Flaxseeds are a storehouse of nutrients. With just a tablespoon of powdered flaxseed, one can reap a host of health benefits. It is advisable to grind them rather than consume them whole because the outer cover is tough and not very digestible, and so most of the nutrients inside go unused.

Flaxseeds are rich in Omega-3 fats and serve as a good substitute for those who do not eat fish. They contain lignans – plant compounds containing antioxidants and estrogen – which reduce the risk of cancer. Flaxseeds are a good source of dietary fibre, which regularizes bowel movements and prevents constipation. They also lower bad cholesterol (LDL) levels as well as blood pressure. They are rich in high-quality protein. They may also help with weight loss as they control hunger and prevent snacking between meals.

As these nutty seeds can be a little bland to the taste buds when consumed by themselves, we are here to give you seven different ways you can enrich your diet without compromising on your taste.

1. Breakfast cereal

Your healthy cereal bowl just got healthier! A drizzle of flaxseeds is all it takes to get your day off to a healthy start. Flaxseed is great in combination with oatmeal and banana.

2. Smoothies

What goes into the blender does not matter as long as it includes flaxseeds! Be it strawberry smoothie or banana, the flaxseed will not dominate the flavour mix, but will definitely do its job once consumed.

3. Gunpowder

This is not literally what the name suggests, of course, but the taste is definitely explosively delicious. If you’re a South Indian or you relish South Indian food, you will know that gunpowder mixed with melted ghee tastes delightful with idli and dosa. The next time you want to make gunpowder, use flaxseed: roast and grind it with spices to make delicious flaxseed podi (powder).

4. Dressing

With a light sprinkling of flaxseed powder, you can enhance the flavour of your healthy salad by making use of the flaxseeds’ light toasty-nutty taste. You may also use it while frying or roasting vegetables and consume with rice for lunch or dinner.

5. Baking Ingredient

Flaxseeds are a good substitute for egg in baking recipes. When mixed with water and allowed to rest, flaxseed meal can be used for baking healthier muffins, cookies, and even brownies. Flaxseed helps to improve the texture and flavour. The presence of flaxseed oil also allows you to cut down on the oil used in baking.

6. Stuffing and patties

Flaxseeds, owing to its neutral taste makes a great addition to savoury dishes. Add it to the stuffing you make for your parathas or to your meat patty mix and let it go into your system the tasty way!

7. Sweets and chocolates

Just as you add nuts and dates to homemade chocolate recipes, you may also incorporate flaxseed powder. Sunnunda, a sweet delicacy belonging to Andhra Pradesh, made from black gram powder, can also be made with flaxseed powder. Just mix roasted flaxseed powder (instead of the ground black gram) with powdered jaggery, and add heated oil to the mixture till it becomes sticky enough to roll into balls. If you can think of any other homemade sweet recipes, go ahead and see if you can add flaxseed to them.

Organic flaxseeds, in addition to their usual health benefits, are also completely devoid of harmful chemicals characteristic of non-organic produce. 24Mantra recognizes and classifies flaxseeds as a health product, and takes 100% effort to ensure that this health factor is not diminished by chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Now that you know how to eat flaxseeds without having to compromise on taste, visit this link to see how to get organic flaxseeds enriched by the goodness of organic farming.