Flax
Flax (also known as common flax or linseed) (Linum usitatissimum) is a type of flowering plant.
| Linum usitatissimum | |
|---|---|
| |
| Common Flax | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Division: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | L. usitatissimum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Linum usitatissimum | |
The fibres of flax are used to make linen. High-quality paper used in banknotes is also made from flax fibres. An oil (linseed oil) can be made from the dried ripe flax seeds. Flax has been used for a long time in such tasks as making bows and candles.
Toxicity
Flax seed and its oil are nontoxic and are safe for human consumption.[1]
However, like many common foods, flax contains small amounts of cyanogenic glycoside.[2] This is nontoxic when eaten in normal amounts. It may be toxic when eaten in large quantities as with staple foods such as cassava.[3] The small percentage of cyanide can be removed by special processing.[4]
Flax Media
Linum usitatissimum capsules, vlas zaadbollen
Flowers of Flax (Linum usitatissimum), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Flax flower (Linum usitatissimum)
Brown Flax Seeds.
Ground Golden Flax Seeds
Bread rolls being topped with flax seeds before baking
An 18th century heckling shop once used to prepare flax fibers. North Ayrshire, Scotland.
A flax field in bloom in North Dakota
De vlasoogst (1904) ("The flax harvest") painting by Emile Claus, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium
Threshing, retting, and dressing flax at the Roscheider Hof Open Air Museum (Germany)
.jpg)
References
- ↑ Cheeseman MA (24 August 2009). "GRAS Petition by Flax Canada, Agency Response Letter GRAS Notice No. GRN 000280". U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Archived from the original on 17 June 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ Cunnane SC, Ganguli S, Menard C, Liede AC, Hamadeh MJ, Chen ZY, Wolever TM, Jenkins DJ (1993). "High alpha-linolenic acid flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum): some nutritional properties in humans". Br J Nutr. 69 (2): 443–53. doi:10.1079/bjn19930046. PMID 8098222.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link) - ↑ Banea-Mayambu, JP; Tylleskar, T; Gitebo, N; Matadi, N; Gebre-Medhin, M; Rosling, H (1997). "Geographical and seasonal association between linamarin and cyanide exposure from cassava and the upper motor neurone disease konzo in former Zaire". Trop Med Int Health. 2 (12): 1143–51. doi:10.1046/j.1365-3156.1997.d01-215.x. PMID 9438470. S2CID 26846868.
- ↑ Singh KK, Mridula D, Rehal J, Barnwal P (2011). "Flaxseed: a potential source of food, feed and fiber". Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 51 (3): 210–22. doi:10.1080/10408390903537241. PMID 21390942. S2CID 21452408.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
Other websites
Media related to Linum usitatissimum at Wikimedia Commons