Is Your Flaxseed Rancid?

A couple of years ago, all things flax (flax seeds, ground flax, and flaxseed oil) became very popular. And with good reason; the little seeds contain a wealth of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. However, what few people know is that once flax goes rancid, it degrades the health profile and alters the taste, aroma, and appearance of the seeds and oil. In fact, flax is sensitive to heat (it starts breaking down at 225 degrees Fahrenheit) and starts oxidizing if it’s exposed to light after only a few hours.

So, how can you know if your flax is still good to use?

Look at it

A fresh flaxseed will have a hard, brown or golden-yellow skin and be free of cracks and discoloration. And fresh flaxseed oil has a “clear, uniform, golden-yellow color free of cloudiness, similar to corn oil” and might even contain particulates of ground flax in it (those particulates contain lignans, a beneficial class of phytoestrogen).

“To check for rancidity, pour a tablespoon or two of flaxseed oil in a wine glass and hold it up to the light while tilting it slightly, similar to how you gauge the color of wine. If you notice haziness instead of translucence or a dark-brown or dark-yellow color — a few shades deeper than golden — you have rancid flaxseed oil,” reports the article.

Smell it

Your fresh flax should smell crisp, and mildly nutty. The article suggests that in order to check the aroma of flaxseed oil, you should “pour a few tablespoons in a wine glass — the shape makes subtle nuances in aroma more perceptible. Place your nose in the wineglass and inhale deeply. Rancid flaxseed oil has a burnt and bitter odor most people generally describe as ‘off.’ ‘Cooked’ also describes the odor of rancid flaxseed oil, a smell similar to that of used frying oil.”

Lastly, taste it

Fresh flaxseeds should taste like they smell- clean and a little nutty. So, you’ll know right away if you taste your flax and it tastes bitter, or almost burnt. When taste testing the freshness of flaxseed oil, you’ll want to look for the same taste as with the seeds- that fresh nutty flavor.

Storing Your Flax

In order to prolong your flax and flaxseed oil and capsules, put them in dark containers to minimize their contact with light. You can also store the containers in the fridge or a dark cupboard. Also, only grind the flaxseeds you need because ground flaxseed begins to immediately start the oxidation process once you begin grinding and they don’t store well. However, if stored in a dark container, flax has a shelf life of one year.

(HOWEVER, if you are a woman concerned about breast health, perhaps don’t eat flax. You’ll want to do your own study and research but to get you started, check out the video below.)

Enjoy!