What is Flax Seed?
Flax seed comes from the blue flowered, annual crop grown mainly in the South Island. The Omega-3 fatty acid, lignans (weak oestrogens) and dietary fibre in flax seed are the nutrients that contribute to wellness.
Flax (also known as Linseed) is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is not related to New Zealand flax - the common New Zealand perennial plant (Phormium tenax or harakeke). Flax originated in India and was first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent. Mahatma Ghandi said "whenever flax seeds are part of the peoples diet, then their health will be improved".
It is an erect annual plant growing to 120 cm tall, with slender, fibrous stems. The flowers are pure blue and a wonderful sight in summer.
Flax is grown both for seed and for clothing fibre (linen) and industrial fibre.
The seeds are pressed to produce flax seed or linseed oil.
It is one of the oldest commercial oils and solvent processed flax seed oil has been used for centuries as a drying oil in painting and varnishing.
Flax seed oil which has been expeller pressed with extreme care is now being widely used as a food to improve health and wellbeing.
Flax seeds come in two basic varieties; brown and golden, which have similar nutritional values.