Wellness
They give chia seeds a run for their money.
From chia to hemp, the super seed world is filled with lots of healthy competition. While it's easy to get used to chia pudding or sprinkles of hemp seed in your trail mix, their counterpart flaxseed can be just as delicious. In fact, the health benefits of flaxseed are really diverse.
If seniority rules, flaxseed goes way back, and some believe it to be one of the oldest crops in the world. Also called linseed, it comes from the flowering plant called flax, and it's so rich in fiber that one of its original uses was for creating clothing fabric.
Flaxseed is known for being packed full of essential vitamins and nutrients like protein and fatty acids, making it a small but mighty way to up your daily intake. "Flaxseed have a really nice nutty flavor to them," says Tamar Samuels R.D., a registered dietitian and co-founder of Culina Health. These seeds are versatile and easy to use in a wide range of recipes, but they're especially popular in simple dishes like oatmeal, smoothies, and dessert breads. Unlike some other seeds, it's important to grind flaxseed up to better absorb its nutrients since humans can't easily digest its bran exterior, says Samuel.
As is the case with other superfood seeds on the shelves, don't be fooled by their tiny size. Here are 8 health benefits of flaxseed that prove it's a nutrient worth adding to your shopping list.
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