How to make flax oil more palatable?

[vegma]

Dh doesn't eat flax seeds, so he finally agreed to try the flax oil - consume it like medicine, if nothing else. It about made him sick, so now he can't tolerate it mixed with juice or anything. We don't eat salads or smoothies or hummus on a daily basis. Any other suggestions for getting flax oil into someone? I bought a HUGE bottle because it was a better buy and I thought he'd go through it pretty quickly

[sophie]

it does make me gag a little when I have it straight too
Usually I grin and bear it, but sometimes I make it into a vinaigrette with olive oil and vinegar and crushed garlic, and pour it over a salad sandwich.

[annie7]

We only had smoothies a few times a year, but have recently made it a daily practice to incorporate them into breakfast. Now if I don't get the blender out first thing, I hear complaining!

[vegma]

Annie, I had to chuckle when I made a HUGE blender-full of smoothie - bananas, apples, oranges, raspberries... I was afraid to "ruin" it with the flax oil!!

I finally got brave and took some flax oil like medicine. It was fine, ds can do it too, but not dh. So ds and I will use as much of the oil as we can before it spoils, then return to our flax seed ways!

[mum2sarah]

I have to agree with the smoothie/salad approach. If you can get them in your diet more often, it's the easiest way to sneak in your flax oil. I don't think I could ever take it straight, but in a salad or smoothie, I honestly don't notice it at all.

Another suggestion: you can usually sneak some into things like Fantastic foods taco filling (of course, do so *after* you cook it so that it will not be damaged by the heat of cooking) and stir it in just before eating, or salsa, or spaghetti sauce (again after cooking), or even hummus. I tend to randomly stir flax oil into foods like that that are semi-mushy, especially for my daughter who doesn't do well with salads yet.

Also ground flax meal can be used as an egg replacer in baking. I don't know that the omega 3's are as high as in flax oil, but maybe you could try it. You can't really taste the flax in most baked goods prepared this way.
Hope that helps...

[Erin Pavlina]

Flax seed crackers...

We buy these raw flaxseed crackers that are flavored (garlic and onion, etc.) They're delicious. We eat them raw or dip them in guacamole. Very large serving of flax this way. Very palatable.

Also, we buy flaxseed waffles. Delish.

[annie7]

Midwest Breads makes a "flax and 9 grain" wheat that is dairy, honey, and egg free. It's very good.

[Jenica]

Erin, those crackers sound great! What brand are they? I'd like to look for them.

[Erin Pavlina]

I can't remember the name, darnit. We don't have any in the house at the moment either. Sorry I can't be of more help. Next time we buy them I'll look at the name.

[vegma]

Erin, I understand that you're not supposed to heat the flax oil, so I always assumed that baking with ground flax didn't help with omega-3's. Can the "oil within the ground seeds" withstand the high temps?

On a side note, ds and I are eating our flax seeds AND taking a dose of the oil until our HUGE bottle of flax oil spoils

[Erin Pavlina]

We posted an answer from Brenda Davis recently in the newsletter where she stated that new studies showed that heating it doesn't cause it to lose the Omega's. Are you signed up for the monthly newsletter? (hint hint to all of you who aren't)

Newsletter sign-up page

[mum2sarah]

The only thing I heard about baking with flax is that when the flax is not ground, the shell protects the omega-3's from the heat, but that ground flax meal may not offer as much protection because the shell is broken. That's why I guess I am not sure how reliable of a source of omega3's it would be to use ground flax meal as an egg substitute. My feeling would be that you'd still probably derive some benefit, if not all of it. It can't hurt, anyway, but I'm not sure I would rely on it as the only source of flax in my diet....

[annie7]

This month's newsletter accidently got deleted along with some other stuff, from my hotmail. By evening, when I'd realized what I'd done, Hotmail had already emptied my recylce bin. Is it possible to send another?

[Erin Pavlina]

I can't actually send it again or to even one person. Sort of frustrating actually. The flax seed question wasn't in this newsletter though, it was an older one.

Sorry you missed the newsletter this go around. It was the best one EVER! (just kidding...)

[vegma]

Okay Erin, I took the hint However, since I missed the newsletter with the flax info, will you please clarify if

new studies showed that heating it doesn't cause it to lose the Omega's

refers to the oil or the ground seeds?

Thanks!!