Thoughts on Flaxseed?

spvlat

Can you eat as much flaxseed as you want and remain in ketosis? I'm asking since almost all of its' carb content is fiber...

KnitOrMiss

I personally did not tolerate this well. I carb crashed with it just the same as if I had eaten a candy bar or something carb-heavy.

However, others do tolerate it well...

You'll probably have to try it out and determine for yourself which category you fall into!

ladipoet

No. Everything contains carbs (with the exception of several sources of healthy fats). Even if you only pay attention to net carbs, regardless of whether or not the carbs come from whole foods or not, you will reach a carb level that will effectively kick your body out of nutritional ketosis. Also Flaxseed acts like unfermented soy in the body in that it contains chemical compounds, again similar to unfermented soy, which act like anti-nutrients in the body. It interferes with estrogen in the body and can sometimes effect other hormones in the body (levels, how well our body receive certain chemical messages relating to hormones, etc.). Here's a link to an article which focuses on many of the unknown and/or ignored side effect flaxsed can cause people. Mind you, I'm not saying that flaxseed is 100% bad, only suggesting that you be aware of both pros and cons of consuming it:

https://alsearsmd.com/2010/11/more-fake-food-do-not-fall-for-the-flaxseed-lie/

kpk54

I eat flaxseed meal. Like most other similar things, not much. A couple tablespoons mixed in my Greek yogurt or mashed into an avocado. I have read innumerable reviews regarding the healthful qualities of flaxseed meal. Whole seeds, not so much since they are not absorbed in the body (based on my readings).

Flaxseed (meal) has never caused me any health issues that I'm aware of. I don't monitor my blood glucose but I've never felt it to cause me a "carb crash" but then I don't notice those things except when I was carb bingeing (a couple hundred total grams of sugary carbs) per day back in 2015 and then I would just get lethargic and flaxseed is not something I would binge on. I tend to have a fairly healthy body and am not affected by much though I understand others to be far more sensitive to many things.

I count total carbs and I don't measure for ketones so have no specific answer there but like everything else if you have a need to be in ketosis, it would be best you measure blood ketones since everyone varies regarding the number of and types of carbs they can eat and remain in ketosis.

Pray tell, how will you be using flaxseed (or how much) given a serving (2 tablespoons, 13 grams) has 4 total, 1 net carb (per Bob's Red Mill packaging that I have in the refrigerator). @spvlat Note: that refers to flaxseed meal.

Just posting to add a little balance to experiences. My way doesn't make it right. It is what it is.

spvlat

I bought ground flaxseed and ate about 15 grams of it. I let it soak in water overnight and I mixed it with some yogurt. On MFP it says that 15 grams of it contains about 4 grams of carbs all of which is fiber.

KnitOrMiss

My flaxseed consumption was also flaxseed meal, and I am insulin resistant - to give context to my "carb crashing" comment above (thanks for the reminder for clarification, @kpk54)...

Meaning that there are some carbs my body just does not handle well... I didn't notice any bathroom changes for better or worse.

ladipoet

Fwiw, I do us a little bit of flaxseed meal in a couple of recipes I make, but I use it judiciously so one small bag of ground flaxseed meal lasts me a looooooooong time. I don't like the flavor of it by itself (to me it has a peppery flavor that I don't care for)....but I will use it in recipes where there is a combination of other alternative flours being used where flaxseed meal is usually the smallest amount called for (so the flavor and taste are hidden or well disguised).