Byline: SARAH MORAN
Special to the Star Tribune
Every week since 1989, French Meadow Bakery has sent musician Jackson Browne a loaf of their sunflower and flaxseed bread. He knows the flax is good for him, said Lynn Gordon, founder and president of French Meadow Bakery, which has a cafe in Minneapolis and distributes its bread in health food grocery stores nationwide. 'Flax is definitely a super food, or a super seed,' Gordon said. In the quest to make bread more than 'carbs, carbs, carbs,' the bakery started mixing flax into baked goods in 1989, and it's now an ingredient in seven breads as well as muffins and granola. 'It makes the bread a whole food. It adds more protein, it adds fiber, it adds essential fatty acids,' Gordon said. Awareness and use of the tiny flaxseed -- and flaxseed oil -- has 'exploded,' said Ann Louise Gittleman, a clinical nutritionist and author of 30 books, including 'The Fat Flush Plan' and the recently released 'The Gut Flush Plan.' 'The nice thing about flax is that it's really good for people of all ages and all stages of life. It's good for women, it's good for men, it's good for kids,' she said. 'I'm a big believer that flaxseeds are here to stay.'
Gittleman recommends using both flax oil, which has higher concentrations of healthy fats, as well as flaxseed, which is packed with fiber and lignans. 'They're a marvelous source of fiber, and they're also a wonderful source of a naturally occurring substance known as lignans, which are plant-based hormones that help modulate estrogen levels,' she said.
Gittleman said that flax can reduce cholesterol, regulate blood sugar levels, improve skin, hair and nails, decrease menopause symptoms, improve heart and brain health and help kids with attention-span troubles or mood swings.
Increasing demand Although some experts have different opinions on the extent to which flax is beneficial, it certainly has been appearing in more products. 'It seems to be coming up in more and more manufacturers' products,' said Aaron Sorenson, a spokesperson for Lunds and Byerly's. 'We've seen a steady increase in demand for products with flax in them.' The Lunds and Byerly's organic blue corn and flax tortilla chips are the grocer's fourth-highest selling chip in a category that includes brands like Tostitos and Doritos. 'The primary reason we added flax (to the blue corn chips) was for the health benefits,' Sorenson said. 'After we put it in for health benefits, we found it also added a very nice texture to the chip.' The stores also stock flaxseed, which has a slightly nutty taste, in their bulk foods sections. Flax oil is a common purchase at Lakewinds Natural Foods Co-op in Minnetonka, said Tarah Long, a wellness specialist there. 'It's incredibly popular, and it's one of the things people come in for most in the wellness section,' she said. The same thing is happening at Stillwater's River Market Community Co-op. 'There's been a steady increase in interest over the last, I'd say, three years,' said Kellie Seth, health and body care assistant manager. A locally grown crop
So who's planting this increasingly popular seed? Flax is grown primarily in cooler climates. Minnesota has harvested between 3,000 and 13,000 acres annually in recent years. North Dakota harvested nearly 1 million acres a few years ago, and Canada is a major grower, said Sheri Coleman, a registered nurse and executive director of Ameriflax, an organization representing U.S. flax producers. If you're looking to add flax to your diet, take about two tablespoons a day, said Angie Moeding, a dietitian at the University of Minnesota Medical Center. 'It has a lot of benefits,' she said, including the potential to reduce inflammation, improve heart health and lower triglycerides, a form of fat in the blood stream. Flax also has minerals and vitamins, including vitamin E. But flax oil and ground seeds can turn rancid, Moeding cautions, so keep it in the fridge in a dark, airtight container. And never use the oil to cook. Instead, add it to salad dressings or smoothies. If you bake with flaxseed, keep the oven temperature under 350 degrees, Coleman said.
Some health professionals say you must grind flaxseed (a coffee grinder does the trick) instead of using it whole because otherwise the seed passes through the body undigested, and you won't absorb the many nutrients it has to offer. Sarah Moran is a freelance health writer in Minneapolis.
EIGHT EASY WAYS TO ADD FLAX TO YOUR DIET
GROUND FLAX SEED
Start with 1 tablespoon and eventually use up to 2 tablespoons daily. Grind small amounts at a time to keep seeds fresh.
- Add it to cereal or oatmeal.
- Use it in place of breading on poultry.
- After putting lemon juice on an apple or pear, roll the fruit in flax seed and add a dash of cinnamon or cloves.
- Sprinkle the seeds into scrambled eggs, soups, salads and peanut butter.
- Season vegetables with a mixture of seeds and sea salt.
- Buy bread, cereal and granola with flax in it or add the seeds to homemade baked goods. Keep the oven temperature below 350 degrees when baking with flax. FLAX OIL
Start with 1 tablespoon and eventually use up to 2 tablespoons daily.
- Mix it into salad dressing.
- Add it to yogurt, smoothies or oatmeal.
SARAH MORAN
POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF FLAX
Health experts have differing opinions on the extent of flax's health benefits. There isn't enough reliable data yet to support all of the claims, according to organizations such as the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which is also funding studies on flax. ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
Flax is high in alpha-linolenic acid, which converts to an omega-3 fatty acid, an essential fat. Healthy fats such as those in flaxseed are healing and beautifying, according to author Ann Louise Gittleman. They can improve hair, skin and nails. They're good for the brain and can help with attention or concentration difficulties and mood swings, she said. Most Americans don't get enough omega-3 fatty acids, said the University of Minnesota's Angie Moeding, so flax is one way to supplement your diet with more of these healthy fats. Benefits may also include improved heart health, inflammation reduction and lower triglycerides, a form of fat in the blood, Moeding said. LIGNANS
Lignans act like antioxidants, which can reduce cell-damaging free radicals and toxins in the body. Lignans also contain a plant-based compound that acts like estrogen and may help regulate hormones. They may improve breast health, reduce symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, slow tumor growth in breast cancer patients and protect against cancer.
FIBER
Flaxseed is high in soluble and insoluble fiber, packing 3 grams of fiber per tablespoon. Be sure you're well hydrated when eating flaxseed to avoid digestive upset. Start with 1 tablespoon of flax at a time and work your way up to two tablespoons per day. Fiber acts as a laxative and can improve digestive health, regulate blood sugar and lower cholesterol. Remember that supplements such as flax might interfere with medications or certain conditions. You may want to talk with your health care provider about adding flax to your diet. SARAH MORAN
