I have enjoyed two excellent food events in the last few weeks. The first was a visit to Borough Market in South London where there is an amazing selection of British, European and Far Eastern foods. The thing all of the salespeople had in common was a passion and a deep knowledge of their produce.
The following week I was at the BBC Good Food Show which was another opportunity to learn from knowledgeable producers. I am always looking for new food ideas to support women going through perimenopause.
It was a real pleasure to meet Durwin Banks and Tim Shields from The Linseed Farm. They produce a range of high quality linseed (flaxseed) products including culinary oil, capsules and milled linseed. Linseed has many health benefits for women over 40 including:
- Source of Omega 3 for controlling inflammation, aids brain function, good for healthy skin, hair and nails
- Lignans which provide plant oestrogen and antioxidant qualities
- Enabling you to absorb Vitamin K which is important for bone and heart health
- Milled seeds provide dietary fibre to assist bowels
Linseed is the most delicate of all food oils and it will be damaged by high temperatures and direct sunlight. So you should be careful where you buy it. Do not buy linseed products from anywhere that displays it in the window or in a high ambient temperature. Pay attention to the ‘sell by’ date.
When you get the product home it is important to store the oil and the seeds correctly to avoid degradation. Once you have opened a packet of linseeds, transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the fridge. Similarly, refrigerate linseed oil and keep it out of direct sunlight.
You can take linseed in capsules or you can use it in your food such as using linseed oil in vinaigrettes and dressings and you can sprinkle milled linseeds on your breakfast or in cake recipes. Linseed oil should not be used in hot cooking because the high temperatures will destroy the health giving properties. There are recipe ideas on http://highbarnoils.co.uk/recipes