If you haven't yet jumped on the flaxseed train, now is the time! This mighty seed packs a serious health punch in just a couple of tablespoons—which is really about all you need per day.
One tablespoon of flaxseed has around 50 calories, 4 grams of fat, 3 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of protein.
But that's what we're excited about it. It's the nutrition benefits and vitamins that have us sprinkling flax on everything. Flax is an excellent source of magnesium, copper, and thiamine (vitamin B1). This potential functional food is also loved for its high-fiber and phosphorus components.
Flaxseed is moreover touted as a food to help with lowering cholesterol and weight loss. It has potential anticancer compounds as its a rich source of lignans (compounds that block enzymes and help protect your body from cancer).
Finally, flax is a high-quality protein for anyone on a meat-free diet. So it's especially great to mix into your diet if you're vegan.
It's a small enough seed that it's not really noticeable if you blend into smoothies or mix into your salads. Flax has a nutty taste, but not overwhelmingly so. Essentially, you can sprinkle flaxseed on anything and you likely won't notice.
But what we really love about flax is its binding abilities. For whenever you want to bake with only plant-based ingredients, flax is a wonderful alternative for eggs. All you need is ground flaxseed and water (follow these instructions). You can try it out in our favorite vegan blueberry breakfast muffins recipe.
Have you tried added flaxseed to your diet? Share it with us on Facebook and Instagram!
