Want to learn the difference between chia seeds * vs. flax seeds? Ever since I jumped on the "healthy eating" bandwagon I have been bombarded by all kinds of weird grains and seeds and veggies that (to be honest) I didn't even know existed. Now buying a package of chia seed or quinoa or flaxseed is as easy as a trip to Costco. So what are the differences between Chia Seed and Flax Seed? Which one is "healthier?" Welp....look no further.
Let's get scientific people. (Imagine me making my very serious Lets-do-this face.)
Are you thinking of a Chia Pet? Yeah...so did I. Actually the first sales of the chia seed were sold on Chia Pets and we would just grow them as house plants. Who knew those little seeds in that clay figurine sheep were so good for you!
CHIA SEED
ORIGIN: The word chia actually stems from the word "chian" which means "oily" The Chia plant is native to Mexico and Guatemala.
WHAT IS IT: Chia seed produces the chia "herb" or plant that is actually an annual. It even has little purple or white flowers on it....oooooh. 🙂
WHY IS IT GOOD FOR ME: One ounce of chia seed contains 9 grams of (healthy omega-3) fat, 5 milligrams of sodium, 11 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. This one ounce can also give you 18% of your recommended daily Calcium, 27% of your phosphorous, and 30% of your manganese. Not to mention, adding chia to your diet has been shown to help boost energy, stabilize blood sugar, aids digestion and support healthy cholesterol.
When my dad started having problems with his cholesterol and blood pressure, his doctor suggested he added just one teaspoon of this little seed to his orange juice every morning. After just a few days of taking the seed, my dad saw better test results and now has more energy!
FLAX SEED
ORIGIN: The flax seed (also known as linseed) has been used by humans since 30,000 BC. They would use its fibers to spin fabrics and can be grown in most of the cooler regions of the world.
WHAT IS IT: The flax plant is a tall slender, annual plant with pale blue flowers on it. Since the plant can be used for making linens, for its natural supplemental oil and for human health, its Latin name actually means "most useful."
WHY IS IT GOOD FOR ME: The flax seed contains a lot of dietary fiber, omega 3 fatty acids, and a whole crop load of micronutrients. It has been proven to lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancer, helps stabilize blood sugar levels (making it especially good for diabetics), and has shown to be full of antioxidants.
Chia Seeds vs. Flax Seeds
So now the battle begins - flax seeds vs chia seeds ...which is the better seed? Here is a little breakdown chart for ya!
CHIA SEED VS FLAX SEED
2 TBL 2 TBL
69 Calories 75
4.4g Fat 6g
2.3g Proteins 2.6g
6g Carbs 4g
20% % Recommended Daily Fiber 15
9% %Recommended Daily Calcium 4%
I guess it just all boils down to what you are looking for in your diet! If you have high cholesterol flax seed is your strongest seed, if you have a need for less calories and fat in your diet than chia seed is your man!
Hope this was more helpful and less like a science lesson. 🙂
Happy eating!
Stephanie D
Thank you for keeping it simple and short. I was looking for this information in just the way you presented it. Much appreciated!
Rebecca Baron
Thank you for the feedback. It's nice to know that it was helpful.