more research on this subject brings up more questions. it seems that germinating the flax seeds breaks the triclycerides down into free fatty acids. this makes it easier for the body to directly use fats for energy. however too much free fatty acids in the blood can be pathological. and i do believe that triglycerides also performs valuable functions in the body.

so...good thing or bad thing to have more free fatty acids and less triglycerides in your flax meal?

this study found that phosphatidylcholine levels of flax fell during germination, while lysophosphatidylcholine and phosphatidic acid (neither of which i am familiar with) increased.

also note -- "Total lipid content of the seeds was reduced fourfold at the end of the 8-d germination period" -- i am not really sure what that means.



http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=1722280


Changes in Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) seed lipids during germination
Auteur(s) / Author(s)
WANASUNDARA P. K. J. P. D. (1) ; WANASUNDARA U. N. (1) ; SHAHIDI F. (1) ;
Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)
(1) Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NF, A1B 3X9, CANADA
Résumé / Abstract
Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) seeds were germinated for 8 d under laboratory conditions, and changes in their lipid fraction were studied by various chemical and chromatographic methods. Total lipid content of the seeds was reduced fourfold at the end of the 8-d germination period as compared to ungerminated seeds on a fresh weight basis. The neutral lipids comprised the major fraction of seed lipids, and triacylglycerols predominated over all other lipid components even during the germination period. Both the spectrophotometric and thin-layer chromatography-flame-ionization detection methods of quantification showed a considerable increase in the content of free fatty acids. The glycolipid fraction of lipids increased, but the phospholipid fraction exhibited only minor changes. Lipase activity of flaxseed increased at the beginning of germination and then remained constant until the fifth day. Phosphatidylcholine was the major phospholipid of flaxseed lipids, and its content was reduced during the germination. The contents of lysophosphatidylcholine and phosphatidic acid increased from negligible amounts to 46% of the total phospholipids. Linolenic, linoleic, and oleic acids, respectively, were the predominant fatty acids of all the lipid fractions of flaxseed, and remained unchanged during the germination period. The glycolipid fraction had the lowest content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fatty acids C14:0, C20:0, C24:0, C20:1, C22:1, and C20:5 appeared after d 2 of germination in neutral, glyco- and phospholipid fractions.