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Does whole flax seed have any nutritional health benefits?   

I heard that only milled flax seed offers nutritional benefits. 

I really like the taste of whole flax seed.  Is there anyway that I can make it more nutritious…. Maybe soak them in water??? 
 

I like to add them to brown rice, protein puddings, protein bars and other topping usage…

Answer: Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
 
Most nutrition experts recommend ground flaxseed because your body is better able to digest it. Whole flaxseed may pass through your intestine undigested, which means you won’t get all the health benefits.
 
Flaxseed is high in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and phytochemicals called lignans. Flaxseed is commonly used as a laxative (to improve digestive health or relieve constipation). Both flaxseed and flaxseed oil have been used to help reduce total blood cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol levels and, as a result, may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
 
Although flaxseed oil also contains omega-3 fatty acids, it doesn’t have the beneficial fiber that the seeds have.

Why Soaked and Dried Nuts are a Healthier Choice 
 
Posted by Bev Hartsfield (bev)
Reference: Nourishing Traditions
Reference: www.SproutPeople.com
 
Raw nuts also contain enzyme inhibitors which help to protect the seed and keep it from germinating too early and dying off. This also helps to keep the species going.
 
But these enzyme inhibitors, when introduced into the body, actually neutralize the enzymes in our own digestive tract exhausting the pancreas.
 
There are only two ways to destroy these enzyme inhibitors: 1) roasting, which also destroys the enzymes, and 2) sprouting, which keeps the beneficial enzymes intact. Roasting not only destroys the enzyme inhibitors, it destroys the enzymes needed by the body to help with digestion.
 
Sprouting, or germination, not only produces vitamin C but also changes the composition of nuts in numerous beneficial ways.  It increases the vitamin B content, especially B2, B5, and B6.  Carotene increases dramatically ..sometimes eightfold.  Even more important, sprouting neutralizes phytic acid, a substance present in the bran of all grains that inhibits absorption of calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc; sprouting also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors present in all seeds.  Complex sugars responsible for intestinal gas are broken down and numerous enzymes that help digestion are produced.
 
If you have not incorporated raw, sprouted nuts into your diet, you might want to take a second look:
 
Sprouting Instructions ( www.SproutPeople.com)
 
•Prep 2/3 Cup of seed (nuts) then transfer (if necessary) into a bowl or into your Sprouter.
•Add 2-3 times as much cool (60-70 degree) water.
•Mix seeds up to assure even water contact for all.
•Allow seeds to Soak for 4-12 hours.
•Empty the seeds into your sprouter if necessary.  Drain off the soak water.
•Rinse thoroughly with cool water and Drain thoroughly.
•Set anywhere out of direct sunlight and at room temperature (70° is optimal) between Rinses.
•Rinse and Drain again in 8-12 hours. And, perhaps one more…Rinse and Drain in 8-12 hours.
•Stop here unless you are doing a science experiment or growing an almond tree seedling.
Note: Almond sprouts are not intended to germinate fully, their germ is meant to bulge but not put out a root. That is why they are called Soaks.
 
Also: You can skip that last Rinse and Drain without altering your crop at all!
 
We suggest that you taste your crop at EVERY RINSE - including the very first - just after the Soak period. The soaked seeds are already alive and are now super-nutritious - and - they now have no enzyme inhibitors (a very good thing indeed) so they’ll digest themselves and nourish you.

you beat me to posting the answer to the original question about milling flax seeds. the hard outer coating is indigestible, so if you eat whole flax seeds without grounding them up, you do not get the benefits from the fiber and oils inside the seeds. you can buy milled flax seeds, but since omega-3 acids go rancid very quickly, the fresher the better. the best method is to buy whole seeds, which will keep for a long time if stored properly (you can even freeze them to keep longer), and then to grind them up in a coffee grinder.

Flax seeds not only pack a ton of fiber and omega-3s but they also have about 800 times the amount of lignans as any other source, making them one of the very best cancer-fighting foods out there. Flax is high in omega-3 fatty acids but also has a nice balance of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids too.

These seeds are so good I even saw one study where they helped relieve menopausal symptoms, for all you girls out there! (Guys might appreciate that one too ^_^)

This is a GREAT tip by Poliquin
 
What are your thoughts on flax seed oil ?
 
A: I never recommend flax seed oil. But flax seed hulls are good for detoxification of xenoestrogens.
 
I’ve never been a fan of flax seed oil because if you’re obese anyway, you don’t have the enzymes to elongate the molecule to turn it into the omega-3s. So what’s the point of using it?
Another problem is that flax seed oil is usually rancid in most stores, with 40 out of 42 store bought brands shown to be rancid in one study. And even if you can get it fresh, it goes bad very rapidly once you open it, sometimes in less than two weeks. Plus I just found that flax oil never really worked.
 
 
But flax seeds can be used for the anti-estrogen effects and for adding fiber to your diet. You can buy them whole or pre-milled, but I’d rather grind them myself to ensure freshness.