Q: “I am looking to purchase flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds. I would like to start consuming more Omegas 3 naturally. If you have any recommendations as to where I can purchase them or if there are any specific things I should look out for on the packaging (not sure if there are different types), I would really appreciate it!” ~ Julie
A: (My response) Omega 3 essential fatty acids have an unstable molecular structure and they are extremely heat sensitive. Because of this, the oils go rancid quickly and the whole seeds should be used fairly soon after purchasing. Ground flax, chia and hemp start to oxidize as soon as they are cleaved open and should be consumed immediately after grinding. That being said, when flax seeds are sold they are available ground or whole. I do not recommend buying the ground seeds because of rancidity issues. Whole flax, chia and hemp should be purchased in vacuum sealed packages that are displayed in the refrigerated section of the store. You can find them in all the local health food stores in the area.
I wrote an article called Get the Skinny on Fats and Oils for the January 2014 edition of Natural Awakenings that you may find useful. You can read the article by clicking this link and going to pg. 22
http://content.yudu.com/A2ml28/January2014/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl
I hope this is helpful!
Dr. Samadhi
If you’d like more health tips, check out Samadhi’s book, Healthy Eating, Healthy Living, Healthy You.
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