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Flaxseed is one of the oldest crops in the world. It’s full of fibre, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and other essential nutrients, so brings health benefits that make it well worth adding to your diet.
With its nutty yet mild flavour and crunchy texture, flaxseed makes an easy and tasty addition to a wide range of recipes.
With this in mind, we’ve partnered with Linwoods Health Foods to cover eight of the health benefits of flaxseed and offer ideas on how to add it to your diet.
Linwoods aim to make it easy for everyone to access high-quality and nutrient-rich seeds, fruits, and nuts – including flaxseeds. All their products are gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians, and they source organic materials where possible.
What is flaxseed?

Flaxseed, also known as flax or linseed, is a seed that comes from the flax plant.
There are brown and golden flaxseed varieties – both of which are equally nutritious. Flaxseed is particularly celebrated for its rich fibre and omega-3 content, as well as being an excellent source of plant-based protein.
Just one tablespoon (7g) of flaxseed contains…
- 37 calories
- 1.3g protein
- 3g carbohydrates
- 1.9g fibre
- 3g fat
Flaxseed is also rich in a number of essential nutrients, including vitamins B1, B6, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium.
Flaxseed generally comes in three main forms: whole, milled (ground), or as an oil. According to experts, eating milled flaxseed offers the greatest health benefits. This is because it’s easier to digest than whole seeds (which allows nutrients to be absorbed more easily), and flaxseed oil contains less fibre.

Make a better start everyday and support your health
Make a better start every day with Linwoods Milled Flaxseed. A source of Protein and Magnesium and High in Omega 3 (ALA). Simply add 20g to porridge, smoothies, yoghurt or cereals. Plus, get 20% off and FREE delivery with the code RESTLESS20.
8 health benefits of flaxseed

With its impressive nutritional profile, it’s unsurprising that flaxseed offers a number of health benefits that make it worth adding to your diet.
We’ll cover some of these below…
1. Flaxseed may reduce blood pressure
Flaxseed is celebrated for its ability to reduce blood pressure levels.
This scientific review found that supplementing with flaxseed products significantly reduced levels of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Another review also found that taking flaxseed every day for three months could lower blood pressure levels by two mmHg.
Experts have also suggested that flaxseed may be particularly effective as part of treatment for people with high blood pressure. For example, this 12-week study found that consuming 30g of flaxseed each day reduced blood pressure in people with hypertension.
These findings are significant as research suggests that a two mmHg reduction in blood pressure levels lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke by 6% and 14%, respectively.
2. Flaxseed may help lower cholesterol levels
Research has suggested that flaxseed may help to lower cholesterol levels.
In this one-month study of people with peripheral artery disease, consuming 30g of milled flaxseed each day reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by 15%.
Similarly, this 12-week study of people with high blood pressure found that consuming 30g of flaxseed each day resulted in significant reductions in total cholesterol, blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI).
Experts believe this is because flaxseed is rich in soluble fibre, which can bind to cholesterol and remove it from the body.
3. Flaxseed may boost heart health
By helping to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, flaxseed can be beneficial for heart health.
But it’s not just these factors that are worth mentioning. Flaxseed’s rich omega-3 content – particularly, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) – has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease by reducing inflammation in the arteries.
For example, a number of studies have linked ALA with a reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, and chronic kidney disease; reporting a 73% lower risk of death compared to people with lower ALA intake.
Plus, this study found that people with heart disease who were given 2.9g of ALA per day for one year had significantly lower rates of heart attacks and death than those in the control group.
To learn more, have a read of our article: 5 ways to use flaxseed to boost heart health.
4. Flaxseed can improve digestion and gut health
Because flaxseed is rich in fibre, it can support regular bowel movements – which is particularly beneficial for people who struggle with conditions like inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS).
For example, in this study of people with constipation-related IBS, flaxseed not only helped to ease constipation, but reduced abdominal bloating and pain, too.
Flaxseed is also a prebiotic, so it feeds ‘good’ gut bacteria. In this animal study, consuming flaxseed saw the largest improvement in digestive health over other types of fibre.

Make a better start everyday and support your health
Make a better start every day with Linwoods Milled Flaxseed. A source of Protein and Magnesium and High in Omega 3 (ALA). Simply add 20g to porridge, smoothies, yoghurt or cereals. Plus, get 20% off and FREE delivery with the code RESTLESS20.
5. Flaxseed may promote blood sugar control
Flaxseed may help promote blood sugar control and stabilise blood sugar levels.
This scientific review found that whole flaxseed could help to lower blood sugar levels and prevent insulin resistance; a condition that prevents the body from being able to regulate blood sugar effectively.
Experts believe that flaxseed’s effect on blood sugar is down to its soluble fibre content. Studies have shown that soluble fibre slows down the digestion and absorption of sugar in the blood which, in turn, may reduce blood sugar levels.
This means that flaxseed may be particularly beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes.
However, because flaxseed’s effect on blood sugar levels is largely due to its soluble fibre content, the benefits don’t apply to flaxseed oils.
6. Flaxseed may support healthy weight loss
A number of studies have suggested that adding flaxseed to your diet may support healthy weight loss and help with weight management. As shown in this scientific review, flaxseed supplements led to significant reductions in belly fat, body weight, and BMI.
Again, this is largely due to flaxseed’s soluble fibre content, which slows down digestion and leaves you feeling fuller for longer. This study found that consuming flax fibre tablets containing 2.5g of soluble fibre reduced overall appetite and feelings of hunger.
The antioxidant properties of flaxseed have also been found to contribute to healthy weight loss.
7. Flaxseed may help to reduce menopausal symptoms
Some research has suggested that flaxseed may help improve symptoms of menopause.
For example, one study found that postmenopausal women who added flaxseed to their diet experienced fewer hot flushes.
8. Flaxseed may help to prevent cancer
Flaxseed contains high amounts of lignans – plant compounds that may have cancer-fighting properties. Amazingly, flaxseed contains between 75–800 times more lignans than other plant foods.
Some studies have linked consuming flaxseed with a reduced risk of breast cancer – particularly for postmenopausal women.
Other test-tube and animal studies have found that flaxseed may help to protect against skin, blood, lung, and colorectal cancer. But, further research is still needed to determine its impact on humans.
How can I add flaxseed to my diet?

Experts recommend adding one to two tablespoons of flaxseed per day to your diet to reap the health benefits. As it’s so versatile, there are plenty of ways you can add it to your diet.
For example, you could sprinkle flaxseed over your morning porridge, whisk it into a salad dressing, or add it to smoothies and yoghurts. For inspiration, check out the wide range of recipe ideas on Linwoods’ website. There’s everything from salads and smoothies to cookies and pancakes.

Make a better start everyday and support your health
Make a better start every day with Linwoods Milled Flaxseed. A source of Protein and Magnesium and High in Omega 3 (ALA). Simply add 20g to porridge, smoothies, yoghurt or cereals. Plus, get 20% off and FREE delivery with the code RESTLESS20.
Final thoughts…
Flaxseed may seem fairly unassuming, but it packs a nutritional punch – and the good news is that you only need to add a small amount to your diet to enjoy the benefits.
Linwoods Health Foods has a range of flaxseed products available to buy on their website – from milled flaxseed to mixes like flaxseed, sunflower, pumpkin, chia seeds, and goji berries. They also offer a flaxseed product called Menoligna, which has been specifically developed for menopausal women.
For further reading, head over to the diet and nutrition section of our website. Here, you’ll find everything from essential vitamin and mineral information to the best foods for brain and heart health.
Is flaxseed a part of your diet? Have you experienced any of the flaxseed-related health benefits mentioned above? We’d be interested to hear from you in the comments below.