It's best to buy whole flax seeds and grind them as you need them. A
coffee bean grinder works great. I eat them mixed with a fruit/soy
protein powder smoothie for breakfast or as a snack.
They are not fat free, (but it's healthy fat).
To make sure the seeds you are buying are fresh, smell them. If they
smell much too much like something that belongs in a paint store (linseed
oil is made from flax seeds), ask for a fresher supply or try another
store.
Store the seeds in a jar in the fridge.
If you have a garden, toss a handful of seeds on the soil in May. They
will put up thin
2' stalks topped with beautiful small sky-blue flowers that open during
the day and close at night.
Barb B