Flax seed types: What is the difference??
Posted by heater_rae on Oct 11, 2007 · Member since Jul 2007 · 110 posts
I buy ground flax seed and use it in just about everything I make it seems like! I want to get some whole flax seeds to add to homemade bread for texture and nutrition plus try making crackers and such with them.
My question(s) is(are): What is the difference between the different types of flax seed (golden vs brown)? Is the nutritional content different or do they have very different flavors?
Good question, HR. Put this on the Faq thread, please.
I read something about this recently that had a breakdown of the nutritional value of golden versus brown flax. There definitely is a difference. Unfortunately, I have no head for numbers, so I don't remember exactly what it is. I remember thinking, "Oh, why would anyone choose golden over brown?" According to the chart it has a higher concentration of Omegas. Wow, that was a really vague answer!
Thanks for clearing that up baypuppy, mdvegan, and asenath. It does make sense to buy it whole and grind it---I can bring my coffee grinder out of retirement!! ;D Bummer, though, that it won't hold up well (as far as nutritional content) in baked goods.
Good question, HR. Put this on the Faq thread, please.
I, too, think that this would be a good topic to post in FAQs but I don't feel qualified to post the answer as I'm the ignorant one that had to ask the question to begin with! lol ;) I will leave the FAQ posting up to people who truly know what they are talking about (hint...hint...mdvegan or baypuppy)
Here's Wikipedia's info on flax seeds:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax_seeds
"Brown and yellow flax have similar nutritional values and equal amounts of short-chain omega-3 fatty acids. The exception is a type of yellow flax called solin,also known as Linola, which is very low in omega-3 and has a completely different oil profile.
A North Dakota State University research project led to the creation of a new variety of the yellow flax seed called "Omega." This new variety was created primarily as a food source; it has a nutty-buttery flavour, with a level of the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids comparable to brown flax."