Flaxseed Meal vs Milled Flaxseed
They sound like the same thing. However, milled flaxseed and flaxseed meal are quite different! Next time you are at the grocery store or shopping online, it may help to know the difference between these two flaxseed products so that you don’t accidentally buy the wrong thing.
Flaxseed meal is a byproduct of flaxseed oil extraction. When manufacturers crush flaxseed for oil, fiber and protein are left behind. Since these companies are interested in the flaxseed oil only, this byproduct is often sold as “flaxseed meal.” While flaxseed meal does supply fiber and protein, it does not contain beneficial omega-3 fatty acids because almost all the oil has been removed. Furthermore, since flaxseed oil extraction is an aggressive process, there is often oil residue left behind in the flax fiber. This residue can quickly go rancid.
Sometimes human and pet food manufacturers will use flaxseed meal in their products to increase the fiber content. However, consuming flaxseed meal is not the same as consuming milled flaxseed in terms of nutritional benefits.
Milled flaxseed is made from the whole flaxseed meaning it contains all the good omega 3 oil as well as fiber, protein, and antioxidants. Furthermore, because of the special milling process we use at Manitoba Milling Company, our milled flaxseed has a two-year shelf life when stored at room temperature—refrigeration not required!
