Writings in the Sand

Speaking of poison...

Speaking of poison…

In my last post I talked about poisonous plants. Well, I have found another one. Maybe. It might also be a health superfood.

I bought some ground flaxseed because I had heard in a YouTube video that it was a very healthy addition to other foods and generally good for digestion. As usual, I decided to do my in-depth research after I purchased it and not before I wasted my money.

I found an article in the Daily Mail from 2019 which claims that flaxseed contains a compound that turns into cyanide gas as it breaks down. Ground flaxseed has apparently become a popular topping for porridge, and it’s nearly a staple for people on a ketogenic diet so if it is really full of cyanide, I would have expected to hear of at least a few deaths attributed to mysterious cyanide poisoning in otherwise healthy people. But, nah.

So, I decided not to give much credence to the Daily Mail article (which is often the sensible option) and dug even further for information. I happened upon another article on a health-related website which listed many interesting facts:

         Flax was grown in ancient Egypt as a staple grain. However, I will note that all the ancient Egyptians are dead now.

         Flaxseed contains phytoestrogens which either prevent or cause breast cancer. Opinions differ.

         Some research indicates that it might lower cholesterol.

         It may improve diabetes in rodents, but no one knows if it will do so in humans.

         Flaxseed might help constipation, it might cause diarrhea or it might cause intestinal blockages. Something for everyone.

         It might reduce physical damage from radiation exposure.

For me, this last claim is a reason to keep it in the house. I mean, in case of nuclear bombs or leaking radiation from a nuclear reactor, I would probably eat lots of flaxseed and not care if it does anything for my diabetes or cholesterol. I wouldn’t give the cyanide a second thought. Apple seeds contain cyanide, too. Sounds like it’s a seed thing.


I probably won’t be eating the flaxseed, but it will go into the bomb shelter (if I ever build one) to prepare for the coming apocalypse (if there ever is one). Overall, the rumors about flaxseed have contributed to my growing suspicions about the true nature of plant life on Earth. I think the plants have plans to take over.