Flax seed is an ancient and helpful food.  We now know that the oil
in the seeds contains Omega-3 oils, which provide protection from
arterioschlerosis, which is considered one of the major causes of
heart attacks and strokes.

The husk of the seeds is also helpful, and contains various lignins
that work as anti-oxidents and seem to help prevent some cancers
from developing.

Since people with diabetes are at greater risk of a lot of metabolic
illnesses, the ingestion of flax seed products appear to be
advantageous.  The whole seed, however, must be crushed or "broken"
in order to obtain the benefits.  I suspect that the recipe given is
another approach, since it would soften the seed coat, and perhaps
some of those lignans may very well dissolve into the water.

"A recent text on flaxseed, edited by researchers at the University
of Toronto, contains discussions of historical uses as a food, both
directly and indirectly. In the introduction, we learn that the
edible flaxseed was the one predominantly grown in India, that
flaxseed is consumed in the diet as oil in China, that it is
consumed in Ethiopia in a stew (wat), as a porridge (gufmo), and as
a drink (chilka), and has been part of the traditional foods in
Egypt since the time of the Pharaohs."
See;
http://www.westonaprice.org/know_your_fats/flaxseed.html

Annette

Flaxseed will thicken the drink so it has more body. I'd also add
strips of the zest for more intense flavor.

Pastorio