If you don't eat fish, flaxseeds are a wonderful source of omega-3s. They're also high in fiber, so many people take them regularly to prevent constipation. When perusing the aisles of your grocery store, you'll see they come in two forms — whole and ground. Is one more beneficial than the other? To find out read more
It may help to compare them nutritionally first, so check out the chart below.
| 1 tbsp. whole flaxseed | 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed | |
| Calories | 55 | 37 |
| Total Fat (g) | 4 | 3 |
| Saturated Fat (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Carbs (g) | 3 | 2 |
| Fiber (g) | 3 | 2 |
| Protein (g) | 2 | 1 |
| Calcium (mg) | 26.1 | 17.9 |
| Iron (mg) | .6 | .4 |
| Omega-3s (g) | 2.3 | 1.6 |
| Omega-6s (g) | .6 | .4 |
As you can see, they're pretty similar, but it's recommended to consume ground flaxseed because whole flaxseeds just pass right through the body undigested. Eating ground flaxseed allows your body to get the omegas as well as the phytochemicals called lignans, which may have antioxidant actions and may help protect against certain cancers. What about flaxseed oil, you ask? It also contains omegas and lignans, but no fiber, so I'd go for the ground flaxseed. Since the RDI of omega-3s is 1.1 grams a day, just one tablespoon of ground flaxseed is way more than enough.
Either buy ground flaxseed, or buy whole flaxseeds and grind them yourself in a coffee grinder. Ground flaxseed can be stored in an airtight container for several months. Refrigerate any whole seeds you haven't ground to keep them fresher for longer.
Sprinkle ground flaxseed on your cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, or salad. Or you can mix it in dips, or add it to baked good recipes. It has a slightly nutty flavor and a flour-like consistency, so you hardly taste it.
Suss
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Alviero Martini
I always wondered about this.
1Well that's good to know. I'll start adding ground flaxseed to my bread recipes instead of whole flaxseeds.
2bummer! i didn't know whole flaxseeds just pass through!
3I ALWAYS add some ground flax into my morning smoothies!!!
4I love the texture of whole flax seeds and the benefits of ground flax seeds. I buy whole, and grind up half of them and mix them together before adding a few tablespoons worth to cereal or oatbran!
5I did read somewhere else that your body cannot digest or breakdown the coating unless it is ground, but I heard you get more benefits if you buy whole and grind it yourself. I am gonna try this when I move into my house, I will add to the bread I bake =)
6Whole flax seeds freak me out because they look a little bit like fleas in my food.
7Try this:
Combine cinnamon, blueberries, a big scoop of ground flax seeds and a 1/2 cup of fat free cottage cheese.
It tastes like you're eating something totally decadent but it's packed with the antioxident power of blueberries, protein and all the benefits of ground flax.
8Awww I'm so sad, because I love the crunchy whole seeds. I guess I'll start doing half of each.
9I would imagine that if you chew whole flax seeds, you get the same benefits as eating ground up ones...?
10I had no idea! I've always cooked with whole flax.
11I've been eating flax seed for years and buy it by the 50 lb bag! It helped me so much with my dry eye syndrome and dry skin. Some women have had hot flashes reduced with about 4 Tablespoons/day (which is a bit much but can be done). Hopefully more studies will be done but it has so many other benefits.
It's a pain to grind but I keep a small batch in the fridge (but not the 50 lb bag obviously!) Much cheaper that way.
12does anyone have any healthy bread recipes with GROUND (haha) flax seed?
13My child's dr. recommended flax oil to relieve constipation. Was she wrong? I've been adding it to smoothies since he can detect the ground flax.
14I've never eaten it before! Maybe I'll start.
15I've been adding ground flax seed to my cereals, toast, sandwhich and some baked goods for about 2 years now
Love my flax.
16@Jbenny: that is VERY true. Flax is incredibly high in fiber, so it should do the trick for your child!
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