Weight Management

Is Flaxseed Good For Weight Loss? – Revealing Facts About This Super Seed!

These little seeds have the stamp of approval from nutritionists and fitness experts alike!


Written by Shilpa Jayan

On Apr 25, 2023 – 5 minutes read

Is Flaxseed Good For Weight Loss

You are living under a rock if you haven’t heard of the health benefits of flaxseed. Available as powders, capsules, oils, and seeds, this awesome ingredient is an all-rounder. Thus, flaxseed can be a healthy addition to your diet in many forms. Fitness enthusiasts also call it a ‘functional food’ which means that eating it can build up your energy level. But, is flaxseed good for weight loss?

Flax contains lignans, proteins, fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3. These properties of flaxseed make it a dietary supplement to prevent a wide array of diseases. Antioxidants present in flax can also help to eliminate disease-causing free radicals from the body.

Is Flaxseed Good For Weight Loss? – Best Way To Control Appetite?

Netizens have been recommending flax for weight loss enthusiasts. So, if you want to manage your weight, incorporating flax into your diet can help you very much. The fiber present in flax has the ability to make you feel full.

Is Flaxseed Good For Weight Loss?

Flax thus suppresses your hunger in an efficient way and helps you control your appetite. Eating fiber keeps your digestive tract free of obstructions too (1). Therefore, experts suggest that daily consumption of fiber is highly essential for the body to improve gut health and digestion.

Can Flaxseed Reduce Belly Fat?

Simple answer, yes, it can. There are studies that have scientifically proven that flaxseed can reduce belly fat. You will be amazed when I tell you that a larger part of the belly is not fat but fecal matter that got stuck due to indigestion. A fiber-rich diet ensures great digestion and that is where flaxseed becomes the hero. But too much flax can give you diarrhea too.

Is Flaxseed Good For Weight Loss? How To Use It For Weight Loss?

Flax comes in brown and golden colors. Both of these are nutritionally similar. However, the difference is that golden seeds have higher omega-3 content while brown seeds have higher antioxidant content. Flax is a very versatile ingredient and can be consumed in multiple ways. Here are some of our favorites. 

Overnight Soaked Flax

  • Soak about 2 tablespoons of flax in water and let it rest overnight.
  • The next morning, squeeze half a lemon and add honey to it for sweetness.
  • Give it a nice stir and keep sipping it through the morning. 
Overnight Soaked Flaxseed for weight loss

Ground Flaxseed 

1.  A Quickie Recipe for the Lazy Ones!

  • Combine a teaspoon of ground flaxseed with 6-8 ounces of water.
  • Add a lemon wedge to it and drink away!
Ground Flaxseed for weight loss

2. Make A Tea!

  • Boil water and add a pinch of cinnamon and a tablespoon of flaxseed powder.
  • Let it steep for 5-8 minutes and stir occasionally. 
  • Add honey for sweetness.
Make A Tea!

3. Quick Snack

  • Grab some curd and add flaxseed powder to it.
  • Have it like a powerful healthy snack!
Quick Snack

4. Make a Smoothie

  •  For this, you need a cup of water, 1 cup of fresh bananas, and a cup of strawberries. 
  •  Put all these ingredients in a mixer. And then, don’t forget to add our star ingredient – flax seeds.
  •  Make a smoothie and sip on it!
make A Smoothie

5. Salad Dressings

Sprinkle the powder on top of salads and avocado toasts to make them prettier and healthier.

Sprouts

Yes! You can totally try sprouting the flax. But in this case, please be careful about how much you have it as sprouting can increase the protein content. Don’t have it like a sprout salad; just sprinkle some over the salad and enjoy the healthy meal!

Oral Supplements

Yes! Flaxseed supplements do exist, and it contains flaxseed oil. Do consult a dietician regarding how much you should take and when. 

Other Benefits Of Flaxseeds

Now that you know the answer to the question, “Is flaxseed good for weight loss?”, what about other benefits of this seed? Flax has multiple health benefits. Let’s get into it one by one. 

  • The lignan (2) content in flax can fight the enzymes that are responsible for the multiplication of tumor cells. 
  • Flax improves digestion and helps with the smooth functioning of the kidney. Thus, flax also helps in fighting constipation. 
  • The high-quality protein present in flax can strengthen the immune system.
  • Phytosterols (3) in flax have the ability to lower bad cholesterol levels and increase good cholesterol in the body. It thus helps with heart health as well. 
  • The hot flashes that happen during menopause can be controlled by consuming flaxseeds.
  • Dietary lignans have the ability to reduce the impact of chemotherapy too. 

What Should You Be Careful About While Having Flax?

  • Try having a very small amount to see if you are allergic to flax. Avoid eating them if you notice itching, redness, or nausea. 
  • Do not eat a lot of flax to fill your stomach as this can cause diarrhea.
  • Avoid eating unripe flaxseeds as they contain toxins.
  • It is very important that you consume a lot of water along with flax to avoid blockage.
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women shouldn’t consume flax as it might cause hormonal imbalances.
  • People with intestinal issues should not include flax in their diet.
  • The protein content in flax can induce periods in some women. So it is not a good option for women who are planning pregnancy

So now, what is the best time to have flax?

According to research, one should consume flax on an empty stomach or mostly in the morning. 

Wrapping Up

So, to answer your question is flaxseed good for weight loss, flaxseed is a wonderful ingredient to add to your diet. It is highly nutritious and is fiber-rich. The interesting properties of flaxseed make it very helpful in reducing belly fat and is a big help in weight loss diet plans. It makes one feel fuller soon and thus helps in controlling appetite.

Expecting mothers and those of you with existing health conditions should not include this in your diet. Anyhow, it is important to understand what goes into your body. So be careful about how much you consume because too much of anything is bad for your health. 

  1. Department of Health, State Government of Victoria, Australia. (2021). Dietary fibre. [Online] Available at:

    https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/fibre-in-food
  2. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2019). Naturally Lignan-Rich Foods: A Dietary Tool for Health Promotion?. [Online] Available at:

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6429205/
  3. Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Boost Your Cholesterol-Lowering Potential With Phytosterols. [Online] Available at:

    https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17368-phytosterols-sterols--stanols

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shilpa

Hey you! I am Shilpa and I am a lover of words – sugar, spice, and all things nice! I read and write about and for women, men, art, relationships, and emotions. An old school by heart, I love the art of writing. I love sharing my personal experiments with travel, skincare, food, fashion, and life in general.

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