Fil-Am Vets Rondalla

Should flax seed be heated?

When people are new to consuming flax seed products, they often ask whether flax seed should be heated or not. It is accepted that flax seed meal has a short shelf life because its oils are prone to oxidation which means their oils go rancid and you no longer get benefit from their consumption. Is the oxidation process a problem if you apply heat? Does the oil go rancid more quickly and the oils then become a chemical that offers no positive effect on our bodies? From all I have read, there is mixed evidence but I would say on balance it seems the essential fatty acids from flax seed stay biologically active to us if they have been heated to temperatures that would bake muffins and bread for example. If you have more questions about flax seed you need answering before you buy flax seed check out this resource.

February 9th, 2010

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