Raw Vegan Mayonnaise With Flaxseed and Almonds

Mayonnaise, including its vegan counterparts, often raises concerns for its high fat content. Processed oils can easily lead to excessive calorie consumption and contribute to unbalanced macronutrients. Traditional mayonnaise is typically made from egg yolks and unhealthy vegetable oils. Vegan mayonnaise isn't any better. It excludes the eggs and may replace it with ingredients such as aquafaba (whipped garbanzo bean juice) or soy protein, but still rely heavily on oils. Oil rich foods can easily tip your fat intake into the red zone, no matter what type of "healthy" oil was used. By not reading the ingredients and looking out for partially hydrogenated and saturated fat ingredients, then LDL levels could easily surpass your HDL's, increasing your risk of heart disease or other health issues. Furthermore, many commercial mayonnaise brands contain unclean additives and preservatives, which may not align with what health-conscious seekers seek.

Popular vegan mayonnaise brands serve 9 grams of fat for just one tablespoon, with over 80 calories that include updwards of 70mg of sodium, yet no potassium to neutralize its effects. And forget about other nutrients, such as calcium, iron, or vitamins, so essentially your left with empty calories.

Today I told my family I was not buying anymore vegan mayonnaise. Aside from the aformentioned empty calories, it can be expensive, especially if you buy a plant based "healthy" version. So I created a sandwich spread that not only provides bone building minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, it packs 113 milligrams of potassium for each serving of 2 tablespoons! And the sodium it unpacks comes from whole foods, not from refined salt or other unknown additives.

Flaxseed, Potassium, and Blood Pressure

If your dealing with blood pressure issues, this recipe is a must have for two reasons: One, it contains a good source of flaxseed, and two, the potassium and sodium ratios are optimized and come directly from plants, not a salt shaker. So why are flaxseeds important and why should we increase our potassium with sodium?

Flaxseeds are an excellent food for managing high blood pressure due to the rich omega-3 fatty acid content, fiber, and lignans. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to promote heart health by reducing inflammation and improving endothelial function, which can help lower blood pressure levels. The soluble fiber found in flaxseeds can help regulate cholesterol levels and support cardiovascular health. Additionally, the lignans in flaxseeds possess antioxidant properties that further contribute to heart health by improving blood vessel function.

Biblical Insights of Flaxseed

Flaxseeds are protective. The Bible explicitly states this in Joshua 2:6 when Rahab hides the two Israelite spies under stalks of flax drying on her roof. In the scriptures, flax is a symbol of God's provision for daily life. Flax was one of the most valuable crops in the ancient world. It provided food from the seed, oil from its pressing, and fiber, used to make linen from the stem. Priests wore linen garments made from the flax. Linen symbolized purity before God. In fact, the Bible gives a direct statement that when Jesus returns, the righteous will be clothed in fine linen.

"Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." ~Revelation 19:7-8

You know that flax in biblical times was important when God destroyed it in Exodus. The destruction meant to collapse Egypt's economic system when making the way for the Israelites to be freed from slavery.

The flax and the barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom. The wheat and spelt, however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later. ~Exodus 9:31-32

Spiritually speaking, don't underestimate the importance of flax. Physically, don't undermine the benefits of flaxseeds. If God uses fruit to represent the good works of our faith, we know that eating fruit is also very good for our health. Flaxseeds have been shown to drop systolic blood pressure by up to 15 points, and 7 points diastolic, according to Dr. Michael Gregor's book called How Not To Die. Compare that to antihypertensive drugs these days.

Maintaining a proper balance of potassium and sodium is crucial for cardiovascular health. This is directly because it helps mitigate the adverse effects of excessive sodium intake. Salt is serious on the body. Potassium counteracts the effects of sodium by promoting vasodilation, which helps to lower blood pressure. When sodium levels are high, increased fluid retention occurs and blood pressure is elevated, putting strain on the heart and blood vessels. Adequate potassium intake facilitates the excretion of sodium through the kidneys, reducing its concentration in the bloodstream. Additionally, potassium supports normal functioning of heart muscles and helps maintain electrical stability in the heart. Therefore, an optimal ratio of these two essential minerals is vital, for managing blood pressure, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Now to the yummy stuff!

Introducing, a Heart healthy "mayonnaise" or sandwich spread that is not only flavorful and delicious, it is nutrient rich and supports a heart healthy diet when consumed for its intended purpose. But I suppose you could use this recipe as a salad dressing too if you choose!

🌿 Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup (66 grams) soaked and peeled raw Almonds

• 1 1/4 cup chopped Summer Squash

• 1/2 cup filtered Water

• 5 tablespoons ground Golden Flaxseeds

• 2 small Medjool Dates, pitted and soaked

• 3/4 cups minced Celery

• 1 tbsp fresh Lemon juice

• 1 tsp minced fresh Ginger

• 1 tsp fresh minced Garlic

• 1/2 tsp Salt

👩🏻‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Start by soaking the almonds overnight with just enough water to cover them on your kitchen counter. Cover them while they soak.

2. An hour before making your recipe, soak 2 small dates with just enough water to cover them. After 15 minutes, pit and chop them, then place them back in the water for the rest of the hour.

3. Freshly grind your golden flaxseeds using whole seeds.

4. Peel the skin off the almonds and add them into your blender.

5. Prepare the rest of your ingredients as indicated in the ingredients.

6. Add all the ingredients into a high powered blender with the water, bulkier ingredients in first, and ground flaxseed in last so that nothing gets trapped underneath the blades.

7. Start by blending on a lower speed, gradually increasing into a turbo blast for the last 15 seconds.
   

Makes about 2 cups of sandwich spread. Stays fresh for 3-5 days in a sealed container.

Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” ~Genesis 1:29

As you can see in the Nutrition Facts image below created in Cronometer, for a 2 tablespoon serving, you get double the amount for half the calories as store bought mayonnaise products, and only a third of the fat! 👇

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Written by the founder of Vegan Health and Yoga