Flax oil, also known as linseed oil, is obtained from the dried and ripened seeds of the common flax plant, Linum usitatissimum or Linaceae for any botanists out there.
The oils may be obtained through pressing the seeds or by using solvents to extract them.
Here's a look at what the oils are used for.
You mainly see the name linseed on bottles sold in hardware stores for furniture refinishing or polishing.
You might see it listed as an ingredient on solvents, varnishes, resins, binders, pigments, putty or paints.
Linoleum manufacturers used it in the past, but the floor covering has largely been replaced by the PVC type.
Alkyd resins have replaced the use of linseed oils in most other applications.
But, that's okay.
The plant growers and manufacturers have found another use.
They haven't gone out of business.
Like most plant oils, the ones that come from linseed are edible.
It is used in animal feed, but most people don't like it.
The bright yellow color, pungent odor and strong flavor make it less than desirable for most culinary uses.
The shelf life is another problem.
Most of the oils that we use for cooking can be stored at room temperature.
Flax oil quickly becomes rancid at room temperature.
It has a shelf life of only a few weeks, unless it is refrigerated.
There is some disagreement about whether refrigeration is only necessary after a bottle is opened.
If you happen to buy a bottle to use for cooking, check the smell, before you use it.
If it has a bad odor, it's rancid.
Rancid oils can make you very ill.
They also contribute to the formation of free radicals, which play a role in cancer.
So, the oils may be carcinogenic.
In some cases, antioxidants or preservatives are added to flax oil to lengthen the shelf life and prevent rancidity.
If that is the case, the antioxidant included should be listed on the label.
It could be a natural or an artificial preservative.
Today, by far, the most common use, other than as animal feed, is as a human dietary supplement.
It is a source of an omega-3 fatty acid known as alpha-linolenic acid or ALA.
There are insufficient quantities of omega-3 fatty acids in the typical American diet, largely because of the preference for corn oil in cooking.
Corn oil contains over 40 times more omega-6s than omega-3s.
The imbalance contributes to inflammation throughout the body.
However, there is not much evidence that eating flax oil helps reduce inflammation, the risk of heart disease, the risk of stroke, the risk of cancer or provides any other benefit that accompanies increased intake of the omega-3 fatty acids Docosahexaenoic acid and Eicosapentaenoic acid, which are found only in fatty fish and some types of seafood.
So there you have it.
The best suggestion is to cook with olive or canola oils and take a fish oil or marine algae supplement.
We are not trying to put anyone out of business, but there is really no need for flax oil in the human diet.