole world regular at one time! People would be so HAPPY!
My favorite name for a rock band? The Screaming Divas. I wish I could sing so I could start a band, just to use that name.
Yeah, I’ve just been opting for the flax seed capsules.
As a woman who just ground some flax for her daughter, I thank you for that.
Add flax into any baked good.
I love to buy flax seeds and then let them sit in my fridge for a year or so and then throw them away. I’m really good at that.
I have them ground for me at the store and then I freeze them. I sprinkle it on steamed veggies or in my oatmeal or if I’ve had a few, I just mix it right into my beer. Have you been watching Oprah?
Fatty Acid- I love it!
I take it in a pill – but now I’m wondering if the oil is rancid ;(
Bossy’s goin’ through the change?
theys is good fer poopin too, I hear…
Buy new not used. Also applies to condoms, I kid you not:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_/203-4691564-8623934?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=condoms
Dude, you’ve got a lot of flaxed out readers. It’s a good thing Darla posted about that short shelf life thing. Mine is in the fridge just sitting there wishing he were ketchup. I looked at the exp date and I’d better get cracking. I buy the organic kind (WAY too expensive) and put it in low fat fruity yoghurt so I can’t taste it.
And this is where I say *huh*?
crap… I used to sprinkle them on my salad – maybe thats where my problems lie? lay? lol
Fucking Vote for Bossy!
http://2007.weblogawards.org/polls/funniest-blog-1.php
My wife is suddenly into flax seed. We have flax seed oil. We have flax seed with dried blueberries. Our cereal has flax seed as a main ingredient.
I still don’t know what the benefits are but I think it’s supposed to leave my coat shiny.
For some strange reason I always thought flax seed was black? Is that racist for me to say? I just thought it looked like skinny sunflower seeds or something.
My wife started putting some of that on my cereal in the morning without telling me. I can’t stand the taste of it – it’s just dry and chokey. (Yes, chokey is a word that I just created).
Wow. Who knew? Flax seed AND condoms from Mr. Farty. (See above comment. Sigh.) Damn him. But LOVIN on the flax seed thing. They are my thing-of-the-week now, used to fill my emotional holes AND help me go to the bathroom. Ya-hooo!
Ooh, thanks for all the flax … I mean facts …
I have cast my vote and will keep voting. ‘Cause, Bossy is the funniest and needs to WIN!
So would the gassy condition caused by flax seeds be called flax-u-lence?
I buy the Trader Joe’s roasted whole flaxseeds and eat them with peanut butter and honey. I know I’m supposed to grind them for nutrients but instead I chew them up really really well. My mandible is my grinder. They taste much better toasted & whole.
Huh. One learns such interesting things here.
I dont know what any of this means, but can I just roll around in some FLAX and look / feel all young again?
Then you need a roll of Charmin Ultra Soft.
~Oswegan
I remember fondly the days when a multi-vitamin and some brisk walking was all that was recommended.
Janice was wondering when Bossy was going to update with a new post, new family tree entry or little known fact.
Anyway, Janice had another opportunity to VOTE FOR BOSSY! Please folks, don’t forget to vote early and often…well you can only vote once a day so please don’t forget.
Not really into flax seed, but i am into Bossy, that’s why you’ve got my vote, lady. good luck
I added flaxseeds into my diet a few months ago and they do indeed help move shit through my body … quite literally!!
Oh we love flax seed here too – put it in everything. It comes right out the other end of the spud though, untouched. Should I wash it off and grind it, I wonder?
BTW am loving the family tree.
We also grind it up and sprinkle it over the dog’s food so both the children and the animals have shiny coats.
How oh how can something have the dual quality of making you have to poop and making you constipated?
We used to use Flax seed all the time.
Side note certain nutritionists do not recomend Flax seed for womaen who have had hyterectomy…due to the hormonal balance thing…it could be counter productive(no pun intended)to the meds that are prescribed. Same thing with women who have female body parts cancer.
Any idea if they go well with Peanut M&Ms? Of course, if they clash, I’ll just have the Peanut M&Ms. I’m not proud.
I’m having a little pooping problem right now. It could be that I’m stuck in New Jersey and my flax seed is stuck in Poughkeepsie. Or, it could be that I’ve been in the hospital for three days, and it’s hard to poop when you can’t move around. Either way, I miss my flax seed, it goes so well in oatmeal.
Also, if you mix it with minced walnuts, a little cinnamon, and a little brown sugar, you have a topping that works miracles on a variety of foods.
It sure is hard work, bein’ beautiful!
Flax has been a staple for race horses in training for many, many years.
It’s ridiculously easy to make your own flax seed oil.
Take flax seed add water and boil gently. It takes about three hours and voila! oil.
Don’t buy flax seed from a grocery store. Look in the yellow pages for a feed mill…it’s cheap as dirt.
You can make as much or as little oil as you want.
ok
(hangs head)
you put my MONDAY FACETIME about flax to *shame*
and made me laugh.
all Ive got left now are my hula hooping (lack of) skillz.
MizFit