Have you ever been told that when using flaxseed meal, it is only safe to eat flax you have ground yourself? Or that store-bought flaxseed meal is rancid and unhealthy? Is it fact or fiction?
Fact or Fiction: Flaxseeds & Rancidity
There is a lot of misinformation about the use of flaxseeds. One of the myths I see continually get perpetuated is whether store-bought ground flaxseed meal is rancid or unsafe to eat. I took this question to Dr. Doug Bibus, expert in all thing fatty acids, who performs fatty acid and lipid analysis in both biotech and food applications. Here is his answer:
“Ground flax from reputable millers is stable for generally one year. This comes from actual shelf-life testing data and measuring the compounds that break down. If you are milling it with your own coffee grinder, stability may be shorter. Flaxseeds have almost half of their weight as oil and this milling must be done carefully to avoid exposing excessive amounts of oil.”
