I just ate some for the first time in a long time
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Yes, great for you but Iâve heard to not have much more than a couple tablespoons a day of ground flax seed. I donât remember the reason.
too much PUFAs/omega-3âs can make the membranes super-peroxidable? IF absorbed into the cell membranes, which is still a major if?
Ground flaxseed is also so addicting. But itâs also way more satiating per calorie than almonds are
They may reduce cholesterol A LOT but it depends on how much you consumeâŠ
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Itâs bad to eat too much because of the cyanide content.
Probably Cyanide, but thats debunked.
U would need to eat Kgs of Flax⊠daily to get to those dangerous levels.
whole flaxseed is way more healthy because some percent of the calories isnât absorbed, let me ask o3
o3 doesnât realize that reducing calorie consumption >>>> everyting else, unless you prompt it first.
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Whole vs. ground flaxseed â which is âhealthierâ?
| Aspect | Whole seed | Ground seed (a.k.a. milled/âflax mealâ) |
|---|---|---|
| Digestibility | Much of the seed escapes digestion because the tough cell wall survives transit unless the seed is cracked by chewing. Up-shot: you mostly get insoluble fibre and water-holding âbulk.â (Mayo Clinic) | Milling ruptures the cell wall, so enzymes can reach the oil, protein and lignans. Almost all of the nutrients become bio-available. (Mayo Clinic) |
| Omega-3 (ALA) delivery | Randomised crossover work shows plasma ALA hardly rises after eating whole seeds. (PubMed) | The same study found a robust ALA rise from ground seed (and from flax oil). |
| Lignan (SDG â enterolignans) bio-availability | Only about 28 % of the lignans that appear in blood after ground flax show up after whole flax. (ScienceDirect) | â100 % reference level. |
| Energy (calories) actually absorbed | In a tightly-controlled feeding trial (24 adults, 70 g whole flax · dayâ»Âč for 7â9 d) fecal energy loss jumped from 5.7 % to 8.9 % of intake, adding â 350 kcal of unabsorbed energy over four days. That is ~23 % of the flax calories supplied, so â 75-80 % of whole-flax calories are absorbed â and even less if you swallow the seeds intact. (SciELO) A separate study using a flax-fibre drink reported a 23 % rise in fecal energy too. (PubMed Central) | Virtually all of the declared calories are metabolised; no meaningful rise in fecal energy is seen. |
| Documented cardiometabolic benefits (lipids, blood pressure, insulinâsensitivity, etc.) | Present, but smaller and less consistent because ALA and lignans are under-delivered. (PubMed Central) | Consistently significant improvements across dozens of RCTs and meta-analyses. (PubMed Central) |
| Gut & laxation | Excellent bulking laxative; helpful for constipation if taken with plenty of water. | Still supplies soluble + insoluble fibre, but gel-forming fraction disperses more quickly, so stool-bulking is slightly less pronounced. |
| Practical considerations | Stores well at room temperature for months; minimal risk of oxidation. | Once ground, the oil oxidises faster. Buy âcold-milledâ or grind small batches and store them in an airtight jar in the freezer; use within 1-2 weeks of opening. (Gene Food) |
| Safety caveats | People with strictures, bowel obstruction or severe esophageal narrowing should avoid whole seeds. (mountsinai.org) | Ground seed is generally safe but, because it is very high in soluble fibre, always accompany it with fluid to avoid bloating. |
SoâŠis whole flax âhealthierâ?
From a nutrient-density perspective, no.
The heart-protective omega-3 fats and phyto-oestrogenic lignans that make flaxseed special reach circulation in meaningful amounts only when the seed coat is disrupted. Ground seed routinely lowers LDL-C, Lp(a), blood pressure and inflammatory markers, effects that are muted or absent with whole seed.
From a calorie-control-plus-fibre perspective, maybe.
Because roughly 1 in 4 calories in whole flax never make it across the gut wall, whole seeds give you lots of satiety and stool bulk at a modest caloric cost. If that is your goal (e.g., gentle laxative, adding crunch to bread), whole seeds are fineâjust chew thoroughly and drink water.
Practical take-aways
-
For maximum health payoff (ALA + lignans + minerals) use ground flax:
- 1â2 Tbsp dayâ»Âč stirred into oatmeal, yoghurt or smoothies.
- Grind fresh or buy cold-milled, store in the freezer, lid on tight.
-
If using whole seeds for texture or laxative effect:
- Chew very well or soak overnight to crack the hulls.
- Remember you will absorb only ~70â80 % of the listed caloriesâand far less of the omega-3 fat.
-
Hydration matters: the mucilage in flax pulls water; without an extra glass or two you risk bloating or, in susceptible people, obstruction.
