What is flax?
Flax is a blue flowering crop mainly grown in Canada. In the United States, the majority of flax is grown in North Dakota. The crop is grown for its flaxseeds, which are healthful ingredients commonly used in the baking industry.
What are flaxseeds?
Flaxseeds contain various types of oils, including low levels of saturated fat, moderate amounts of monosaturated fat and high levels of polyunsaturated fats, which are healthful.
What makes polyunsaturated fats healthful?
The polyunsaturated fats in flaxseeds contain the essential fatty acids linoleic acid and alphalinolenic acid (ALA). Essential fatty acids are important nutrients that cannot be produced by the body. As a result, consumption of essential fatty acids is necessary.
What are omega-3 fatty acids?
Omega-3 fatty acids are the common name for ALA. These healthful fats play a significant role in improving human health. Clinical research shows that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids lowers the risk of heart disease by decreasing cholesterol levels. In addition, There are many ongoing research studies looking at the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. These studies will increase the profile of these nutrients.
Stone-ground whole-wheat flax bread | |||
| Ingredient | % Flour | Lbs. | Ozs. |
| Stone ground whole wheat flour | 85.00 | 42 | 8 |
| Flaxseed meal | 15.00 | 7 | 8 |
| Water | 74.00 | 37 | - |
| Vital wheat gluten | 4.00 | 2 | - |
| Canola oil | 1.00 | - | 8 |
| Salt | 2.25 | 1 | 2 |
| Honey | 8.00 | 4 | - |
| Yeast (compressed) | 3.75 | 1 | 14 |
| Ascorbic acid | 100.00 ppm | - | - |
| CSL of SSL | 0.50 (optional) | - | 4 |
| Source: Flax Council of Canada | |||
Other than omega-3 fatty acids, what other health properties do flaxseeds possess?
Flaxseeds are chock full of other nutrients, including protein, dietary fiber, antioxidants, lignans, vitamins and minerals.
The lignans and ALA in flaxseeds may be beneficial in cancer prevention, according to population studies of diet and disease risk.
Does Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allow any health claims for flaxseeds?
In May 2004, FDA approved nutrient content claims for flaxseeds because of their omega-3 fatty acid contents. When a product contains at least 260 mgs of ALA per Reference Amount Customarily Consumed, "High in/Excellent source of/Rich in" claims can be used on product packaging. This regulation requires that the claim specify the type of omega-3 fatty acid present in a product.
Omega-3 fatty acids also can qualify for a structure/function claim. Examples of appropriate claims include: Omega-3s support cardiovascular health, Omega-3s support healthy brain function, Omega-3s support healthy brain and eye development, Omega-3s support a healthy immune system, and Omega-3s are beneficial to health maintenance. To use a structure/function claim, a baker must ensure its accuracy and truthfulness.
Do flaxseeds qualify for any other FDA-approved claims?
Because flaxseeds are whole grains and rich in soluble and insoluble fiber, they can qualify for additional health claims. However, food manufacturers must ensure that all claims meet the requirements defined by FDA.
How are flaxseeds incorporated into bakery food formulas?
Bakers can add either whole flaxseeds or milled flaxseeds to their formulas. Whole flaxseeds may improve the healthful appearance of bakery foods, but they do not offer the complete health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. To offer all of flaxseeds' health benefits, the ingredient must be milled. Milled flaxseeds have a texture similar to wheat bran and partially can replace flour in bakery foods, the Flax Council of Canada says.
Does this make milled flaxseeds an ideal ingredient in low-carbohydrate formulations?
Yes. Because milled flaxseeds can partially replace flour, they can reduce the carbohydrate count of bakery foods. Flaxseeds also are a great source of dietary fiber, and the inclusion of milled flaxseeds lowers the net carbohydrate count of bakery foods.
How do flaxseeds affect bakery food formulas?
Flaxseeds increase dough water absorption, requiring more water to be added to a formula (for a sample flax bread formula, see the chart on page 38). Flaxseeds also allow bakers to reduce shortening or oil content.
Enhance health value with Pizzey's flaxseedsWhat is Pizzey's SelectGrad™ whole grain flaxseed, and why is it different than flax meal? Why use Pizzey's SelectGrad™ flaxseeds rather than other sources of omega-3? In addition to containing high levels of the essential omega-3 fatty acids, Pizzey's SelectGrad™ flaxseeds contain high levels of lignan phytoestrogens and dietary fiber. Pizzey's SelectGrad™ flaxseeds are a clean, cost effective, stable and convenient source of omega-3 fatty acids for use in any bakery application. It has no adverse flavor or odor, and contributes to a consumer friendly ingredient listing. What is Pizzey's Milling MeadowPure process and why is it important? Pizzey's Milling separates and discards damaged or immature seeds during processing. The healthy seeds are then processed using a combination of proprietary, patented and patent-pending technologies that protect the integrity of the seed during all stages of production. The result: Pizzey's Milling guarantees the stability of its flaxseed ingredients under normal, ambient storage conditions. This is collectively known as Pizzey's MeadowPure™ process. What other unique components work synergistically with omega-3 in flaxseeds to give them nutritional benefits? Flaxseeds also contain high amounts of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. Studies suggest that flaxseed fibers improve gastrointestinal health, contribute to a lowglycemic index and protect against certain cancers. Flaxseeds also represent one of nature's richest sources of natural antioxidants. In addition to lignans, flaxseeds also contain many other polyphenols and tocopherols. |
For more information, contact Pizzey's Milling at 877-804-6444 or go to www.pizzeys.com
