Nutrition Corner - Flax Seed
- 6D Living
- Feb 5
- 3 min read
Most nutrition experts recommend ground over whole flaxseed because the ground form is easier to digest. Whole flaxseed may pass through your intestine undigested, which means you won't get all the benefits.
FLAX SEED One tablespoon (7 grams)
Calories: 37
Carbs: 2 grams
Fat: 3 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Protein: 1.3 grams
Thiamine: 10% RDI)
Copper: 9% RDI
Manganese: RDI
Magnesium: 7%RDI
Phosphorus: 4% RDI
Selenium: 3% RDI
Zinc: 3% RDI
Vitamin B6: 2% RDI
Iron: 2% RDI
Folate: 2% RDI
Flaxseeds are a great source of thiamin —aka thiamine—a B vitamin that helps convert nutrients into energy. Another stand-out nutrient of flaxseed is magnesium, which is important for nerve, muscle, and immune function.
Most nutrition experts recommend ground over whole flaxseed because the ground form is easier to digest. Whole flaxseed may pass through your intestine undigested, which means you won't get all the benefits.
The estimated glycemic load of flaxseed is zero. Glycemic load takes into account the serving size of a given food or beverage to estimate its impact on your blood sugar. It is considered to be more helpful than just using the glycemic index for people who are choosing foods based on their effects on blood glucose. Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is a food and fiber crop.
Please read our earlier article about this little powerhouse to learn more about the history of the beautiful flax seed, further health benefits - specifically its impact on our Blood Glucose Levels, as well as the power of its soluble fiber content all of this can be found at this link: Powerful Little Flaxseed
Lowing blood pressure: A studies analysis of 15 published in Clinical Nutrition found that flaxseeds reduced blood pressure, particularly when taken for 12 weeks or more.
Improving cholesterol levels: A study found that of 50 adults with high cholesterol, those who ate about three tablespoons of roasted flaxseed powder daily for three months saw significant reductions in total cholesterol and LDL (aka "bad") cholesterol levels compared to a placebo group. They also saw an increase in HDL (aka "good") cholesterol levels.
A study gave 41 people with obesity and pre-diabetes either 13 grams, 26 grams, or 0 grams of flaxseed daily for 12 weeks. It found that those who consumed 13 grams of flaxseeds per day—about two tablespoons—saw the greatest reductions in blood sugar levels and the most significant improvement in insulin sensitivity.
Other beneficial nutrients in flaxseed include selenium and iron. Selenium protects cells from damage or infection.16 Iron helps make red blood cells—which carry oxygen through our bloodstream.
The fat in flaxseed is primarily polyunsaturated fat. There are two different kinds of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and flaxseed contains both of them. You'll get 230 milligrams of α-linolenic acid (ALA) omega-3 fatty acids in a tablespoon of flaxseed, and 606 milligrams of linoleic acid or omega-6 fatty acid, making these seeds a good plant-based source of fatty acids.
Flaxseed is an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid and is rich in lignans, which are plant compounds that have been studied for their potent cancer-fighting properties. Interestingly, this seed boasts 75–800 times more lignans than other plant foods.
What’s more, flaxseed contains two types of fiber — soluble and insoluble — which get fermented by the bacteria in your intestines to support gut health and improve bowel regularity. Four tablespoons of flaxseeds provide 27% of the daily recommended intake of fiber.
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