Thanks goes out to Confessions of a Dietitian for sending me product samples of Omega Crunch.
As an avid flax seed consumer, I’ve used whole flax in baking and cooking, but mostly for texture and visual flare, as grinding the seed is essential to release the beneficial nutrients for the body to absorb.
That is until now! Omega Crunch flax topping is shelled flax seeds, and that means there is no grinding necessary to absorb the beneficial omega 3s. This feature definitely makes incorporating flax seeds into everyday eating easier. I have never heard of shelled flax seeds before (only hemp), and Omega Crunch flax topping is the first shelled flax seed product I have tried.
I used my 4x (small, sniff sniff, could have used more ) samples in a variety of ways. I sprinkled the roasted garlic on fresh tomatoes and bocconcini cheese, which tasted amazing (not like fresh garlic would, but more like garlic powder…no breath mints needed).
*Note: you can see the shell and the seed in the picture!
I incorporated the regular/plain flavour flax into some gluten free cheese crackers that I made for my baby (and she gobbled them up), and there was no significant flavor that stood out.
I mixed in the roasted maple flax in with a serving of my homemade granola. The maple flax gave the granola a little more crunch with a subtle maple favour (not the same punch a tsp. of maple syrup would give, but the maple flavor did stand out). The last sample was the cinnamon flax. I was starting to realize (after reading some other reviews) that the product flavour seems to stand out much better as a “topper” rather than mixing it into foods (which I am use to doing). S0 I sprinkled the cinnamon flax on some homemade oatmeal cookies rather than mixing it in, and the cinnamon flavor was able to stand out (with a little extra crunch).
Overall the flavours tasted great and were true to their flavour. They were subtle to mild, and you were still able to taste the flax taste of the seed. Sometimes I find that flavour infused foods taste artificial, and lack the real ingredient taste, but that is not the case with the Omega Crunch flavours.
I would use the product again and definitely would recommend it to clients and friends. Unfortunately, Omega Crunch Flax Topping doesn’t seem to be available in my local stores in the Winnipeg area…yet. Hopefully one day soon. Would I order it online? …probably not, too much hassle.
My overall thoughts about the product from a healthy eating standpoint is that it is really just a novelty food product item…if you like to spend your money on novelty food items (like I do), then go for it because I do think consuming this product will contribute to good health. But if you can’t afford it, then plain ground flax seeds will do fine.
For weight management, adding 2 tsp of roasted garlic flax seeds to say, a salad, would add an extra 30 calories, 2.5 grams fat (only 0.2g saturated), 0g sodium. Not too significant. However, depending on how much you are “shaking” on your food, the calories could add up.
This product could also be a good flavour enhancer for someone on a salt/sugar restricted diet, and is looking for other options to add flavor to their foods.
I think the shaker bottles would make great gifts, or would be a great way to get someone to try flax seeds that may have an aversion to them.
Are there alternatives on the market?
I could not find any other “flavor infused” shelled flax seeds in a shaker bottle on the market, making this product unique. In Manitoba, I found a product called Organic Seeds, which is a variety of shelled seeds in a shaker bottle (hemp, chia, golden flax, brown flax and buckwheat) for a whopping $14.99 a bottle.
…Great idea…I’ll probably make my own now.
I also found online I found: Natunola- Health’s delight. http://www.healthsdelight.com/shaker.htm…but no flavours.
Overall Pro’s and Con’s:
Pros:
- I love that you can use the shaker, and when it is empty purchase a refill bag.
- No need to grinding flax seeds when they are shelled, the outer shell has been removed so you can absorb the health benefits (fibre and omega 3).
- Heating can destroy the health benefits in the flax oil, but it looks like this company uses a low heat hand roasting process that doesn’t affect the quality of the oil. Their website states:
- “In fact the roasting extends the shelf life and can make the product safer with less moisture on the outside. The texture and flavour is great when roasted. “
- No refrigeration needed (yeah, I can keep this product in my spice drawer).
- NO GMO
- The biggest pro of them all…the flax seed is from “MANITOBA!” whoop whoop!
Cons:
- Nutrition info. was not provided in our sample packet, so when I looked it up online I found it hard to view with their little magnifier. I had to zoom in on the screen. Maybe it is easier to view on a mobile or ipad, and I am just old school on my laptop. Either way, I emailed the company to get nutrition info. and they sent it to me in label form, which was better to analyze. Not really a con 🙂 Thank you Sarah and Brent.
- Product appears to only be available online or limited stores. Not a big deal if you are computer savvy…but I don’t have it in me to shop for groceries online. If you are, the good news is that there is a flat rate shipping of $9.00 on CDN orders, or free CDN shipping if you purchase $55.00 or more of product. Returns appear to be ‘100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If you are not satisfied with our products we will offer you a full refund.”
To sum it up:
I really enjoyed looking into this product, and I am glad I have taken the time to learn about shelled flax and roasting flax seeds. I love learning about something new!
