by Dr Mercola
Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is among the most ancient of superfoods, with a history of use spanning over 10,000 years. Remains of flaxseed have been found in Stone Age dwellings in Switzerland, and in Egypt, where the ancient Egyptians used it in the manufacture of linen. Flax reached the U.S. in the 1800s with the arrival of European settlers.
Flax can be grown for a nutritional seed harvest, and its fibre is used in the making of linen. The plant grows to about 3 feet tall and has narrow, pale green leaves and small blue flowers.
Once the flower drops off, a seedpod forms in its place. Each seedpod contains anywhere from four to 10 seeds. According to Mother Earth Living, a small 4-foot-square plot of flax can provide enough seeds “for a batch of bread” and enough fibre to fashion a small basket.
Growing Basics
Ideally, select a plot that gets plenty of sun with fertile, well-draining soil. Flax grows best in cooler weather, so early spring, once the risk of frost has passed, is an ideal time to start your planting.
You’ll need about 1 tablespoon of flaxseed per 10 square feet. The seeds are small, so the easiest way to sow them is to mix them with a small amount of flour, which helps separate them. Scatter the seeds across the surface of the plot, then use a rake to gently mix them into the top half-inch of the soil.
Water gently and keep the soil moist but not soaked until the seeds have germinated, which takes about 10 days. Once they’ve germinated, the plants tend to develop a robust root system and require less frequent watering. The plant matures to a height of about 3 feet. Adding a nitrogen-rich amendment to your soil can boost seed yield; otherwise, fertiliser is generally not needed.
Aside from L. usitatissimum, several other species of flax are also available. For example, perennial flax (L. perenne) grows to a height of just 1 to 2 feet. The cultivar “Alba” produces white flowers instead of blue. Golden flax (L. flavum), which is native to Europe, grows about 1.5 feet and has yellow flowers.
Will You Harvest Fibre, Seed or Both?
While flax provides you with more than one harvest opportunity, you will need to decide whether you’re going to harvest seeds or the fibre, as the highest quality fibre is obtained before the seeds form. Alternatively, you can settle for a coarser fibre, which will allows you to harvest seeds as well. Mother Earth Living explains:
“IF YOU WAIT UNTIL THE SEEDS ARE RIPE (ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AFTER PLANTING), THE FIBRE HAS BECOME COARSE. THIS DIFFERENCE IN THE TIMING OF HARVEST IS A MAJOR REASON WHY COMMERCIAL FLAX FARMERS PRODUCE EITHER FIBRE OR SEEDS BUT NOT BOTH. AGAIN, A HOBBY GROWER CAN COMPROMISE.
THE FIBRE FROM MATURE PLANTS IS TOO COARSE FOR WEAVING FINE FABRIC, BUT IT’S ACCEPTABLE FOR MAKING BASKETS OR OTHER SIMPLE CRAFT PROJECTS. TO REAP BOTH SEEDS AND FIBRE, HARVEST THE FLAX ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AFTER PLANTING. THE LEAVES ON THE LOWER HALF OR TWO-THIRDS OF THE STEM WILL BE TURNING YELLOW AND DROPPING OFF.
MOST OF THE SEEDPODS WILL HAVE TURNED GOLD OR TAN; IF YOU SHAKE THEM, THE SEEDS WILL RATTLE INSIDE. GRASP THE STEMS, A HANDFUL AT A TIME, RIGHT AT GROUND LEVEL AND PULL THEM UP, ROOTS AND ALL.
SHAKE THE SOIL OFF THE ROOTS, LAY A FEW HANDFULS OF STEMS TOGETHER SIDE-BY-SIDE, AND USE RUBBER BANDS OR STRING TO SECURE THEM INTO A BUNDLE. HANG THE BUNDLES IN A WARM PLACE WITH GOOD AIR CIRCULATION. AFTER A FEW WEEKS, WHEN THE STALKS ARE STIFF AND DRY, YOU CAN THRESH OUT THE SEEDS.”
How to Thresh Flaxseed
To get the seeds out you have to crush the seedpods open, a process known as threshing. While simple, it requires a bit of physical effort. Take a bundle of flax stems you collected and place them in a fabric bag. An old pillowcase will do fine.
Tie the opening shut around the stems and place the bag on a flat surface that will not be damaged by some pounding. Using a block of wood, rock or rubber mallet, beat the pods through the bag. Other strategies include using a rolling pin, or stomping on the bag with a hard-soled shoe.
Once the pods have been crushed open, shake the bag to loosen the seeds, then pour the contents into a bowl. When all the bundles have been threshed, it’s time to sift the seeds from the chaff. A coarse strainer or colander can be helpful.
How to Process Flax Fibre
While processing your own flax fibre can be a rewarding experience, it’s a rather complex, strenuous task and requires some investment in specialised tools. Your climate can also significantly influence the outcome, which is why flax for linen production is grown in areas with a wetter autumn climate. Writing for Mother Earth Living, Rita Buchanan, a weaver and spinner, explains the basics:
“THE FIBRES IN THE STEM OF THE FLAX PLANT FORM A THIN LAYER BETWEEN THE WOODY CORE AND THE OUTER SKIN OR EPIDERMIS THAT RUNS ALL THE WAY FROM THE ROOTS TO THE TIPS. THE FIBRES HAVE ALREADY REACHED THEIR FULL-LENGTH WHEN THE FLAX BEGINS TO FLOWER, ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER PLANTING, BUT THEY ARE STILL THIN, DELICATE AND WEAK.
