Pura Vida Newsletter
BROWN or GOLDEN
FLAX SEED
Does color really matter?
Pura Vida produces products using both golden and brown flax seed. Brown flax seed and golden flax seed are both equally beneficial. There is no substantial difference between the seeds in regard to oil content or nutritional value. The further north flax is grown, the higher the oil content. The closer to winter the plant is harvested, the higher the oil content. Soil and weather conditions also have an impact on the nutritional value of the seed.
The color of the seed is a matter of personal preference. Our goal is to source the highest quality seed available. Prior to sprouting, we do visual inspections for debris, dark and damaged seed, we do density, purity and germination testing and our lab performs microbiological testing for molds, yeasts and pathogens.
Our inspection criteria are the highest in the industry, so you can be assured, whatever the color of flax, youwill be purchasing a superior product.
Pura Vida produces products using both golden and brown flax seed. Brown flax seed and golden flax seed are both equally beneficial. There is no substantial difference between the seeds in regard to oil content or nutritional value. The further north flax is grown, the higher the oil content. The closer to winter the plant is harvested, the higher the oil content. Soil and weather conditions also have an impact on the nutritional value of the seed.
The color of the seed is a matter of personal preference. Our goal is to source the highest quality seed available. Prior to sprouting, we do visual inspections for debris, dark and damaged seed, we do density, purity and germination testing and our lab performs microbiological testing for molds, yeasts and pathogens.
Our inspection criteria are the highest in the industry, so you can be assured, whatever the color of flax, youwill be purchasing a superior product.
FLAX OIL - Buyer Beware
All flax products are good for you. However, some are significantly better than others. As a consumer, you have to determine your own personal health and nutritional needs and then decide which product is for you. However, it's easier to make better choices when you know the facts.
There is no doubt that flax oil is an excellent source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids. However, if you are taking flax oil, you are not giving your body the full advantage of flax.
Flax oil is obtained by pressing raw seed to expel the oil. Flax oil is made up almost entirely of polyunsaturated oils ("good fat"). These oils go rancid very quickly when exposed to oxygen or light, and if heated, turn from the good "cis-form" of fatty acids into the bad "trans-form".
Shelf life is an issue with flax oil. According to Seigfried Gursche, author of "Fantastic Flax", flax oil should not be purchased after six months past the pressing date and should be consumed within three weeks after opening. It must be refrigerated and packaged in dark containers, as light will damage the oil.
Quality is also an important factor when purchasing flax oil and as a consumer, you need to be very careful. Not all manufacturers offer the quality their label promises. The term "cold processed" does not necessarily mean the oil has been "cold pressed". Considerable amounts of heat may be generated in the pressing process. Excessive heat will off-flavor the oil which then requires further processing (refining) to make it palatable. However, this refining process requires high temperatures, which changes the molecular structure of the flax oil to the dangerous trans-form, which is known to cause certain types of cancer, heart disease and other degenerative diseases.
Some flax oils advertise having increased lignans. After the seed is pressed to extract the oil, about 20% of the crushed outer shell particles are put back in. On average, flax seed contains about 1.6% lignans. Flax oil contains only about 2% of the 1.6% lignans available in the whole seed. Based on this, flax oil that is promoted as having increased lignans in fact only contains about 0.35% lignans - which hardly seems worth mentioning.
Flax oil contains no lignans unless added and only trace amounts of vitamins, fiber, protein and enzymes.
Sprout RevolutionTM Sprouted Flax Powders are a "whole food" with dramatically higher levels of vitamins and digestive enzymes than either milled flax or flax oil. They are naturally shelf-stable for more than one year after opening and require no refrigeration or special packaging. The omega-3 fatty acids and lignans are increased and thermo-stable, meaning you can bake with them.
No other flax products on the market come close to comparing to Sprout RevolutionTM sprouted flax powders. Just ask anyone who's tried them and they'll agree.
What you need to know about Sprout RevolutionTM Sprouted Flax powders.
All flax products are good for you. However, some are significantly better than others. As a consumer, you have to determine your own personal health and nutritional needs and then decide which product is for you. However, it's easier to make better choices when you know the facts.
There is no doubt that flax oil is an excellent source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids. However, if you are taking flax oil, you are not giving your body the full advantage of flax.
Flax oil is obtained by pressing raw seed to expel the oil. Flax oil is made up almost entirely of polyunsaturated oils ("good fat"). These oils go rancid very quickly when exposed to oxygen or light, and if heated, turn from the good "cis-form" of fatty acids into the bad "trans-form".
Shelf life is an issue with flax oil. According to Seigfried Gursche, author of "Fantastic Flax", flax oil should not be purchased after six months past the pressing date and should be consumed within three weeks after opening. It must be refrigerated and packaged in dark containers, as light will damage the oil.
Quality is also an important factor when purchasing flax oil and as a consumer, you need to be very careful. Not all manufacturers offer the quality their label promises. The term "cold processed" does not necessarily mean the oil has been "cold pressed". Considerable amounts of heat may be generated in the pressing process. Excessive heat will off-flavor the oil which then requires further processing (refining) to make it palatable. However, this refining process requires high temperatures, which changes the molecular structure of the flax oil to the dangerous trans-form, which is known to cause certain types of cancer, heart disease and other degenerative diseases.
