- Flaxseed is an oatmeal topper that’s full of nutrients, like fiber and healthy fats.
- Adding flaxseed can help keep you full, improve heart health and boost antioxidants.
- Use ground flaxseed to maximize nutrition by purchasing pre-ground or grinding your own.
Oatmeal is a staple breakfast for many people, and for good reason. Oatmeal is a whole grain, which contains fiber that helps us stay fueled and focused all morning. Upgrading your oatmeal by adding toppings like fresh fruits, nut butter, and seeds, especially flaxseed, can turn your typical bowl of oats into a powerhouse meal. “Flaxseeds are great in oatmeal because they add fiber, heart-healthy fats and protein without taking over the flavor of the oatmeal,” says Paige Aberasturi, RDN, CPT. Learn more about why flaxseed is one of the most underrated ingredients you should be adding to your oatmeal.
Why You Should Be Adding Flaxseed to Oatmeal
Aids in Fullness
“Flaxseeds offer a multitude of benefits and are the perfect complement to oatmeal. Adding ground flaxseeds increases the fiber content and also adds omega-3 fats,” says Kendra Haire, RDN. Both of these components increase the satiety factor in a meal and help you stay full. “Both fiber and fat contribute to making oatmeal feel more satisfying. When the carbohydrates from the oats are digested more slowly with added flax, this leads to feelings of fullness and also contributes to more stable blood sugar and energy levels through the morning,” adds Haire.
Provide Heart-Health Benefits
Flaxseed contains healthy fats which have been shown to improve heart health, particularly omega-3 fatty acids. “Flaxseeds contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), as well as dietary lignans, which have been shown to support heart health,” says Janelle Leatherwood, M.S., RDN, CD. These omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects that can reduce total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and VLDL cholesterol. In addition, consuming these lignans regularly can lower blood pressure, reduce obesity risk and lower body weight, which are all cardiovascular risks.
Can Help Lower Cholesterol
By consuming both oats and flaxseed, individuals may be able to improve heart-health biomarkers like HDL and LDL cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. “This combination of oats and flax can be especially helpful for reducing cholesterol, due to the soluble fiber,” says registered dietitian Avery Zenker.
This is because flaxseed contains both insoluble and soluble fiber, which play different roles in our body. The insoluble fiber adds bulk to stool, while the soluble fiber helps our good bacteria. This combination of fiber aids in reducing cholesterol.
Add Antioxidants to Your Meal
“Flaxseeds are tiny, but mighty. Recent research suggests that flaxseeds may have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, antiulcer, anti-osteoporotic, cardioprotective, metabolic and neuroprotective effects,” says Lisa Andrews M.Ed., RD, LD.
Flaxseed provides antioxidants like vitamin E, omega-3s and polyphenols including lignans and flavonoids. “These antioxidants help neutralize free radicals, helping reduce cell damage and inflammation. Higher intakes of polyphenols are linked to a lower risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases,” says Zenker.
Whole Flaxseed vs. Ground: Which Should You Use?
In the store you can find whole flaxseed, similar to sunflower seeds, or you can purchase ground flaxseed. Both provide fiber and heart-healthy benefits, but one is slightly better absorbed than the other.
“It is best to use ground flaxseeds, as this allows more of their nutrients to be digested and available to the body,” says Haire. Eating ground flaxseed makes the beneficial compounds more bioavailable.
Leatherwood suggests buying whole flaxseed for optimal freshness. “Flaxseeds can become rancid quickly and lose some of their nutrients over time, so buying whole and then grinding shortly before consuming them is best for peak freshness and helping you derive the most nutritional benefit from them,” says Leatherwood.
“A little-known secret I’m always telling clients, keep your flaxseeds in the refrigerator or freezer; they keep better that way,” says Aberasturi. That will help prolong the life of your flaxseed.
Tips for Adding Flaxseed to Oatmeal
Here are some tips on how to use flaxseed in your hot or cold oats:
- Make sure you have enough liquid: “When preparing hot oatmeal, make sure you have enough water for both the oats and flax to absorb. Ground flaxseed can absorb more than three times their volume in water, so add about an extra 3 tablespoons of liquid per tablespoon of flaxseeds,” says Zenker.
- Cook first, then add: “If you’re making hot oats, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed after cooking. It’ll thicken up your bowl and add a mild, nutty flavor without messing with the texture,” says Bess Berger, RDN, CDN, CLT.
- Add the night before: If you are making overnight oats, it’s best to add the seeds the night before, recommends Aberasturi. “Overnight, the flax will soak up the moisture and make the oats extra creamy. No fancy technique needed. Just add it, stir and let it work its magic,” says Berger.
- Stir it up: “Make sure to stir the flaxseeds well so they don’t clump,” says Zenker.
- Act quickly: “Flaxseed thickens quickly when combined with water, often in just a few minutes. To make it thicker, add more flaxseeds or oats. To make it thinner, add more liquid,“ says Zenker.
Our Expert Take
Oatmeal is already a great breakfast option, but adding flaxseed to this meal boosts its nutrient profile even more. Flaxseed can be incorporated in both hot oats and overnight oats. A sprinkle of flaxseed gives your breakfast more fiber and aids in its fullness factor, not to mention contributing to inflammation reduction and heart health. Flaxseed is just one nutritious topping to make your morning oatmeal full of health benefits.
