General Questions

Our Waihi Bush Organic Farm Flaxseed Oil, Capsules and Flaxseed Fibre have a shelf life of 13 months unopened if stored according to our recommendations (i.e. away from direct sunlight and a direct heat source, at temperatures no greater than 30oC).

Crop and Food Research Ltd in Lincoln, Christchurch have done extensive testing and we have revised our policy regarding refrigeration on the shelf and extended our shelf life following these results.

Once opened our oils must be kept refrigerated and used within six weeks.

Hemp Seed Oil is more fragile, so only has a shelf life of 12 months and should be used within 4 weeks of opening.

The capsules do not require refrigeration but must be stored cool and dry.

All Flaxseed currently used by Functional Whole Foods New Zealand Ltd is grown by Certified Organic arable farmers in New Zealand, from Hawkes Bay down to West Otago, but mainly in Canterbury

No. The Flaxseed used in our products, is also known as linseed, is from the plant Linum usitatissimum.

In New Zealand the totally unrelated plant Phormium tenax is called New Zealand flax because it is useful for making fibres, just as linenflax or linseed is used to make linen.

Waihi Bush Organic Farm  bottles, lids and labels are all recyclable.

For more detailed information about the sustainability of our packaging see 'Why dont you use Glass Bottles'

Omega-3

The Omega 3s are part of healthy cell structures and are used in the body to make anti-inflammatory prostaglandins etc.,  as well as many other important health benefits.   They support healthy levels of  inflammation, which have been shown to be important in most chronic conditions.

Omega-6

Although Omega-6 is generally classed as pro-inflammatory, but paradoxically, GLA, when consumed in the diet can support healthy levels of inflammation.  

Omega-3 and Omega-6 interact with each other so the balance between them is crucial for good health.   Together they affect the production of hormonal type messengers called prostaglandins (and other eicosanoids), which have an impact on inflammation in the body and all functions at a cellular level.

Omega-9

The Omega-9 in unrefined vegetable oils also has many health promoting qualities.

There has been some confusion between these two names. Flaxseed Oil could also be called linseed oil, which is sold in hardware stores as wood treatment.

Flaxseed and linseed are often used interchangeably but there is an important difference.

Europeans and North Americans use Flaxseed Oil to describe the oils produced with health in mind and used for human or animal consumption to promote health.

They use the term linseed oil to describe the used as wood treatment or when it has been processed for industrial purposes - such oils will not promote health.  

Our Waihi Bush Organic Farm Flaxseed Oil products are regulated as a food under the New Zealand and Australian Food Safety Program.

This means we only recommend a serving size for any of our products. With natural foods such as Flaxseed Oil and Fibre, any overuse does not cause harm, although symptoms such as increased bowel movement may occur .

We recommend Waihi Bush Organic Farm Flaxseed Oil to be part of and not a replacement for a healthy and well balanced diet.

Please follow all label instructions. Waihi Bush Organic Farm Flaxseed Oil is a natural, whole food and is not meant to prevent, diagnose or cure any disease condition. People with specific nutrient deficiencies should seek professional advice from their Healthcare Practitioner.

Which blend is the best for me?

The below information is designed to help you choose the wWaihi Bush Organic Farm Flaxseed Oil product that best suits your diet and lifestyle.

Your diet

*Percentages represent Omega-3 ALA as a percentage of total oil content and are taken from USDA, http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ and tests conducted by Independent Laboratories in NZ

Common Symptoms of Omega-3 imbalance

• Dry skin and hair conditions, soft or brittle nails. The most common symptom is some form of skin problem
• Inflammatory conditions - Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis and Arthritis
• Lowered immunity, slow healing and allergic conditions like Asthma
• Vision / dry eye problems, such as those caused by contact lenses
• Learning disorders and behavioural changes like Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD
• Mental deterioration and mood swings
• Weakness, low energy and fatigue
• Tingling sensations in arms and legs
• Excessive thirst or frequent urination

Recommendation

We suggest everyone starts with Waihi Bush Organic Farm - Flax Boost for 1 -2 months and then try switching  to Flax Original   unless you have one of the below conditions, in which case you should stay on  Flax Boost.

The elderly and those with a chronic health condition such as diabetes, hormonal imbalances or inflammatory conditions may have inefficiencies in the way they metabolise EFAs.  Therefore if you fall into any of these groups, Flax Boost should be your first choice.

If you have been taking Flaxseed Oil for a long period of time and have been watching your diet you may get an imbalance the other way and have too much Omega-3 in your system.   Your original symptoms may return (e.g. dry skin). This is your signal to switch to Flax Balance, a high-quality source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 with a 1:1 ratio.

Flax Magic is the blend of choice for babies and children as it is uniquely balanced with Omega 3 and Omega 6 to ensure healthy child development and brain growth.

Flax Bloom is recommended for pregnant or lactating women or women going through menopause.

Flax Power is designed to support a healthy prostate as we have boosted the oil with flax lignans and pumpkin seed.

Fit, healthy, diet equal in Omega-3 and Omega-6?
Fit, healthy, diet low Omega-3 and high in Omega-6?
Elderly
Athlete
Baby
Children
Pregnant

Our Flaxseed Oil is a 100% natural product that is only cold-pressed, left to settle and naturally filtered and then bottled.

Our process is that we press the oil and then allow the natural sediment to fall out over a week, and then we simply filter through a 100-micron filter to make it ready for bottling.

There is no refining process involved because such processes do a lot of damage to the oil.  It is likely that there will be some natural settling of the oil as you would expect to see in unrefined products such as vinegar. 

Before bottling all of our batches of oil are tested as part of our HACCP food safety programme.

They are also tested by our taste panel, to make sure they meet our taste standards, as there is natural variation of taste.

Therefore, we are confident that oil containing some natural settling/sediment is safe for consumption.