Flaxseed oil or seeds? Which is healthier and better for weight loss
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Labels often mislead us, especially when it comes to the calorie content of seeds and nuts. For example, the label on flaxseed shows 534 kcal per 100 grams. But does our body actually absorb all these calories?
This question is addressed by coach and nutritionist Viktor Mandziak below.
What is healthier – flaxseeds or flaxseed oil?
Like nuts, flaxseeds have "protected" cells that don't break open while chewing. This means that some calories simply don’t reach the bloodstream. Studies show that about 16% of calories from raw nuts aren’t absorbed, and for flaxseeds, this percentage would be similar. Taking this into account, we get not 534 but around 450 kcal per 100 grams.
The 534 kcal figure is calculated by counting fiber as a traditional carbohydrate source. However, fiber isn’t broken down by small intestine enzymes but only by large intestine bacteria, which produce short-chain fatty acids with lower energy value. Therefore, 1 gram of fiber actually provides only 1.5 kcal, not 4 as stated. This reduces the caloric content to 382 kcal per 100 grams of flaxseed.
Fiber reduces calorie absorption
Moreover, fiber affects the body’s ability to absorb other calories. Taking this into account, the actual caloric content of flaxseeds decreases to 350 kcal per 100 grams – almost half of that in oil derived from these seeds.
Micronutrients in seeds versus oil
When it comes to nutrients, the difference is even more noticeable. Apart from the daily requirement of vitamin E, flaxseed oil lacks other micronutrients. In contrast, flaxseeds provide not only fats but also a full set of microelements: the daily requirement of magnesium and phosphorus, 25% of the daily requirement of calcium, 32% of iron, and 39% of zinc.
When choosing a salad dressing, remember that flaxseed oil adds 90 kcal per 10 grams, while flaxseeds can offer healthy fats, protein, fiber, and vitamins with significantly lower caloric content.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
