Flaxseed Nutrition

Nutrients in 100 g (3.5 oz)

Updated | 2023-09-29

Written and reviewed by the NatureClaim Team




Flaxseed


Overview of Flaxseed Nutrition

Scientific Name: Linum usitatissimum


Order: Malpighiales


Family: Linaceae


Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) is also known as linseed. It is the small, brown or yellow seed from the flax plant. Flaxseeds can be pressed to release an oil that contains high amounts of polyunsaturated fats (i.e., omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids). Flaxseed oil is commercially available in softgels. The seeds are also eaten raw, and can be added to cereals, salads, and yogurts. Flaxseed oil should not be used for cooking because of its low smoke point. At high temperature, low smoke point oils can break-down into harmful chemicals. Note that other cooking oil options do exist. Flaxseeds contain a high amount of fat (54% daily value [DV]), most of which come from polyunsaturated fats. These beneficial fats may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases because they improve blood cholesterol levels. Apart from fat, flaxseeds are a good source of dietary fiber (98% DV). Dietary fiber plays a role in slowing down the absorption of sugar and improving blood sugar levels. A diet high in dietary fiber is also critical in relieving constipation. Thiamin is abundant in flaxseeds (137% DV). This vitamin helps turn fats, protein, and carbohydrates into usable energy that the body needs for growth and development. Flaxseed also contains some vitamin B6 (28% DV). In addition to these vitamins, flaxseeds are rich in manganese (108% DV). Manganese, when combined with other nutrients, such as calcium (20% DV in flaxseed), is important for bone health. Flaxseeds also contain high amounts of magnesium (93% DV). This nutrient plays a role in bone and heart health, as well as nerve/muscle function. Besides manganese and magnesium, flaxseeds also have numerous other beneficial minerals such as phosphorus (51% DV), copper (136% DV), selenium (46% DV), iron (32% DV), and zinc (39% DV).



Calories
Name Amount % Daily Value
Calories 534 kcal 27%


Carbohydrates
Name Amount % Daily Value
Total Carbs 28.88 g 11%
Dietary Fiber 27.30 g 98%
Sugars 1.55 g
Starch - g


Sterols
Name Amount % Daily Value
Cholesterol 0.00 mg 0%
Phytosterols 146.00 mg


Fat and Fatty Acids
Name Amount % Daily Value
Total Fat 42.16 g 54%
Saturated Fat 3.66 g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 7.53 g
Polyunsaturated Fat, total 28.73 g
  • 18:2 n-6 (LA), Omega-6
5.90 g
  • 18:3 n-6 (GLA)
- g
  • 18:3 n-3 (ALA), Omega-3
22.81 g
  • 18:4 n-3 (SDA)
0.00 g
  • 20:5 n-3 (EPA)
0.00 g
  • 22:5 n-3 (DPA)
0.00 g
  • 22:6 n-3 (DHA)
0.00 g
Trans Fat - g


Protein and Amino Acids
Name Amount % Daily Value
Protein, total 18.29 g 37%
  • Tryptophan
0.30 g
  • Threonine
0.77 g
  • Isoleucine
0.90 g
  • Leucine
1.24 g
  • Lysine
0.86 g
  • Methionine
0.37 g
  • Cystine
0.34 g
  • Phenylalanine
0.96 g
  • Tyrosine
0.49 g
  • Valine
1.07 g
  • Arginine
1.93 g
  • Histidine
0.47 g
  • Alanine
0.93 g
  • Aspartic Acid
2.05 g
  • Glutamic Acid
4.04 g
  • Glycine
1.25 g
  • Proline
0.81 g
  • Serine
0.97 g


Vitamins
Name Amount % Daily Value
Vitamin C 0.60 mg 1%
Thiamin 1.64 mg 137%
Riboflavin 0.16 mg 12%
Niacin 3.08 mg 19%
Pantothenic Acid 0.99 mg 20%
Vitamin B6 0.47 mg 28%
Folate, total 87.00 mg 22%
  • Folic Acid
0.00 mcg
  • Food Folate (dietary folate equivalent)
87.00 mcg
Choline 79.00 mg 14%
Betaine 3.10 mg
Vitamin B12 0.00 mcg 0%
Vitamin A, total 0.00 mcg 0%
  • Retinol Acitiviy Equivalent
0.00 mcg
  • Retinol
0.00 mcg
  • Beta-Carotene
0.00 mcg
  • Alpha-Carotene
0.00 mcg
  • Beta-Cryptoxanthin
0.00 mcg
Lycopene 0.00 mcg
Lutein and Zeaxanthin 651.00 mcg
Vitamin E, total 0.31 mg 2%
  • Alpha-Tocopherol
0.31 mg
  • Beta-Tocopherol
0.00 mg
  • Gamma-Tocopherol
19.95 mg
  • Delta-Tocopherol
0.35 mg
Vitamin D 0.00 mcg 0%
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 4.30 mcg 4%
Biotin - mcg -


Minerals
Name Amount % Daily Value
Calcium 255.00 mg 20%
Iron 5.73 mg 32%
Magnesium 392.00 mg 93%
Phosphorus 642.00 mg 51%
Potassium 813.00 mg 17%
Sodium 30.00 mg 1%
Zinc 4.34 mg 39%
Copper 1.22 mg 136%
Manganese 2.48 mg 108%
Selenium 25.40 mcg 46%
Iodine - mcg -
Chromium - mcg -
Molybdenum - mcg -
Chloride - mg -
Fluoride - mg


Flavonoids
Name Amount
Isoflavones
  • Daidzein
0.02 mg
  • Genistein
0.04 mg
  • Glycitein
0.06 mg
  • Isoflavones, total
0.07 mg
  • Biochanin A
0.00 mg
  • Formononetin
0.02 mg
  • Coumestrol
0.02 mg


Others
Name Amount
Water 6.96 g
Ash 3.72 g
Alcohol 0.00 g
Caffeine 0.00 mg
Theobromine 0.00 mg
Resveratrol - mg
Phytoalbumin - mg
Chlorogenic Acid - mg

The "-" means insufficient data.

% Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet or refer to the Dietary Reference Intakes for a specific life stage.


Reference(s):

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, Current Release.

National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Fact Sheets. Accessed from https://ods.od.nih.gov/.