I’ve been taking soft gel capsules of flaxseed oil lately. I chomp down on the capsules so that they burst, suck out the oil, swallow it, and spit the soft gel capsule itself into the trash. I do like flaxseed oil from a bottle on salads or in mashed potatoes, but it’s very important that the flaxseed oil be fresh, not rancid. I definitely keep any bottle of flaxseed oil in the refridgerator. When my bottle of flaxseed oil stops tasting sweet, nutty, and yummy, then it’s time to quit taking it as food and supplement and start using it as glove lubricant for my bowel program. Don’t eat rancid oils of any kind, not even rancid flaxseed oil. Rancid oil -and rancid nuts- are terrible for your health. “Fresh flaxseed tastes like it smells -- clean, crisp and mildly nutty. Conversely, rancid flaxseed tastes bitter, burnt and assertive. To taste flaxseed oil to check for rancidity, coat the back of a spoon with the oil and let the excess drip off. Rub the back of the spoon over your tongue, making sure it touches the entire surface, and rub your tongue on the roof of your mouth. ” healthyeating.sfgate.com/flax-rancid-11223.html