Benefits
- Great source of protein and fibre
- Nutty, earthy flavour
Description
Holland & Barrett Golden Linseed
Sprinkled onto muesli or baked into bread, the benefits of the golden linseed go far beyond simply adding a delicious crunch to your favourite breakfast.
In fact, linseed has been enjoyed for its healthy properties for thousands of years.
Charlemagne, King of the Franks way back in the 700s, was so convinced of their goodness, he even passed a law ordering his people to eat the shiny little seeds.
What is linseed?
Linseed is the tiny golden yellow seed of the linseed plant, harvested to be eaten or pressed for oil.
This oil has numerous health benefits but is also used as a wood finishing oil, famously employed to keep cricket bats in tip top condition.
Usually eaten raw, linseeds are often added to cereal bars, granola mixes and salad toppers, to provide additional fibre, offering a nutritional lift to healthy meals.
Is linseed the same as flaxseed?
Although there is no nutritional difference between linseed and flaxseed, the two do come from different plants, both cultivars of Linum usitatissimum. The shorter linseed plant is traditionally used to produce edible seeds, often pressed into oil, while the flax plant is prized for its golden fibres.
If you have ever heard the fairytale phrase ‘flaxen hair’, you can imagine how this fibre might look.
That said, the terms tend to be used interchangeably, so whether the seeds or oil you buy are labelled as linseed or flaxseed, you are likely getting linseed seeds.
Linseed benefits
The tiny golden linseed is full to the brim with beneficial nutrients.
A tablespoon of linseeds contains 3g of dietary fibre, 20-40% of which is soluble, the rest of which is insoluble.
This combination of fibre is excellent for bowel health. While soluble fibre helps to slow the digestion rate, which in turn can regulate blood sugar and lower cholesterol, insoluble fibre invites water, softening stools for easier passage. For this reason linseeds can offer good benefits for those with IBS. Linseeds are an excellent source of alpha-linoleic acid (also known as ALA).
Linseeds are also rich in lignans, plant compounds with antioxidant and oestrogen properties and they are an excellent source of protein too.
How to eat golden linseed
Simply sprinkled over cereal or porridge, linseeds are an easy add-in to start your day. But that is not all they are good for.
Whizzed into a smoothie, they add a nutty flavour and extra goodness, while baked into a cake, they can add crunch and help create a wholesome treat. Linseeds, ready-milled or whizzed at home, can also act as a binder. Simply add 2 tablespoons of water and leave to absorb.
The resulting texture is a good egg substitute, helping to bind ingredients in cakes, stuffing or even burgers.