FROM FLOWERING UNTIL THE DEATH OF THE PLANT, THE FIBRES BECOME INCREASINGLY THICKER AND STRONGER, BUT ALSO MORE STIFF AND BRITTLE … THE FIRST STEP, CALLED RETTING, INVOLVES SOAKING OR WETTING THE STEMS FOR A PERIOD OF DAYS OR WEEKS TO PROMOTE BACTERIAL ACTION, WHICH SEPARATES THE DIFFERENT LAYERS OF STEM TISSUES AND LOOSENS THE FIBRES.
AFTER RETTING, THE STEMS ARE DRIED AGAIN, THEN CRUSHED BETWEEN THE WOODEN BLADES OF A TOOL CALLED A BREAK OR BRAKE, WHICH BREAKS THE WOODY CORE INTO SHORT BITS THAT FALL AWAY FROM THE MASS OF FIBRES.
FINALLY, THE BUNDLES ARE COMBED THROUGH METAL-TINED COMBS CALLED HACKLES. THE RESULT: A SMOOTH BUNDLE OF LONG, STRAIGHT FIBRES CALLED LINE FLAX AND A PILE OF FLUFFY, TANGLED, SHORTER FIBES CALLED TOW. THE LINE FLAX IS USED TO MAKE CRISP, GLOSSY FABRICS, AND THE TOW IS USED FOR EVERYDAY GOODS.”
Common Pests and Plant Diseases
As with most plants, a number of insects and diseases can take their toll. To minimise the risk of plant disease, avoid growing flax in the same area for more than three years in a row. Also avoid growing flax in areas where you’ve previously grown potatoes or legumes to minimise the risk of the fungal disease Rhizoctonia solani. Following are some of the most common pests and plant diseases known to attack flax:
• Flax bollworm
The larvae of the flax bollworm moth feed on the flax flowers and seeds, effectively consuming your harvest. They look like small green inchworms with white stripes. Simply remove them from the plant wherever you find them.
• Cutworms
True to their name, cutworms will eat the leaves of your plants. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the base of the plants to prevent cutworms, and pick off any found on the plants.
• Aphids
To dislodge aphids, spray the plants with a strong stream of water. Sticky traps can also be used, and soapy water.
• Fusarium Wilt
A type of soil fungus, fusarium wilt kills seedlings, and causes mature plants to yellow and wilt. Infected plants need to be uprooted and destroyed (do not compost). Unfortunately, the fungus remains in the soil, so do not plant flax (or other plants known to be affected near fusarium wilt) in the area for at least three years.
• Powdery mildew
Another fungal disease, powdery mildew causes the plant to drop its leaves and impacts its ability to produce seeds. Once it gains a foothold, it’s difficult to stop it from spreading. To prevent it, avoid planting your flax in areas that don’t drain well, as the wetness encourages growth of the fungus.
Health Benefits of Flaxseed
Flaxseed is one of the best sources of alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fat. They also contain a diverse mixture of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins E, K, C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. All of these are essential to maintaining various functions in your body and supporting good health.
Flaxseed is also a rich source of lignans, a plant compound with antioxidant and oestrogen-blocking properties that have been shown to lower your risk of cancer. What makes flaxseed great in this respect is that it contains anywhere from 75 to 800 times more lignans when compared to other fruit and vegetables.
In one study involving 6,000 female participants, those who consumed flaxseed were 18 percent less likely to develop breast cancer.
In another study, 15 men who ate 30 grams of flaxseed per day had reduced levels of prostate cancer biomarkers, suggesting a lower risk of prostate cancer.
One tablespoon of flaxseed also contains 3 grams of fibre —both soluble (20 to 40 percent) and insoluble (60 to 80 percent). Soluble fibre helps maintain healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and feeds beneficial bacteria in your gut, while insoluble fibre helps maintain digestive health by binding water to your stools, allowing them to pass through your intestines more quickly. This can help lower your risk of constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticular disease.
How to Use Flaxseed
Flaxseed can add a nutritious boost to just about any meal. For example, you can:
| Use flaxseed in place of breadcrumbs in various recipes |
| Add to smoothies for additional flavour and fibre |
| As garnish on salads |
| Add to hummus to modify the taste while adding extra nutrients |
| Use as an egg replacement for pudding dishes |
| Enhance the nutritional profile of your soups without changing the flavour |
| Pour ground flaxseed into your favourite sauces to make them thicker |
| Mix flaxseed into your yogurt to enhance the flavour and add more nutrients |
Contraindications
For all of their benefits, there are instances in which flaxseed are best avoided. For example, there have been reports of allergic reactions to flaxseed and flaxseed oil, causing hives, itchy palms, eyes, nausea, vomiting and stomach ache.
Flaxseed can also lower your blood sugar levels to an alarming level, especially when it is mixed with diabetic medication, so be careful if you have diabetes or are prone to hypoglycaemia. The high amount of fibre in flaxseed may also increase the frequency of your bowel movements, so be sure to limit your use of flaxseed until you know how they affect your digestion.
*This is an edited article. For the full article please visit the below website, and we would suggest you also conduct your own research for further information where appropriate.
