Elisabeth,
You never want to take flax seed without crushing it. It will pass through your system as the seeds are very tough for digestion by the acidic or enzymes of the digestive system. You must use the coffee grinder or something along those lines to crush the seeds to avail the full benefits of the flax seed. I always use crushed (using the coffee grinder) flax seed on a regular basis in my vegetable juices or mix it up with almonds, Black-Walnut and honey as a spread on the bread.