How to Make Flaxseed Powder

18 May

Flaxseed is one of the best sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, a high-fiber low-GI wonder that’s great for health. The benefits of flaxseed become a lot more accessible when consumed as flaxseed powder.

When you eat whole flaxseed, not all of its nutrients get absorbed – much passes through the digestive tract undigested. On roasting and grinding, flaxseed releases its nutrients making it easier for the body to absorb them. Plus, roasting enhances the flavor of flaxseed and grinding increases the ways in which flaxseed can get included in food.

Flaxseed Powder

Here’s how to make flaxseed powder.

You Need:

[for 3/4 cup flaxseed powder]

  • Flaxseed – 1/2 cup
  • Equipment – a (preferably cast iron) flat skillet or tava, spice grinder
  • How To Make Flaxseed Powder:

    Heat a flat skillet or tava on how heat. Make sure there’s no moisture on it, then place the flaxseed on the tava. Roast the flaxseed on low heat, stirring gently every few seconds.

    Flax Seed

    Keep a lid handy to cover the tava in between, as flaxseed tends to pop and fly around when hot.

    After about 3 minutes, the whole batch of flaxseed will be doing a merry group popping and there will be a warm roasted aroma in the air. That’s the time to take the skillet off the heat. Keep covered till the popping has subsided, then uncover and let cool to room temperature.

    Transfer roasted flaxseed to a spice grinder.

    Flaxseed Roasted

    Pulse for a few seconds to grind to powder. When you open the lid after grinding roasted flaxseed, the aroma is so beautiful that the effort of doing it yourself feels totally worth it!

    Ground Flaxseed

    There’s another solid reason for grinding flaxseed to powder yourself rather than buying it from the store. While whole flaxseed stays good for months, ground flaxseed spoils quickly. It makes more sense to buy whole flaxseed from the store, then roast and grind in small batches whenever you need it.

    Store flaxseed powder in a dry airtight container. Consume within 3-4 days.  Refrigerate flaxseed powder to help it stay good longer.

    Flax Meal

    Ground Flaxseed Recipes:

    Ground flaxseed blends in beautifully with recipes that call for flour or other nut/dal/seed powders.

    A few simple ideas to include it in Indian meals.

    1. Make peanut flaxseed chutney.

    2.  Mix flaxseed powder into hot boiled rice along with ghee and salt.

    3. Add ot to flour for chapati or paratha: 1 teaspoon per cup of atta.

    4. Include flaxseed powder in stuffed eggplant masala or stuffed okra masala.

    5. Add it to sattu in sattu paratha.

    6. Add a teaspoon of ground flaxseed along with peanut powder in sabudana khichdi.

16 Responses to “How to Make Flaxseed Powder”

  1. Reema October 22, 2017 at 11:05 AM #

    Superb idea to use flax powder…thanks

    • S October 22, 2017 at 3:41 PM #

      @Reema: Glad to help!

  2. Pri January 18, 2018 at 9:26 PM #

    Hello,

    Thank you for the recipe! How do I consume this flax powder? Do I mix it with water and drink?

    Thanks for your help

    • S January 19, 2018 at 7:18 PM #

      Hi Pri,

      Glad to help :) See the last section in this article for ideas on how to consume it: Ground Flaxseed Recipes.

      I wouldn’t enjoy drinking flax powder with water, would rather combine it with other ingredients as suggested in the post.

  3. Aradhana November 12, 2018 at 6:55 AM #

    Hey,
    Thank you for the help.
    Can I mix flaxseed powder in a glass of milk?

    • S November 12, 2018 at 9:27 AM #

      Hi Aradhana, Yes you can.

  4. Thenmozhi August 22, 2019 at 10:01 AM #

    can i keep the flax grinded powder in refrigerator for a month ?

    • S August 23, 2019 at 7:47 PM #

      Yes. If you keep it in an airtight container and use a dry clean spoon to take the powder out, it’ll stay good.

  5. Patrick Offeh October 31, 2020 at 12:38 AM #

    Can i mix flaxseed with coconut water.

    • S October 31, 2020 at 12:58 PM #

      Hi Patrick – Yes you can.

  6. Lubomir Chrobak May 13, 2021 at 3:08 PM #

    roasted flax seed
    Roasted ground flaxseed mixed with honey in what proportion? (80% / 20%)
    How long does it last in a glass container closed with a screw cap?
    Thank you for your answer / opinion

    • S May 14, 2021 at 2:47 PM #

      Hi Lubomir, I have not tried this, so cannot say. Will wait for others to respond if they know.

  7. Daisy July 10, 2021 at 10:00 AM #

    Hi. Do I need to soak the seeds first? Thank you.

    • S July 10, 2021 at 8:57 PM #

      Hi Daisy, No soaking needed.

  8. harpal December 17, 2021 at 10:48 AM #

    Thanks for the article,nicely explained, i want to know if you can share your experience regarding soaked flax seeds in kitchen use or health use and how its to be done ie how man7y hours of soaking etc.

    • S December 28, 2021 at 10:24 AM #

      Hi Harpal, I have not tried this. Let’s see if another reader can stop by and share their experience with soaked flaxseeds.

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