Flax seeds: harvest & uses

Flax seeds, also known as linseeds, are a regional and healthy superfood that can even be made into nutritious linseed oil. Here you can learn everything about flax seeds harvest, storage and the effects and benefits of flax seeds on digestion.

Flax seeds (also known as linseed) are the seeds of the common flax (Linum usitatissimum), which is easy to grow in your garden. Due to their numerous health benefits, flax seeds should be part of every balanced diet. Read on to find out how to harvest flax seeds, how to store them and what to look out for when buying and using flax seeds.

Flax seeds: harvest and storage

Flax seeds ripen in the middle of summer, from late July to mid-August, when the plants die and turn brown. The most telling sign that the flax seeds are dry enough to harvest is the rustling of the grains in the seed heads. When harvesting, cut off the entire plant and put it in a hessian sack or a bag to thresh out the seeds. Use a stone rolling pin to crack open the pods to free the seed; this method opens the pods easily without damaging the linseed. Alternatively, step on seed pods to crack them open. Sieve the harvested linseeds to clean and remove pod remnants and other plant parts or use a seed separator. Fresh flax seeds can be pressed directly into oil or dried and stored. To store the flax seeds, first dry at room temperature for a few days. Then put into a preserving jar and store in a cool, dry and dark place. Flax seeds can be safely stored for about two years.

Tip: Freshly pressed flax seed oil can only be kept in the fridge for about two months before it goes rancid.

Flax seeds uses

Flax seeds can be enjoyed pure or in the form of flax seed oil. This oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and should therefore not be heated. The golden-yellow linseed oil has a nutty flavour and can be used to make delicious salad dressings, cold appetisers, dips and pestos.

Flax seed oil is often used to make oil paints and wood oils.

The press cake left over from oil extraction can be used as animal feed.

The pure seeds, on the other hand, are classically found in muesli, bars and baked goods. Flax seed sprouts can be grown from untreated seeds on any windowsill and harvested after just three days. In vegan cooking, ground flax seeds are combined with water to make an egg substitute (flax egg). Flax seeds’ gelatinous structure mimics the binding effect of eggs.

Should I use flax seeds, chia seeds, or psyllium seeds? Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica), flax seeds and psyllium seeds (Plantago) all aid digestion. They are high in fibre, have a high swelling capacity and are considered a superfood. Flax seeds, on the other hand, can be grown regionally in domestic agriculture, whereas chia and psyllium seeds have so far been cultivated primarily in South America and India, resulting in a bigger ecological footprint.

Eating flax seeds

Flax seeds can be added to a variety of meals and consumed daily. The daily dose is between one and two tablespoons, although up to 45 g per day can be consumed for a short-term bowel cure over a few days. It is important to drink plenty of water because of the swelling effect of the flax seeds.

Can you eat raw flax seeds?

Flax seeds can be eaten raw without any problems. In fact, heating them during baking, frying or roasting even has a negative effect on their beneficial elements. As a result, linseed oil is cold-pressed and should only be used cold.

Should flax seeds be eaten ground or whole?

Ground or crushed linseeds offer a much better surface for stomach acid to attack than the whole seed, which is often excreted as a whole when unchewed. Minerals, protein and fatty acids can be absorbed more easily from seeds that have already been ground. Ideally, grind the flaxseeds yourself when you need them because important nutrients are lost over time during storage. Ground linseed or meal can therefore only be kept for about six months without losing quality or changing taste. The swelling effect remains, regardless of whether the linseeds are ground, crushed or eaten whole.

Do you have to soak flax seeds?

Flax seeds do not need to be soaked because they bind water as they pass through the digestive tract and also develop their swelling effect. However, soaking flax seeds beforehand can be useful in case of digestive problems. So-called flaxseed tea is said to be particularly effective for constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, irritation of the stomach lining and heartburn. To make this tea, soak two teaspoons of freshly ground linseeds in 200 ml of cold water for about 30 minutes before filtering through a fine sieve. The digestive properties of the seeds are extracted and are drunk pure.

Effects and benefits of flax seeds

Flax seeds, due to their mucilage, can swell significantly in water, increasing the volume of food. This stimulates movement in the intestine, which is why linseeds are beneficial for constipation. They have the greatest effect 12 to 24 hours after intake. However, when flax seeds are ingested in excess or with little water, this benefit is negated, resulting in constipation or even intestinal obstruction. As a result, the maximum daily dose of flax seed should not be exceeded, and adequate fluid intake should always be maintained. Linseed oil, which is also available as a capsule, has a comparable laxative effect without binding water.

Linseed for horses: Flax seeds can be added to horse feed to help with digestive issues and mild colic. Ideally, soak the ground linseeds in water to let them swell before feeding to horses so that the beneficial nutrients can be absorbed well.

Linseed for dogs: Dogs also benefit from flax seeds, as these four-legged friends quickly suffer from digestive problems. Here, too, you should ensure sufficient fluid intake when feeding and administer the flax seeds with water. Our fury friends benefit from the nutrients, resulting in a lustrous coat, and we humans can as well as they make our hair lush and shiny too.

Flaxseed nutrition: what are the health benefits of flax seeds?

Flax seeds are healthy and low in carbohydrates. They consist of about 25% indigestible fibre, 25% protein and 30 – 45% oil, which contains mostly unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. Additional benefits of flax seeds are the minerals such as iron and vitamins E and K that they contain. Similar to garden cress (Lepidium sativum), flaxseed sprouts can be grown on the windowsill all year round and thus provide nutrients and vitamins even in the cold season. However, flax seeds are considered calcium robbers, which is why eating flax seeds with calcium-containing foods like dairy products or brassicas such as kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) or broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) is always best. The nutty flaxseed oil tastes great stirred into sour cream as a topping on baked potatoes.