More and more food manufacturers are looking to use flax as an ingredient in their commercial products, to add taste and nutrition.

Different forms of flax offer different benefits.

Whole flax seeds add a delightful nutty flavour and a crunchiness that consumers love. Larger than sesame seeds, flax seeds are flat and oval and have a reddish-brown hue. Smooth and shiny, their unique shape and colour make flax seeds an attractive garnish for a variety of baked goods. Flax also extends the shelf life and improves the volume and texture of breads, muffins, cookies, bagels and other baked goods.
 

Milled flax is an amber coloured meal that is similar in texture to wheat bran and is a practical replacement for flour. Milled flax also reduces the need for shortening or cooking oils in baked goods. Simply use flax at a 3 to 1 ratio to the shortening or oil being replaced. Keep in mind that baked goods made with flax instead of oil tend to brown more quickly.