Flaxseed oil contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are important for health as they are polyunsaturated fats. In addition, other essential fatty acids are also present in it, such as alpha-linoleic and omega-9, which reduce the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. Consuming this oil makes you get an adequate amount of omega-3s, leading to reduced inflammation, lower cholesterol levels and improvement in chronic diseases such as heart problems, diabetes and arthritis. There are several ways to take flaxseed oil; it can be taken as capsules, drunk or by adding the whole seed to food. Read below about the different ways to consume the oil to incorporate it into the diet.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Taking the Linseed Oil
Step 1. Talk to your doctor about using flaxseed oil, as it is critical to know if it can interact with certain medications
Medicines to thin the blood, treat diabetes and statins that reduce cholesterol are some of them.
Always tell your doctor about all medications and supplements you take
Step 2. Follow the instructions on the package insert
Once you buy flaxseed oil, there should be a leaflet indicating how often and how much it should be ingested; read the instructions carefully.
- Typically, the dose is 1 teaspoon of flaxseed oil three times a day; however, be sure to read the package insert to do what is indicated.
- If taken in excess, flaxseed oil can make the skin and stool oily.
Step 3. Combine flaxseed oil with juice, water or tea
If you don't like the taste very much, mix it with water, green tea or juice; as it is an oil, it will not mix well, but it will help to improve the taste. It can be helpful to take the oil with a meal or at least a snack to get rid of the aftertaste that lingers in your mouth.
Step 4. Another option is to consume it in capsule form
As always, follow the directions on the package insert regarding dosage, ingesting the capsule with a full glass of water.
Step 5. Store the oil or capsules in the refrigerator in a sealed glass container
Oils can react to air and become rancid, which is avoided by storing them in the refrigerator.
Step 6. Add flaxseed oil to the food after preparing it
It should not be heated, as most of its nutritional benefits will be destroyed. When adding flaxseed oil to meals, always do it after preparing food, spreading a few drops over it instead of using it for cooking.
Step 7. When you notice gastrointestinal side effects, decrease the dosage
This product can cause the production of gas, episodes of diarrhea and bloating when starting to take it; for most people, gas and bloating improve after one to two weeks of using the oil. However, if side effects persist, decrease the amount taken for a while.
Method 2 of 2: Consuming Whole Flax Seeds
Step 1. Buy high quality flaxseeds
There are two types of flaxseed: brown and golden, with very different prices, but with very similar amount of nutrients. Choose the type that is more affordable and that best adapts to the planned use regime.
Step 2. Grind the seeds with a coffee grinder or food processor (“mixer”)
If you want to use whole flaxseeds, you will need to grind them with a coffee grinder to sprinkle the food. It is important to set aside a grinder exclusively for the flaxseeds, or they may end up mixing with the coffee grounds.
There are nutritionists who recommend eating ground flaxseeds instead of whole ones, as the body's digestion and use of nutrients will be much easier. The seeds are usually excreted by the body still intact, reducing the benefit provided by them
Step 3. Add seeds to food (1 tablespoon per day)
Cereals, soups, stews, dressings and salad dressings are some options; you can take the entire amount at once (in a cereal, in the morning, for example), or split a tablespoon during the day.
Step 4. Sprinkle ground flaxseed on food as a topping
Cereals, soups, salads, vegetables and stews (½ to 1 tablespoon of ground seed every day) are some options; again, you can split the amount during meals, or take in one.
Right after grinding the seeds, they can be used as flour to prepare muffins, pancakes and breads, replacing a part with regular flour. If the recipe calls for 1 cup of flour, for example, use ½ cup flour and ½ cup ground flaxseed
Tips
- Keeping the flaxseed oil in the refrigerator will keep it fresh, preventing it from spoiling. In addition, it tastes better while cold, leading to a more consistent texture and less “thin”.
- Flaxseed oil consumption is a great alternative for vegetarians who don't get omega-3 and omega-6 acids from fish.
Notices
- Once you learn to take flaxseed oil, don't substitute essential foods for it. You will still need to maintain a healthy diet with fruits, vegetables and other sources of antioxidants and omega-3s.
- Do not skip doses or go several days without taking flaxseed oil after starting. Omega-3s are stored by the body: it is always good to have a reserve of it in the body.
- Never stop taking medications or think that flaxseed oil will correct medical problems such as high LDL cholesterol (the “bad”). The ideal is always to consult a doctor to rule out serious health problems or treat them properly.