How To Eat Flaxseeds?

For a long period of time, we have ignored the age-old, natural, readily available health supplements like flaxseeds and opted for factory-made dietary supplements. Well, that has changed. Dadi and Nani Ke Ghar Ke Nuske – 1; Artificial supplements – 0.

Flaxseeds have been used by many Indians for centuries. Flaxseeds are called Avise gin̄jalu in Telugu, Aali Vidhai in Tamil and Alsi (अलसी) in Hindi. Now that the west has caught up, Flaxseeds have been labeled as a superfood and are all the rage. Flaxseeds, brown and golden, have become a regular addition in a lot of packaged foods like crackers and cereals. In this article, we will tell you about the many benefits that are associated with the consumption of flaxseeds, their nutritional value and how to eat flaxseeds.

How To Eat Flaxseeds? | 10 Easy Ways To Add Flaxseeds To Your Diet

We have heard how wonderful the benefits of flaxseeds are and how easily available they are. But, no one tells us exactly how to eat flaxseeds or how to include them in our diets as a part of our routine. Here are some easy ways you can add flaxseeds to your diet.

1) Make A Flaxseed Meal

If you do not like the taste of chewing some flaxseeds, grinding them and turning them into a powder form is a good option. There is no difference between ground flaxseeds and flax meal, they are the same thing.

2) The Big Roast | Roasted Flaxseeds

If you want to eat them as it is, we recommend roasting them before consumption. Make sure you chew the flaxseeds properly. If the flaxseeds or alsi is not chewed properly, it is left undigested and eventually excreted out of your system without actually doing any good for you.

3) Flaxseed Oil

You can use flaxseed oil if you do not like to chew on them. Cooking with flaxseed oil can be a little tricky as it has a very distinct nutty taste. But if you use it in salads, or use them to shallow fry cutlets it works just fine.

4) Flaxseeds For Your Daily Rotis

Adding ground flaxseeds to your daily dough is as easy and convenient as it can get. A tablespoon of ground flaxseeds to a cup of atta before kneading the dough can help you make chapatis, puris, and paranthas with a nutritional punch.

5) Don’t like flaxseeds? Hide them in desserts

Yes! You can add flaxseed powder/flax meal/ ground flaxseeds to your cake batter or muffin batter. Add a tablespoon to your regular dry ingredients and the children won’t even know the difference. We promise! Make sure you add some choco chips, bananas or anything your child is fond of in small quantities to the batter to mask the flavor of flaxseeds (if any). Another notable point – Want eggless desserts? Mix ground flaxseeds in water to turn it into a substitute for eggs.

6) Morning Add-ons

You can add some roasted flaxseeds on top of your morning oatmeal with some almonds and raisins to enhance the taste and nutritional power. You can also add flaxseeds to your muesli.

7) Salads And More

Adding some crunchy nuts and seeds to your salad can be very beneficial for your health. Plus, they are tasty! Some flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts and almonds added in your Cesar salad or a simple lettuce-tomato-avocado salad are mouth-watering.

8) No-Fuss Yogurt

Sprinkle some roasted ones on your daily yogurt / dahi / curd and notice the benefits of flaxseeds quickly. Add some bhuna zeera on top to cover the nuttiness of the flaxseeds, if you are not a fan.

9) Beverages With Flaxseeds

As weird as this may sound, adding flaxseeds in fruit smoothies, juices and buttermilk are super delicious. The nutty flavor of flaxseeds lifts up the taste.

10) A Soupy Meal

A tomato shorba topped with some roasted flaxseeds is a very good idea if you love to give your meals a healthy twist. Adding a pinch of flaxseeds on sweet corn soup, chicken soup or even a clear vegetable soup will spike up the flavor for sure.

Now that you know about 10 easy ways to add flaxseeds to your diet, what are you waiting for? Get, set, go! We also bring to you a few benefits of flaxseeds and to find out if they have any side effects.

Nutritional Value Of Flaxseeds

According to Healthline, one tablespoon of ground flax seeds contains – 

Calories – 37

Protein – 1.3 grams

Omega-3 Fatty Acids – 1,597 mg

Flaxseeds have the highest concentrations of dietary lignans. The quantity of lignans in flaxseeds is almost 75-800 times more than any other plant-based foods. Moreover, they contain soluble and insoluble fibers. Let’s get into some details!

Benefits Of Flaxseeds – A Quick Recap

Now that you know how to eat flaxseeds, you must be wondering WHY should you! Are they really that beneficial? As tiny as they are, flaxseeds are attributed to a long list of health benefits including heart, hair and skin health. Some of the most important and notable benefits of flaxseeds are – 

1) Flaxseeds Are Packed With Nutrients – Every now and then we hear that fatty fish is the best source of Omega-3 fats and that is probably bad news for all vegetarians. Enter, flaxseeds. Flaxseeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is a plant-derived omega-3 fatty acid that is found in flaxseeds and has multiple health benefits. These tiny flaxseeds are also rich in lignans, which have antioxidant properties. They are also a great source of plant-based proteins and rich in dietary fiber. So the next time when someone asks a vegetarian – “But if you do not eat meat, where do you get your proteins from?”, you know what to say!

2) Flaxseeds And Diabetes – Diabetes is one of the most common lifestyle diseases that has drastically increased in recent times. Flaxseeds can help reduce blood sugar levels. In a study, it was found that the insoluble fiber found in flaxseeds, slows down the release of sugar into the blood. Some studies suggested that the subjects with type 2 diabetes who added 10-20 grams of flaxseed powder to their diet for a full month, saw a reduction of 8-20% in blood sugar levels.

3) The connection between flaxseeds, heart health, and cholesterol – Research shows that eating flaxseeds can help to reduce the level of ‘bad cholesterol’.

4) Flaxseeds Can Help Aid Weight Loss – The dietary fiber present in flaxseeds can help keep your hunger pangs at bay. The mid-meal snacking when satisfied with something as healthy as flaxseeds can help you keep fuller for longer and eventually helping you in your weight loss journey.

5) Flaxseeds can be used to regulate blood pressure – Flaxseeds have proven, study after study, to reduce high blood pressure. People with extremely high blood pressure who were on medication also benefited from the intake of flaxseeds.

6) Flaxseeds can help reduce joint pains – The omega-3 fatty acid present abundantly in flaxseeds can help reduce inflammation and thus helping in reducing joint pains.

7) Flaxseeds to solve stomach related problems – Flaxseeds have omega-3 that can help lubricate the system, making it easier to pass through the system.

8) Flaxseeds for hair – Adding flaxseeds to your diet can help with hair growth. They can also help to make your hair thick and shiny.

9) Flaxseeds for all your skin worries – For acne-free skin, easting some flaxseeds per day is recommended.

FAQs About Flaxseeds

Disclaimer – This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information before making any dietary changes.