In Harmony with Nature
GET THE FACTS ON FLAX
by Lady Carla Davis, MPH
Specializing in Nutrition
Flax, (Linum usitatissimum) is one of the oldest known crops, dating back 30,000 years ago. It was first domesticated, as both a food and fiber crop, in Syria and other parts of the Fertile Crescent region. In ancient Egypt, temple walls had paintings of flax flowers and mummies were entombed in flax linen. Egyptian priests wore only linen because it was considered a symbol of purity. The Phoenicians traded Egyptian linen throughout the Mediterranean, and the Romans used it for their sails. After the fall of the Roman Empire, flax production declined. However, in the eighth century, CE, Charlemagne revived the crop with laws designed to publicize the hygiene of linen textiles and the health of its linseed/flax seed oil. In the Middle Ages, Flanders became the major center of the linen industry in Europe. Flax was introduced into North America by the colonists, where it flourished until the 20th century when cheap cotton and rising farm wages prompted the concentration of flax production to relocate to northern Russia.
Flax fiber has been used for products that range from coarse rope to delicate linen and lace. Flax is the emblem of Northern Ireland, and the national flower of Belarus. As of 2016, the leading producers of this annual plant were Russia, Canada, Kazakhstan, China, United States, and India.
Recently, a few media reports emerged claiming that flax seed may be harmful because of its cyanide content. Be it well-meaning or a deliberate maligner, they distorted the facts on flax. In reality, flax seed and its oil have been consumed safely for thousands of years.
In nature, cyanides, which are produced by certain bacteria, fungi, and algae, are found in many plants and come in different forms. In plants, they are usually in the form of cyanogenic glycosides, which defend the plant against herbivores attempting to feast on them. In fact, thousands of plants produce cyanogenic compounds, including most agronomically important crops such as corn, paddy rice, barley, wheat, rye, sugar cane, mango, cassava, lima beans, bamboo shoots, sorghum, flax, apples, and stone fruits like peaches, plums, cherries and apricots. Other sources of dietary cyanide include thiocyanates, which are found naturally in milk, beer, and green vegetables. Thiocyanate is a breakdown product of the cyanogenic glycosides and of glucosinolates found in millet and in cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, mustard, turnip, radish, and horseradish.