Since ancient times, man has learned to grow white flax for his needs. This plant was revered for its versatility. Flax was used for making clothes, in cooking and as a remedy. The history of its cultivation began in the Iron Age.
Description
This is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Flax family. On the territory of Russia it is grown in two types - Pancake week flax and flax. The first is famous for its seeds containing a very large amount of fatty oils. In the stems of flax flax there is flax fiber, which serves as a raw material for the textile industry.
The height of this plant ranges from 60 cm to 1.5 meters. Its flowers are unusually beautiful - pale blue, sometimes white or pinkish. But still the plant was called "white flax".
The botanical description of the inflorescences notes their similarity with a loose gyrus, reminiscent of curl. Flowers (up to 2.5 cm in diameter) with maple-shaped, slightly corrugated petals are located on long pedicels.
Linear leaves are placed on the stem in a spiral and covered with a mild plaque. The core root with numerous short branches is not very deep in the soil. Seeds usually ripen in late summer. They have an ovoid shape with a sharp apex, strongly flattened. Their color can be light brown, greenish yellow and even golden.
Features of growing white flax
The most suitable soils for cultivating this crop are loamy and sod-podzolic. Flax grows especially well in areas after previous potato plantings. Sowing is carried out in the first half of May, when the soil warms up to a temperature of 8–10 ⁰С, to a depth of 2 centimeters. The soil is periodically loosened, removing the crust, so that the sprouts freely come to the surface. When the stem length reaches 8 cm, you can make fertilizing in the form of potassium and nitrogen fertilizers.
White flax is a moisture-loving plant that requires at least 150 mm of water for the entire growing season, which lasts 70–90 days. Favorable temperature when growing flax is 15–18 ⁰С. In hot and sunny weather, the stem branches, and the quality properties of the fiber deteriorate significantly.
Useful properties of flax
In terms of taste and nutritional value, flax with golden seeds is more preferable than with brown.
Regular consumption of seedlings of this culture in food helps with cardiovascular diseases, thrombophlebitis, improves immunity, cleanses the body of toxins and toxins. White flax has a bactericidal, wound healing, analgesic, expectorant and laxative effect.
Flaxseed Composition
An excellent source of vitamins and minerals for the human body is white flax. The composition of its seeds contains very valuable polyunsaturated fatty acids necessary for the normal functioning of the body. By the number of amino acids, flaxseed is not inferior to soy. The increased content of plant fiber helps to reduce the risk of neoplasms. In addition, the presence of flaxseed plant phenolic compounds such as lignans, which are powerful antioxidants, prevents the development of cancer.
It is rich in flax seed and vitamin F, which is involved in fat and cholesterol metabolism. The presence of vitamins A and E provides a positive effect on the skin, which is why white flax has spread as one of the components of various cosmetics.
Flax seeds are a source of selenium, a substance that prevents the formation of tumors, improves brain function and vision. It also perfectly frees the body from salts of heavy metals.
The use of white flax
Before use, flaxseed, as a rule, is finely ground and used immediately, because when it comes into contact with air, it oxidizes very quickly. Shredded seeds are recommended to be mixed with jam or honey in equal proportions. They are added to cereals, salads, consumed with dairy products. Pre-soaking seeds do not require, this process should take place directly in the intestine.
For the purpose of prevention, take up to 5 g of seeds per day. If they are used to treat a disease, the dosage is about 50 g per day (2 tablespoons in the morning and evening).
In various business sectors, white flax is used. The value and use of it as a raw material for the manufacture of high-quality fabrics is especially great. Oil, which contains flax in large quantities, is widely used both in cooking and for technical purposes.
