The Mistake That Makes This Super-Healthy Food Worthless

There’s a reason you’ve seen an uptick in recipes that call for flax seeds recently. The tiny little seeds are nutritional powerhouses, and healthy eaters are starting to spread the gospel. But there’s an important step — it’s crucial, tbh — that you’ve got to take before adding flax seeds to anything you’re making. You’ve got to grind those suckers before you eat them.

Your body can’t naturally break down flax seeds and get to all the good stuff inside, so you’ve got to make sure they’re broken up a bit — chopped, ground, milled — first. Once that’s taken care of, you can add flax seed to nearly anything for a little superfood boost. Every tablespoon has 2 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and tons of healthy omega-3s.

BUY NOW Carrington Farms Organic Milled Flax Seeds, $8; amazon

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There are a number of ways to grind flax seeds yourself — with a flax mill, a spice grinder, a coffee grinder, or a mortal and pestle — but the easiest option is to buy them pre-ground. Most brands sell them this way: Look out for “milled” or “ground” on the package. You can keep flax seeds on hand to add to smoothies, like Jennifer Garner and Beth Behrs both do. They’re the perfect addition to any type of batter or dough, too: banana bread, pancakes, muffins.

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Sarah Weinberg is the deputy editor at Delish and has covered food, travel, home, and lifestyle for a number of publications, including Food Network Magazine and Country Living. She’s originally from the Bay Area, has an unhealthy affinity for the Real Housewives of Anywhere, and harbors strong feelings about fruit salad.