I bought flax seed at the local GNC, and have a question. It looks like it's already ground? It says "cold milled" does that mean ground? Or do I still grind it?

I used it as is once in a protein shake and it was pretty gross. I figured I would have to grind it (more?) to make it more palatable, but we lost power here before i could try that. I ended up having to throw it out when it went bad (power failure for 4 days) so I have to buy more....but do I grind it? or does this sound like already ground? Is that why it went bad so fast?

Also....just thought about this. People say they use a coffee grinder? Don't you have to be really careful clening the grinder after? of do you just have to wipe it out?

Thanks
Cindy

hi Cindy,

Yes, "milling" is the same as grinding, so what you had was flax "meal" or ground flax seeds. This product is typically sold in a foil or other heavy opaque package, vacuum-sealed to keep out air. And it should be kept in the refrigerated section of the store, and in your fridge or freezer at home. The reason is that the precious omega-3 flax oils are very delicate, and are unstable in the presence of warmth, air and light. Flax oil goes rancid very quickly.

Whole, unground flax seeds on the other hand have a very long shelf life, and no need to refrigerate (although I do keep mine in the fridge). The outer coating of the whole seed is hard, tough and protects the oils inside. In fact, whole seeds will resist even the strong acid in our stomachs and alkaline digestive juices in the intestines .. and will come out intact So grinding is the only practical way for humans to benefit from both the soluble fiber and the omega-rich oil.

Once ground, the flax meal has a short shelf life, just like bottles of fresh flax oil ... 4 to 6 weeks after opening, tops .. and keep tightly sealed and in the fridge or freezer.

IMO, it's more efficient to buy whole seeds and grind them yourself at home. Way less expensive, even for organic seeds; and you only need to grind up a few days' worth at a time. Yes, a coffee grinder or spice mill is preferable ... the seeds are so small and hard, they'll just dance around and make a mess in a blender or food processor. I've found it works best to "pulse" the grinder in short bursts, rather than let it run steadily. The reason is the blade will generate a lot of HEAT as it spins, which causes the seeds to release oil as they're ground. This can damage the oil, and also makes cleanup difficult as it will gum up the blades. That's one reason why I store the whole seeds in the fridge .. keeps them cold for grinding I use a small pastry brush to sweep out the grinder after each use, and occasionally wipe with a piece of paper towel or other absorbent material if there's any residue.

hth,

Doreen

If you have some rice kicking around, it works well for cleaning a coffee grinder. Just grind uncooked rice to a powder in the grinder and dump it out. The lid can be washed in the dishwasher too.

Flax will always have a slimy texture when combined with liquids. That's part of its charm.

Karen

Karen and Doreen...thanks for the info.

I have a coffee grinder that I never use now (rarely drink coffe now, let alone ground my own!), so I'll try that. I'll also look for whole seeds. I think this stuff could have been ground more....it wasn't slimy in the shake, it was seedy!

It did go bad fast, that much I can say. We had no power for 4 days and it spoiled.

I like the rice idea....and it gives me something to do with the big old open box of rice that's in the cabinet!

Thanks again!

Ya, it will always be seedy too. I find it best mixed with yogurt or with hot water as a cereal. I find it quite tasty to chew.

Karen