Flax Seeds: Calories, Nutrition & Healthier Swaps
534 kcal per 100 g · Nutri-Score A
sugar: low saturated fat: medium salt: low fiber: high
Flaxseed is the richest everyday source of plant omega-3 (ALA). Ground seeds are absorbed better than whole ones.
Flax Seeds nutrition facts per 100 g and per serving
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Serving: spoon, 10 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 534 kcal | 53 kcal |
| Protein | 18 g | 1.8 g |
| Fat | 42 g | 4.2 g |
| incl. saturated | 3.7 g | 0.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 1.6 g | 0.2 g |
| incl. sugars | 1.6 g | 0.2 g |
| Fiber | 27 g | 2.7 g |
| Salt | 0.1 g | 0 g |
| Omega-3 (ALA) | 22800 mg | 2280 mg |
Values per 100 g as eaten, averaged from food composition tables (USDA FoodData Central and others) and rounded — a specific brand or recipe will differ a little.
Flax Seeds: nutrition highlights
It has 2.7 g of fiber per serving — roughly 11% of the 25 g a day most adults fall short of. Plant omega-3 (ALA) comes to about 23 g per 100 g.
On the open Nutri-Score algorithm, flax seeds gets an A: one of the better picks in its category. The score weighs calories, sugar, saturated fat and salt against protein, fiber and the share of fruit, vegetables, legumes and nuts.
What to watch
- It's calorie-dense — 534 kcal per 100 g — so portion size matters most.
How much movement is one serving?
One serving (spoon, 10 g) is 53 kcal — roughly 17 min of easy walking or 7 min of cycling for a 70 kg (154 lb) person. In the diary, minutes are worked out for your weight and the activities you actually do.
Healthier swaps for Flax Seeds
There's no swap in our base that is clearly better at the same calories — flax seeds is already one of the better choices in its category.
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