At 14:42 +1000 22/7/1999, Daniel R. Lurie wrote:

>Which goes back to  my previous question about flaxseed meal.
>
>        Flax is supposed to be much higher in omega-3s than fish oil
>(cheaper, too). Is there any reason why I should avoid it on NeanderThin?

Flax has loads of linolenic fatty acid, but no significant amounts of the
other essential fatty acids.

The best food to increase your intake of all the essential fatty acids is
wild (not farmed) cold water fish. Capsules of fish oil are a non-paleo
substitute.

As far as paleo goes, flax seeds are seasonal, so they wouldn't have been a
year-round component of a paleo diet. They are also small and slippery and
thus difficult to collect. I don't imagine H-G people would have eaten flax
seeds much. As far as I know, the main reason flax was cultivated was for
the fibre, not the oil or seeds. With the invention of pesticides, cotton
is now a more viable crop, and has supplanted flax (and hemp) as a source
of fibre. Of course cultivation is neolithic anyway.

Personally I prefer to eat fish over flax, even though I don't particularly
like the flavour of fish (and unfortunately the oily cold water fish have
the fishiest flavour).

 ...Richard.

p.s. I ask all the US listmembers to excuse my non-US spelling ;)