Unless you are going to use the flax seed rather quickly it should be stored in the refrigerator. Flax seed's wonderful oils are prone to rancidity if left at room temperature for too long a period of time. I always store my flours, nuts and seeds in the fridge and freezer to prevent rancidity. You'll know it when you smell it. It's like opening a bag of crackers that's been in your pantry for 7 months and they smell beyond stale, they smell rancid. Yuck! Protect your Omega 3 oils in that flax by keeping it cool. :)
I think it doesn't matter but if you eat whole flax seeds you have to chew them well. The outside of flax seed is too hard to break apart by chewing and whole flax seed is not properly digested to get out the nutrients. The recommendation is to use either flax seed oil to use already ground flax seed.
Flax grows from a flax seed.
Flax seed is derived from the flax plant (also known as common flax or linseed).
Ground flax seed is made by grinding whole flax seeds into a powder. It is a good source of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and lignans, which are antioxidants. Ground flax seed can be added to smoothies, oatmeal, baked goods, or yogurt for a nutritional boost.
Flax seeds can be eaten whole, ground or as flax oil. It is usually recommended that the seeds be ground for maximum benefit, otherwise the seeds may simply pass through the digestive system, whilst flax seed oil contains only some of the nutrients of flax, having neither the fiber nor the phytochemicals of the whole seed.
flax seed
Yes, flax, Linum usitatissimum, is a natural fibre, and the seeds (whole seed, milled (ground), or oil form) are edible.
The best way to store flax seed is in the refrigerator or in the freezer. Make sure the bag you store it in is airtight as flax seed can get rancid.
Flax seed oil in Punjabi can be translated as "ਅਲਸੀ ਬੀਜ ਤੇਲ" (alsi beej tel).
Tagalog just uses the English words "flax seed". Filipino botanists also call it "Linum usitatissimum".
Whole foods; any Food Co-op!
See this link.