Inflammation is exhausting, FLAXSEED can help! 12 Easy Flaxseed Recipes
May 15, 2020If I could have one food that I believe everyone should be on, it's Flaxseed.
I'm not a fan of saying SUPERFOOD because it implies that you can just eat this one food and you're cured of whatever the food helps with. This is true when the body is not inflamed or stressed.
Here's an analogy to help you understand:
If you're tossing a pebble into stormy water you won't see the ripples because the water is too unstable. Toss a pebble into a calm body of water and you'll see the ripple effects. 
This is the same way the body responds to many of these foods. If you don't FEEL a difference incorporating this amazing food into your meals, KEEP GOING! You just haven't covered all the inflammation inside of you yet. Keep adding in more tools. The more anti-inflammatory and antioxidant containing foods you add in, the "calmer" the body.
With that said, let's talk about WHY I'm obsessed with this little seed and why you should be too!
WHAT IS FLAXSEED?
Flaxseed is a seed that contains omega 3 fatty acids, lignans, fiber, polyphenols (antioxidants) and other helpful nutrients that have been shown to improve specific health ailments.
It is widely used now by health professionals to help with cardiovascular disease, gut health, cancer, brain development and hormones (1).
The amount of polyphenols flaxseed have are even MORE than the powerful blueberries that I love so dearly! This is why combining foods together like this make for a powerful inflammation reducing punch!
How I use Flaxseed in my practice:
As a Registered Dietitian, I've come to LOVE certain foods for different health conditions. I encourage starting small at 1 TBSP a day and can increase up to 3 Tbsp a day.
If someone has:
Inflammation- flaxseed.
Gut issues - flaxseed (Note SIBO {Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth} can only tolerate up to 1 Tbsp a day)
High cholesterol - flaxseed
Thyroid disorder - flaxseed
Low or high estrogen/progesterone levels- Rotate flaxseed with other seeds to mimic rise and fall of hormones throughout your menstrual cycle due to the lignans in it (3). (see graphic below for how cool it an be to help balance out your hormones naturally)
Food is SOOOOO cool and when done right, it can transform how you feel and how your body works!
I asked other Dietitians to share there flaxseed recipes with me, so that I could help you incorporate this amazing seed into your day a bit easier!
How to Incorporate Flaxseed Into Your Day
1. Breakfast
- Add 1 Tbsp into your oatmeal
- Oatmeal Toppings: https://firstbitesnutrition.com/oatmeal-sprinkle/ Grace Pestian Shea RD
- Dark Chocolate Flaxseed Waffles: https://stephanieleenutrition.com/dark-chocolate-flaxseed-waffles/ Stephanie Hagner RD
- https://halsanutrition.com/nordic-style-oat-waffles-gluten-free/ Maria Adams Halsa Nutrition
2. Add it to smoothies & shakes
- How to make a balanced shake: https://www.nutritionsmylife.com/blog/veryberrybalancedshake
- Banana Nut Smoothie: https://hoorahtohealth.com/banana-nut-smoothie/ Christie Gagnon
3. Bake with it (even above 300*F, the health benefits are still there!)
- https://chelseyamernutrition.com/green-sheet-pan-protein-pancakes/ Chelsey Amer, MS, RDN
- https://www.kissinthekitchen.com/blog/gluten-free-banana-date-breakfast-cookies/ Shannon @Kissinthekitchen
- Muffins in a Mug https://nutritionstarringyou.com/banana-flax-muffin-mug/ Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN
4. Snacks:
- Hummus: https://www.yourchoicenutrition.com/flaxseed-hummus/
- Energy Bites: https://www.yourchoicenutrition.com/peanut-butter-energy-bites/
- Energy Bars: https://www.thehealthytoast.com/healthy-flax-seed-peanut-butter-energy-bars Kelli McGrane MS, RD
- Crackers: https://livebest.info/recipes/appetizers-snacks/apricot-pecan-crisps/ Judy Barbe RD
5. Add milled flaxseed into your dinner
- I add flaxseed to Spaghetti, in my meatloaf, soups & stews even!
- Salmon Patties: https://www.jamieleerdn.com/blog/heart-healthy-salmon-patties-with-a-secret-ingredient Jamie Lee McIntyre MS RDN, Nutrition Communications Consultant
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References:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6567199/
2. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=81
