Pregnancy is an important and joyous time in a woman’s life, and it is essential to take steps to ensure the health and wellbeing of the mother and the baby. One such way to do this is through nutrition and making sure to consume the right foods during pregnancy. Flaxseed is a great addition to any pregnant woman’s diet. Not only is it high in nutritional value, but it can also provide a variety of health benefits. In this post, we’ll discuss why you should consider incorporating flaxseed into your pregnancy diet, as well as the potential risks and benefits of doing so. We’ll also provide a few tips and tricks to help you make the most out of your flaxseed consumption. By the end of this post, you’ll have a better understanding of how to effectively incorporate flaxseed into your diet during pregnancy. So if you’re interested in learning more about how to eat flaxseed
Controls your body’s ability to regulate glucose
By assisting pregnant women’s blood glucose levels to remain within normal ranges, flaxseeds may be beneficial to them during pregnancy. Additionally, flaxseed may reduce the likelihood of C-sections and large-for-gestational-age babies.
The phytonutrient lignans in flax seeds may shield against ovarian and breast cancer. Add it to your pregnancy diet.
Can Flaxseed Help with Pregnancy Constipation?
Flaxseeds are definitely an excellent way to help with constipation because they are high in soluble fiber (source: PubMed).
However, since eating flaxseeds while pregnant is not advised, you don’t necessarily have to do so to treat constipation.
Prunes, chia seeds, pulses, fresh fruits, and vegetables are some additional foods you may want to choose to safely support your health.
Is It Safe to Eat Flaxseed During Pregnancy?
There is conflicting advice concerning flaxseed during pregnancy.
Overall, it is not recommended to use flaxseed or flaxseed oil during pregnancy, despite their many health benefits (Source: Mayo Clinic).
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health in the USA also advises pregnant women to avoid flax seed (source: NIH).
Flaxseed contains more lignans than most other foods. Lignans are phytoestrogens that have an estrogenic or anti-estrogenic effect (source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics).
Any food with such effects should be treated with caution by pregnant women. Studies into flaxseed or linseed during pregnancy are limited, and such estrogenic effects may adversely affect pregnancy (source: AHS).
A 2007 animal study also found a potential correlation between consuming flaxseed when pregnant, and offspring subsequently being more susceptible to breast cancer (source: Journal of Reproductive Toxicology).
However, it was not conclusive, and no similar research in humans has been done to date.
In Canada, the advice differs. Instead of avoiding flaxseed altogether, it is advised that pregnant women reduce or limit their consumption to that found in food, up to a daily maximum of 45g.
The advice to avoid flaxseed oil completely is the same, however (source: Alberta Health Services).
It comes down to personal preference, as with many pregnancy foods.
You might want to eat flaxseeds in moderation if you’re, for instance, following a vegan or vegetarian diet because of their nutrient content, which we’ll cover in more detail later in this article.
You may want to completely avoid flaxseed for the duration of your pregnancy if you believe you could obtain the same nutrients from other sources (by eating fish for the omega-3s, for example).
There are two types of flaxseed: brown and golden. Linseed, also known as flaxseed, can be found whole, ground or milled, or in powder form.
Flaxseed can hide in many foods, so check labeling carefully. The following common foods may contain linseed or flaxseed:
FAQ
Does flaxseed affect pregnancy?
How much flaxseed is safe during pregnancy?