Can you eat too much flax?

Can you eat too much flax?

Flax is very filling and if you ate a lot you wouldn’t have much room for anything else! Even though flaxseed is amazing stuff that wouldn’t be good for a balanced diet,  Nutrition Facts  reports that 80g per day is safely given at a Swedish health spa as a “fibre shock”.

If you don’t already know, it won’t be long before someone tries to put the fear of God in you by telling you Flax contains Cyanide! Like more than half the foods humans eat, flaxseed contains “cyanogenic glycosides,” which are compounds that create cyanide. These compounds give apple pips their distinctive flavour,  Bitter almonds and apricot kernels contain relatively, even dangerously high levels of cyanide and have caused poisoning. Other foods are even higher in cyanide compounds, though people still eat them, but process them first to reduce the levels of cyanide to be safe to eat.  There has never been a recorded instance of anyone being poisoned by flaxseed.

Tests have been carried out to show flaxseed can safely be consumed in large quantities. Even 9 tablespoons of flaxseed at one go were shown to be safe,

Ground Flaxseed and whole Flaxseeds

• Dr Johanna Budwig who created the Budwig Diet approximately 75  years ago. She recommended for tablespoons per day plus adding more ground  flaxseed to juices throughout the day. The diet has had remarkable success in reversing illness,
• Dr Michael Greger recommends 1 tablespoons of ground flaxseed per day
• Scientific studies into the use of flaxseed for the menopause used 45g per. A study by the Irish Nursing Organisation, using flax as an alternative to laxatives recommended 15g-24g day (of whole flaxseed – which isn’t as kind to the tummy as ground flaxseed) for elderly, mainly, bedbound patients and was found to be effective.
• The late Dr Michael Mosley recommended aiming for 2 heaped tablespoons per day but starting off with just one to allow your gut to get used to it.
• Flax Farm recommends 1-2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed in food or drinks once or twice a day.

Cold-pressed Flaxseed Oil

As a foodstuff and our tolerance to it, Flaxseed oil is chemically very similar to Olive oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil and other unsaturated vegetable oils. Olive oil, especially, is often consumed in large amounts as part of traditional cuisine. Consider mayonnaise, salad dressing, baked and fried foods.

Flaxseed oil is well tolerated in the same amounts as other common oils and is totally safe.  It doesn’t contribute to cyanogenic glucosides at all.

Sensible amounts of flax to eat daily :

The aim is to get the benefit from the flax as part of a balanced, healthy diet. Diets such as the Budwig diet that recommends both ground flaxseed and flaxseed oil several time s a day.

• Flaxseed Oil. Around 20-30ml for flaxseed oil – though the OMS diet recommends more, between 20-40ml per day and the Budwig diet approximately 90ml or more,
• Ground Flaxseed up to 45g (about four tablespoons) spread over a couple or more meals.
• Whole flaxseeds approximately 45g per day.

Water

Do drink an extra glass or two with meals containing ground or whole flaxseed. It will ensure you stay fully hydrated and get the best effect from the flaxseed.