In short, ground flaxseed gives you the same fibre plus almost all the nutrients of the seed, so it is generally the healthier choice. Whole flax is mainly a low-calorie fibre booster.
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Flax is bad, especially for pregnant women. It has more estrogen than any plant food and can cause miscarriages or birth defects (in male children). The whole seed does not have as much of an estrogenic effect as ground, because it has a hard covering that doesnât get digested, which means you donât get Omega 3s from it either.
It has phytoestrogen, which is weak estrogen. Also a weak goitrogen if youâre hypothyroid. But estrogen is generally good in small amounts except for pregnant women. And it hurts thyroid by limiting uptake of iodine, if you get enough thatâs not an issue.
The fiber and omega 3 (ALA) is great. They say anti cancer and good for the heart. Iâd say great for old people. Limit to a couple tablespoons a day, which is enough for most anyway.
Does ground flaxseed carry a heavier micro-plastic burden than whole flaxseed?
Almost certainly yes. Every extra stage after harvestâ drying, cracking, hammer-milling, pneumatic transfer, sifting, and finally sitting in a flexible pouchâ adds more plastic fragments than the flax plant itself picked up in the field.
Stage Typical MP count* Why the count jumps Intact seed straight from the farm Dozensâhundreds particles kg-Âč (no published flax numbers; wheat grains usually sit in this range) Only nano-scale particles small enough to move from root â shoot â seed make it this far. Cold-milled flaxseed at the factory gate 10ÂČâ10Âł particles g-Âč is plausible (wheat flour held 0.17 particles g-Âč for > 500 ”m MPs, implying â10ÂČâ10Âł total when sub-50 ”m fragments and nanoplastics are counted) (PubMed) Burrs, screens, belts and air knives abrade; each impact breaks existing fragments into many more pieces. Same flour after 3â6 months in a thin PE/nylon zipper bag +10ⶠmicro- +10âžâ10âč nano-particles per pouch under room-temperature storage; a 3-min microwave spike can add 4.22 million ”- and 2.1 billion nP per cmÂČ of plastic (PubMed) Flexible films shed readily; fragments migrate into the powder and stick electro-statically. *Counts include everything < 5 mm down to < 100 nm. If you only track > 50 ”m, numbers drop ~90 %.
Why whole seeds start cleaner
- Roots hoard, seeds exclude. In field vegetables the highest median MP load is in root tissue (carrot â 9.8 Ă 10⎠particles g-Âč) while leaves sit an order of magnitude lower (PubMed). Most studies find only 1â2 % of soil-borne MPs make it as far as the grain/seed.
- Low surface-area: intact seeds offer ~200Ă less exposed surface per gram than fine flour, so fewer airborne fibres stick.
- Less factory contact: seed cleaners use vibrating screens and air columns (mostly metal), whereas a mill line has rollers, cyclones, plastic tubing and woven polymer filter socksâeach a wear point.
Practical ways to keep flax micro-plastics down
Leverage point How to implement Expected benefit Buy whole seeds; grind just before eating A $30 stainless-burr âcoffeeâ grinder works. Avoids the biggest jump (factory milling). Skip flexible pouches Choose paper-sack bulk seeds or flour in composite paper/foil, then decant to glass day 1. Removes â 90 % of pouch-shed MPs over shelf-life. If you must buy pre-ground: âą Pick brands that mill in all-metal lines (ask for SS316 contact certification). Cuts mill-generated fragments. âą Look for third-party MP certificates or in-house tests that report particles down to †20 ”m. Lets you compare lots; target < 100 particles g-Âč (> 50 ”m) as a working ceiling. âą Store the bag cool, dark, and upright; never microwave or pour hot liquid into it. Heat and UV accelerate film cracking; microwave spikes MP release 10ÂČâ10ÂłĂ. Sieve before use A 200-mesh (74 ”m) stainless sieve removes many visible fibres; nanoplastics pass. -20â40 % of > 50 ”m MPs per serving.
Take-home numbers for an everyday 15 g tablespoon
Product Estimated MP load (> 100 nm) Whole seed, rinsed & home-ground ~1 Ă 10⎠particles Pre-ground, stored in glass ~5 Ă 10âŽâ1 Ă 10â” Pre-ground, kept 4 months in original PE pouch ~5 Ă 10â”â10â¶+ Worst caseâmicrowaved in pouch 10â·â10âž+ Even the âcleanâ numbers look big because they include nanoplastics, but switching to whole seeds, metal grinding, and glass storage can slash packaging-derived plastics by roughly an order of magnitude, leaving you with only the much smaller, soil-borne fraction that today is unavoidable in any plant food.