Nutritional Value of Flaxseed

Flax seed is known to have beneficial effects on human health. The high dietary fiber in flax seed, due to its high water-holding capacity and low digestibility, increases the bulkiness and gastric emptying of stool. This in effect helps relieve constipation and other irritable bowel syndrome. Flax seed has high content of lignans, which are phytoestrogens and antioxidants, are also associated with lower serum cholesterol and may help reduce oxidative damage to cells and cellular molecules from free radicals. Flax seed may also lower blood glucose and improve insulin tolerance (diabetes). Whole flaxseed (powder and ground meal) may also reduce serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Flaxseed can also reduce some markers of inflammation, and raise serum levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, ALA.


Table: Nutritional composition of flax seed. Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion.

Nutrients Nutrient measurement unit Amount of nutrient per 100 g of flax seed
 Major nutrients
Water
g
6.96
Energy
kcal
534
Energy
kj
2234
Protein
g
18.29
Total lipid (fat)
g
42.16
Ash
g
3.72
Carbohydrate, by difference
g
28.88
Fiber, total dietary
g
27.3
Sugars, total
g
1.55
Sucrose
g
1.15
Glucose (dextrose)
g
0.40
Fructose
g
0.00
Lactose
g
0.00
Maltose
g
0.00
Galactose
g
0.00
 Minerals 
Calcium, Ca
mg
255
Iron, Fe
mg
5.73
Magnesium, Mg
mg
392
Phosphorus, P
mg
642
Potassium, K
mg
813
Sodium, Na
mg
30
Zinc, Zn
mg
4.34
Copper, Cu
mg
1.220
Manganese, Mn
mg
2.482
Selenium, Se
mcg
25.4
 Vitamins 
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid
mg
0.6
Thiamin
mg
1.644
Riboflavin
mg
0.161
Niacin
mg
3.080
Pantothenic acid
mg
0.985
Vitamin B-6
mg
0.473
Folate, total
mcg
87
Folic acid
mcg
0
Folate, food
mcg
87
Folate, DFE
mcg_DFE
87
Vitamin B-12
mcg
0.00
Vitamin B-12, added
mcg
0.00
Vitamin A, IU
IU
0
Vitamin A, RAE
mcg_RAE
0
Retinol
mcg
0
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
mg
0.31
Vitamin E, added
mg
0.00
Tocopherol, beta
mg
0.00
Tocopherol, gamma
mg
19.95
Tocopherol, delta
mg
0.35
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)
mcg
4.3
 Lipids 
Fatty acids, total saturated
g
3.663
4:0
g
0.000
6:0
g
0.000
8:0
g
0.000
10:0
g
0.000
12:0
g
0.000
14:0
g
0.008
15:0
g
0.005
16:0
g
2.165
17:0
g
0.018
18:0
g
1.330
20:0
g
0.052
22:0
g
0.052
24:0
g
0.031
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated
g
7.527
16:1 undifferentiated
g
0.024
18:1 undifferentiated
g
7.359
20:1
g
0.067
22:1 undifferentiated
g
0.013
24:1 c
g
0.064
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated
g
28.730
18:2 undifferentiated
g
5.903
18:3 undifferentiated
g
22.813
18:4
g
0.000
20:2 n-6 c,c
g
0.007
20:4 undifferentiated
g
0.000
20:5 n-3
g
0.000
22:5 n-3
g
0.000
22:6 n-3
g
0.000
Cholesterol
mg
0
 Amino acids 
Tryptophan
g
0.297
Threonine
g
0.766
Isoleucine
g
0.896
Leucine
g
1.235
Lysine
g
0.862
Methionine
g
0.370
Cystine
g
0.340
Phenylalanine
g
0.957
Tyrosine
g
0.493
Valine
g
1.072
Arginine
g
1.925
Histidine
g
0.472
Alanine
g
0.925
Aspartic acid
g
2.046
Glutamic acid
g
4.039
Glycine
g
1.248
Proline
g
0.806
Serine
g
0.970
Hydroxyproline
g
0.175
 Other 
Alcohol, ethyl
g
0.0
Caffeine
mg
0
Theobromine
mg
0
Carotene, beta
mcg
0
Carotene, alpha
mcg
0
Cryptoxanthin, beta
mcg
0
Lycopene
mcg
0
Lutein + zeaxanthin
mcg
651



Nutritional data on flax seed source:

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, release 19 (2006).