Linseed or Flax? Linum Usitatissimum
Printer-friendly version"Linseed" and "Flax" when produced as a food or supplement are both exactly the same thing. However the history of the plant, its uses and the marketing of the different names as healthfood in different countries has given rise considerable confusion.
UNRAVELLING THE RIDDLE:
In the beginning
There was a little wild plant widly spread across Eurasia. It had delicate wiry stems and dainty blue flowers. Way back in prehistory our ancestors used its straight stems for fine strong fibres to make ropes, fishing nets and clothes, its seeds were used for food and as technology advanced oil was pressed from the seeds for waterproofing, wood preservating, paint and lubricants. All across its native habitat it had had numerous names relating to its appearance and uses.
Linseed Flowering
The “Useful Linum”
When the system for using Latin to name plants was developed this versatile plant was given the name Linum Usitatissimum. “Linum” has the same route as line as in finshing line and hence linen; “usitatissimum” can be translated as “useful” , and as a source of high quality fibre for textile and rope, food, oil and medicine it is indeed an extraordinarily useful plant.
Linum Usitatissimum
Food, Multi-use Oil, Medicine, Fibre.
Across Europe the “Linum” name developed into, Lin, Linaza, Lino, Linfrö Leinsamen, Linhaça, Linen. The name Flax is a more Northern European word and was used to describe the growing plant that was harvested for linen. Other names include: Alsi, Ama, Annual Flax, Chih Ma, Common Flax, Cultivated Flax, Hu Ma, Kahtan, Keten, Kettan, Kittan,
As the centuries passed and agriculture developed, different varieties of Linum Usitatissimum were developed, some which were to produce better quality linen others gave a better yield of seed and oil. The latter retained the name linseed the former flax. But many varieties of the plant continued to provide both the valuable linseed oil and equally important linen fibre. The seeds and oil were both used in food, especially in Eastern Europe.
In the UK the Health Benefits of Cold-Pressed Linseed Oil has a Long History
The 17th century herbalist, Culpepper, speaks of “cold drawn” linseed oil so even in his day they understood the difference between an industrial oil and the cold-pressed linseed oil for human consumption.
Linseed is Not Related to New Zealand Flax or Phormium.
When explorers discovered other plants with quality fibres that could be used clothing they too were sometimes called “flax” but these are unrelated to Linum Usitatissimum.
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Phormium tenax
Industrially Produced Linseed Oil is Different
In the UK the important thing is to buy linseed oil as Cold-Pressed Linseed Oil which means it is produced as food but really there is no chance of muddling up cold-pressed and the industrially produced. Industrial linseed oil comes in 45 gallon drums or if you go to a hardware shop it will have instructions like: “paint the oil onto wood…” - so you aren't going to be to drizzling that over a salad or using as a healthfood.
Industrially produced Linseed Oil or that bought at the hardware shop is pressed at far higher pressures and temperatures. This is done to extract more oil from the seed but damages the omega-3 and makes it bitter; which makes it inedible. (Bitter linseed or flaxseed oil should always be rejected – even if it was bought in a supermarket or health shop). Linseed Oil for woodwork is usually called raw or if treated it is boiled linseed oil. So don't eat the linseed oil from your granddad's garden shed! 
Just take our word for it!!! .Linseed oil from the DIY shop tastes bitter: Linseed Oil from the Flax Farm shop tastes nice!!!
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Linseed Oil for woodwork is sold as raw or boiled and is not sold by Flax Farm.
21st Century Confusion
The change to calling the Linum Usitatissimum sold as health food “flax” seems relatively new. It probably became a popular name in North America towards the end of the 20th century. In North America there is more wood in their houses and the common use of “linseed oil” as a preservative is well known to all which was why the thought of “linseed oil” as food (even though it was cold pressed) was hard for the public to come to terms with. Which was why when in North America they started to market the plant as a healthfood they used its other name “flax” to differentiate it from the plant processed for industrial purposes: even though they could have grown in the same field.
In the UK we always associated “flax” with linen and being closer to Europe, where linseed oil is still commonly served as a traditional food (especially with potatoes in East Germany) and the whole linseeds used in bread, it seems we found it easier to continue with the “linseed" name.
Cold-pressed Linseed Oil wil be clearly labelled to conform to food labelling standards
Should We Call it Linseed or Flax?
At Flax Farm we have tried to stay true to our European roots and call it Linseed but are aware that this cuts off many potential customers who know this healthful plant as “flax” but If we change to calling our foods flax we will simply reverse the problem and produce confusion in the minds of those who know linseed and wonder what flax oil is all about…
Linseed and Flax really are the same thing
Just as in North America “lifts” are called “elevators” Linseed is called Flax.
When produced as a healthfood the packaging will inform you that it is cold pressed.
How to Recognise and Buy the Best Linseed/Flaxseed Oil
Much of the oil sold in health shops tastes bitter. Linseed or Flaxseed Oil should always taste mildly of linseeds (this shows that it has been through no additional purification treatments). No matter whether you want to call it “flaxseed or “linseed” it is certain that the very best oil comes artisan producers like Flax Farm where the oil is very gently cold-pressed at minimal temperatures and pressures with no vigorous filtering or pumping. This produces the very best, mild flavoured oil – the delicate flavour being the your best way to assess the quality and integrity of the oil and its omega-3. When it is locally produced it means it can be delivered to you even quicker so you can enjoy Linseed Oil at its freshest.
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