Some flax oils advertise having increased lignans. After the seed is pressed to extract the oil, about 20% of the crushed outer shell particles are put back in. On average, flax seed contains about 1.6% lignans. Flax oil contains only about 2% of the 1.6% lignans available in the whole seed. Based on this, flax oil that is promoted as having increased lignans in fact only contains about 0.35% lignans - which hardly seems worth mentioning.
Flax oil contains no lignans unless added and only trace amounts of vitamins, fiber, protein and enzymes.
Sprout RevolutionTM Sprouted Flax Powders are a "whole food" with dramatically higher levels of vitamins and digestive enzymes than either milled flax or flax oil. They are naturally shelf-stable for more than one year after opening and require no refrigeration or special packaging. The omega-3 fatty acids and lignans are increased and thermo-stable, meaning you can bake with them.
No other flax products on the market come close to comparing to Sprout RevolutionTM sprouted flax powders. Just ask anyone who's tried them and they'll agree.
| Sprout RevolutionTM SOLID RESEARCH - TRUSTED QUALITY Benefits * Enhanced factors and conditions for EPA and DHA conversion * Low phytic acid to provide mineral bio-availability for the conversion of ALA to DHA and EPA. * Decreased enzyme inhibitors to increase bio- availability of fats, proteins, carbohydrates and fiber. *Increased vitamins and minerals through the sprouting process. *Decreased plant stress hormones, resulting in production of chemicals in the seed which effect bio-availability. *Increased soluble to insoluble fiber ratio resulting in enhanced nutrient absorption. *Product stability by using the plant's natural antioxidants derived by the sprouting process, resulting in a product that does not require refrigeration or protective packaging. *Maximum lignans. *Gluten free, non-GMO, certified OCCP organic. |
What you need to know about Sprout RevolutionTM Sprouted Flax powders.
| Research has confirmed what has been known for centuries--flaxseed is an outstanding nutritional food source What isn't well known is that flax seed is difficult to digest and its nutrients poorly absorbed. Flaxseed has natural enzyme inhibitors to prevent digestion. This means the seed can be eaten, pass through the body and still grow into a plant. This is nature's way of ensuring animals, birds and humans distribute seeds. For example, when a person consumes whole flaxseeds in bakery products like bread, there is very little nutritional benefit. The way to overcome the problem created by enzyme inhibitors is to sprout the seed. Sprouting creates enzymes which start the seed on its way to becoming a plant. When the flax seed begins to grown, the natural enzyme inhibitors that protect the seed from being digested are no longer present. Sprouting flaxseed biologically activates the seed. The plant proteins, essential fatty acids, starches and vitamins are now BIOAVAILABLE for human digestion, resulting in better nutrient absorption. Sprouting also increases the seed's vitamin content, which naturally stabilizes the essential fatty acids. Because of the level of bioavailability, these essential oils are absorbed more efficiently. Sprout Revolution Sprouted Flax Powders are dried and milled at a low temperature. This ensures the resulting powder has active enzymes, resulting in the highest bioavailability of any flax product on the market. Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids are the "good fats" required by your body. Flaxseed is the best plant source of Omega-3 fatty acids. When we ate the meat from animals that grazed naturally on grass, Omega-3s were readily available in our diet. Now animals are raised on grains, which are high in Omega-6 fatty acids, leaving us chronically deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids. Sprouting also increases the seed's vitamin content which naturally stabilizes the essential fatty acids. It also decreases the amount of phytic acid in the seed. Phytic acid prevents the utilization of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc, which are required by the body to produce prostglandins, DHA and EPA fatty acids. DHA is required by the body for optimal functioning of the brain and eyes. Prostglandins are potent hormone-like substances found in many body tissues. They cause arteries to widen or constrict, influence blood clotting, stimulate pain nerve-endings and reduce stomach acid secretion. Prostglandins produced by Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulative in nature. Prostglandins produced by Omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory and pro-coagulative in nature. This is of particular concern, as our modern diet has seen a steady increase in the intake of Omega-6 fatty acids and a steady decline in Omega-3 fatty acids. The result is an imbalance that our bodies are not designed to cope with. Many flax product manufacturers claim to have the required Omega 3-6-9 ratio and that it is essential to provide a proper balance of these fatty acids. It appears that the proper balance ranges between 2-4 Omega 6s to every 1 Omega-3. Flas has this balance Rather than this desired ratio, the average diet has Omega 6s far outweighing the Omega-3s. For example, the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 in olive oil is 13-1 and corn oil is 45-1. Taking a product that offers a spoonful of the "perfect ratio" isn't enough to counterbalance the excessive amounts of Omega-6s you have ingested throughout the day. The obvious solution is to decrease your intake of Omega-6s while increasing your Omega-3 intake on a daily basis. Sprout RevolutionTM contains the optimum amount of bio-available Omega-3 fatty acids. |
