Grown since the beginning of civilization, flax seeds are one of the oldest crops. There are two types, brown and golden, which are equally nutritious.
Just one tablespoon provides a good amount of protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, in addition to being a rich source of some vitamins and minerals.
Usage suggestions
Whole linseeds work well with other grains in cereal, porridge, muesli and flapjacks
One of the most popular uses for linseed is as an egg replacement in vegan foods.
Linseeds are ground and soaked in water; 1 tbsp linseeds to 1 tbsp water. Linseed will never completely replicate what an egg does when substituted for part of a recipe, but as vegan alternatives go it comes quite close as a binder for other ingredients.
The gooey mixture of linseed and water works to stick things together, which works well in pancakes, cookies and quick breads but not so great in baking and cakes as is it doesn’t have raising properties. Any recipe which calls for more than two eggs will become too dense if substituted for linseed.