Flax Farm Linseed (flax) an excellent source of dietary fibre

Flax or linseed fibre on this page refers to the fibre in the seed, which is a very useful addition for a healthy diet.  Dietary fibre is a lot more than just bran, the stringy bits fruits and vegetables, skins and pips!

Linseed fibre is just right

Linseed is a rich source of just the right blend of soluble and insoluble dietary fibre.  It can be surprising how good adding some ground linseed to your diet can make you feel, it really is a superfood. In addition linseed is often recommended for its fibre content for various health conditions including:

  • Sugar-free, carb-free: Supports healthy blood sugar levels
  • Good for low GI diets
  • Supports a healthy digestion

Good dietary fibre

  • Supports gut flora
  • Aids elimination of toxins
  • Add to faecal bulk
  • Includes insoluble and soluble fibre
  • Supports for the immune system

Linseed a source of soluble, insoluble and good-bacteria promoting dietary fibre

Fibre in the diet is often pigeon-holed as insoluble fibre speeding up the digestion; insoluble fibre slowing it down and fermentable fibre as making you fart. The truth is that all dietary fibre, whether soluble, insoluble or fermentable, is not equal and largely depends on the exact type and source, whether it is associated with anti-nutrients or beneficial nutrients.

  • Insoluble fibre holds water in the gut, contributes to structure and produces a surface area to develop good bacteria, it also makes meals seem bigger and more filling when we eat them in a non-fattening way.
  • Soluble fibre helps keep us feeling fuller for longer. Soluble fibre also is called mucilage, which is soothing, protective and contributes with fermentable bacteria to a healthy gut flora.
  • Good-bacteria promoting dietary fibre sometimes called fermentable fibre develops the right sort of gut flora which aids the health of your lower gut.  Linseed doesn’t produce the excess gas that causes wind. For most people, adding linseed to their diet with green veg actually helps reduce wind over a few days or even a couple of week while your gut flora adapts.
  • Better than “wholegrain”: wheat and grains linseed works with your digestion. Linseed fibre increases bulk by up to five times, provides the right soft consistency for good poo and a comfortable regular digestion, helping protect against and alleviate constipation, diverticulitis and haemorrhoids (piles).

Linseed fibre and aid for the metabolism and weight control

A blend of soluble fibre and insoluble fibre slows down the rate you absorb sugars and starches from your food, which is sustaining, good for keeping you feeling energised and full for longer, keeping blood sugar levels stable so good for diabetes, and because it helps make meals lower GI and slow release which again is good for diabetes, and also good for your figure, helping keep waist size down and helps with weight control.

Linseed gentle fibre for everyone

Linseed fibre is well tolerated. It is very gentle.

  • Suitable for small children, helping size pro rata depending on weight of child.
  • Usually tolerated by people with digestive issues
  • Suitable diabetic diets
  • Gluten-free, grain-free fibre
  • Works with your digestion; more gentle than bran

Linseed fibre a great alternative to whole grains

Wheat and other grains, especially whole grains are a source of fibre in the form of bran but though they ferment in the gut often don’t ferment the right way. It is their starchy compounds that ferment, often encouraging yeasts and bacteria harmful to health. The resilience of grains as a crop is partially due to anti-nutrients, including gluten, which protects them as they grow, unfortunately these compounds can be very damaging to the human digestive tract. Wheat bran helps speed up digestion for some for a while but it works by going through the gut like little scouring pads and aggravating the gut into a response. Rather than forming soft bulk, like linseed grains, often form compacted faeces.  When this is combined with developing harmful bacteria and yeasts including candida it can cause bloating and IBS that can lead to a stop-start digestion, diverticulitis, leaky gut and other health problems.

Many people are finding wheat and wheat-bran causes so many problems that they are looking for an alternative source of dietary fibre for their digestion and linseed is an excellent choice.

Where does flax or linseed fibre come from?

Flax “fibre” in the UK can be a bit confusing.  In the UK traditionally “flax” has referred to the long, fine fibres used to make the fabric linen, ropes and cords. This flax fibre is found in the stem of the flax plant a specific variety of Linum usitatissimum which is simply a variety of the same species as linseed but used for fibre not its oil-rich seed.

The Americans changed its name

With the advent of linseed becoming popular in North America for health reasons the name flax started to be used to differentiate the linseed for the human health market. In the UK we still grow linseed as “linseed” as it is the same crop whether we use it as a supplement for animals, artists oil or healthfood and “flax” refers to the varieties used for linen though increasingly “flax” is used in health shops because so much of their stock is imported from North America and Canada. Flax Farm is sticking to the name “linseed” because it is the name of the crop we grow in the UK but if we have to keep up with the times we will change its name to flax; linseed is just as healthy whether we call it linseed or flax. 🙂

How to use linseed for improving the quality and quantity of fibre in your diet:

100g Flax Farm Linseed (flaxseed): 29% fibre, of which 10% soluble fibre.

Two heaped dessertspoons or 25g of ground Flax Farm linseed provides 7.25g fibre; 27% of recommended daily value.

How to “take” or use linseed in your diet for fibre.

You can just add 2 heaped dessertspoons or 25g Flax Farm ground linseed once or twice per day to everyday meals such as porridge or yoghurt, or add it to drinks and smoothies. Or try swapping your usual breakfast cereal for Flax Farm porridge or muesli or even have Flaxjack® with your morning coffee break.

bronze meal l

Ground linseed for fibre

It is mainly the husk of the linseed(flaxseed) that gives you fibre.  Flax Farm ground linseed or foods containing ground linseed such as Flax Farm porridge and muesli or Flaxjacks® are the best sources. The gold and bronze linseed is equally good.

bronze and gold

Whole linseed contains the fibre but it doesn’t work nearly as well as the seeds go straight through you undigested and don’t make the same beneficial structure to your poo. However you can buy Flax Farm whole gold or bronze linseed and grind it yourself in a coffee grinder.

Flax Farm's Mixed Flaxjacks mFlax Farm fibre-rich foods

At Flax Farm we also make a great range of porridges, muesli and Flaxjacks® which are completely gluten-free and oat-free which can be helpful.

Other sources of dietary fibre

See our recipes to find out delicious ways to incorporate with Flax Farm ground linseed with other other fibre-rich ingredients  Other good sources of fibre which work well with Flax Farm linseed to keep your digestion healthy:

  • Spinach
  • Cabbage
  • Kale
  • Spring greensgolden linseed and rhubarb cOMPOTE c
  • Swiss chard
  • Onions
  • Leeks
  • Peaches
  • Oranges
  • Apples
  • Raspberries
  • Figs
  • Blueberries
  • Rhubarb