> I've asked this before but didn't get an answer: does anyone know the
> shelf life of whole, refrigerated flax seeds? Mine have been in there
> for more than a year, maybe two, and I'm wondering if they still have
> any nutritional content left.
Whole flax seeds are supposed to have a virtually unlimited shelf life.
The moment you grind them the clock starts, and that is when you must
place them in a very cold place (the freezer counts) and consume them
within a week.
> Shannon, you inquired about their purpose. They help vegans to get the
> required essential fatty acids (omega-3) that are normally found only in
> animal products. According to Ornish and others one teaspoon of the oil or
> one tablespoon of the seeds, ground, provides protection for the heart in
> the way of preventing/reversing heart disease.
Some suggest 2000 mg daily, split between two svgs of 1 tbsp ground seeds
each, since the only other sufficient source is fish oils, though canola
comes close. Canola has omega-6, the "other" essential oil, and one can
use both of these and still be under the 10% limit depending on the rest
of the diet.
Jim Masey
Humanities, Polk Community College, Lakeland, FL
masseyj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx