Flaxseed

part of: Flax

Flaxseed — known as linseed in Australia — is a tiny, flat seed with a hard, glossy shell. It comes in two main varieties: brown and golden, which are nutritionally similar. The seeds have a mild, nutty flavour and a slightly earthy taste.

Flaxseed has become a popular addition to breads, muesli, smoothies, and baked goods. The seeds can be eaten whole, but are more commonly consumed ground (as linseed meal) since the hard outer shell can pass through the digestive system intact. Ground flaxseed also works as an egg substitute in vegan baking — mixed with water, it forms a gel that helps bind ingredients.

In Australia, linseed is a common ingredient in mixed seed breads and health-food products. It’s best stored in the fridge or freezer, especially once ground, as the oils can go rancid quickly.

Farmed
photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

Flax is an annual crop grown in temperate climates. The plants are harvested when the seed pods have turned brown and dried on the stem. The plants are cut, dried further if needed, and threshed to separate the seeds from the pods and stems. The seeds are cleaned, sorted by size and colour, and packaged whole. For ground flaxseed or linseed meal, the seeds are milled in temperature-controlled conditions to prevent the oils from oxidising.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 450kcal
Protein 21.6g
Carbs 2.8g
Fat 32.6g
Fibre 32.9g Sugar 1.5g
Mass Distribution

1 tbsp, whole is about 10.3 g — roughly 50 kcal of this.

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon ≈0.5kg
Freshwater ≈130L
Land ≈0.4m²

≈ Estimated — worked out from a category-typical value further up its supply chain. Where this comes from →

Where it comes from

Made from
Flax, seeds

In the kitchen

Used as

nutritional seed topping

Goes well with
oat yogurt honey banana apple
Classic dishes
  • Multigrain bread
  • Smoothie bowl
  • Flaxseed crackers

Keeping one at home? Track yours in your cubud →

Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

FSANZ + USDA

How it was calculated

Analysed

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

Where to next

made fromFlax, seeds goes well withoat goes well withyogurt goes well withhoney goes well withbanana goes well withapple shares a sourceFlax Milk shares a sourceFlaxseed Oil
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