Flaxseed can provide a valuable and natural dietary supplement to expectant mothers during their pregnancy.
Taking prescribed drugs, artificial supplements and other man-made products has become the stable of Western culture. Unfortunately the majority of these products are either unnecessary, can cause a number of side effects, or simply don’t work.
What we put into our bodies is never more important than when a woman becomes pregnant. It is during pregnancy that a mother needs to ensure she obtains good quantities and quality of nutrients and other compounds such as fatty acids and protein. The safest and best way to ensure this is obtained is through natural food sources.
Is it Safe to Consume Flaxseed During Pregnancy?
Some physicians advise against consuming too much flaxseed ( not flaxseed oil), during pregnancy because of the presence of lignans, which act similarly to the natural human hormone estrogen and may stimulate menstruation and contractions.
However, although flaxseed does contain lignans, which actively restrict and reduce cancerous cells in the body, there is no clinical evidence to suggest they interfere and cause problems with the bodies own estrogen levels.
Many women use flaxseed as a source of lignans for the same reasons some women avoid it: to balance female hormones, reduce menopausal symptoms, promote fertility and help prevent breast cancer.
Almost all the information I have researched suggests that flaxseed can only improve the health of mother and baby. Just don’t consume too much of it on a daily basis, to be on the ultra safe side.
Health Benefits of Flaxseed for Pregnant Mothers
Flaxseed contains an incredible array of health promoting compounds including essential fatty acids in the form of omega-3 and omega-6, vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and lignans. All of which make flaxseed and pregnancy a perfect partnership and a food source that can promote mother and baby’s health.
The actual nutritional breakdown of the most available nutrients in flaxseed per 21 grams (2 tablespoons) for recommended daily intake, is as follows:
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids – 200%
- Manganese – 26%
- Vitamin B1 – 24%
- Dietary Fiber – 23%
- Magnesium - 21%
- Tryptophan – 20%
- Phosphorous – 15%
- Copper – 15%
Flaxseed also contains good amounts of protein – approx 10% of our daily recommended allowance per 2 tablespoons.
Ground flaxseed, with its “healthy” fats, in the form of omega-3 essential fatty acids may play an important role in the growing fetus’s nervous system development.
These essential fatty acids also contribute towards lowering bad LDL cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. And with the dangers of high blood pressure and toxemia during pregnancy, adding flaxseed to one’s diet would certainly be advantageous.
Omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed oil are pliable and unsaturated which contributes to the healthy structure of cell membranes. They also provide a regulatory function by assisting in the control of gene expression, a critical component of growth and development for the baby.
These fatty acids which are passed along from mother to child during pregnancy and breast-feeding can also help with the baby's brain development during these essential periods of growth according to AskDrSears.com and Providence Health and Services at http://www.livestrong.com/article/402078-ground-flaxseed-during-pregnancy.
How to Eat Flaxseeds
It’s so easy for a pregnant mother to add flaxseed to her diet. Whole flaxseed can be ground at home in a coffee or spice grinder, or purchased pre-ground. Flaxseed needs to be ground, as eating them whole would mean they mostly pass through the body without the nutritional properties being absorbed.
Because of their high fatty acid content, flaxseeds turn rancid relatively quickly once they are ground so freezing or refrigerating is the best option.
When first adding flaxseed to your diet, it makes sense to begin slowly and gradually build up from 1 to 2 tablespoons per day so as to avoid digestive disturbances from the high fiber content.
During pregnancy it’s especially important that the colon be cleansed regularly with healthy foods, for cleaner blood flow to the growing fetus means a healthier fetus.
Ground flaxseed can be sprinkled over foods such as smoothies, vegetables, cereals like oatmeal and even cold cereal, yogurt, sandwiches, salads, soups, when preparing baked goods, etc. The choices are endless.
Providence Health and Services, a not-for-profit Catholic health care ministry that includes several hospitals and non-acute facilities, recommends receiving the benefits of flaxseeds indirectly by eating flax-fed chickens and their eggs.
How Much Flaxseed Should I Consume During Pregnancy?
Flaxseed oil is recognized as safe for pregnant women especially when consumed in normal dietary amounts. The higher level of essential fatty acids found in the oil of flaxseeds make it a good choice for mother and baby.
Always consult with your health care provider but I would suggest starting off by taking 1 to 2 teaspoons a day. As long as you don’t experience any digestive problems like diarrhea you could increase that dose to 1 to 2 tablespoons a day.
The Flaxseed and Pregnancy Bottom Line
The nutrient density of flaxseeds and their oil cannot be denied. Their benefits are long and varied but include the ability to lower cholesterol, lower risk and help treat breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, stabilize blood sugar, reduce inflammation of arthritis, lower blood pressure and provide healthy fiber.
The danger of consuming flaxseed during pregnancy is negligible compared with the numerous health benefits.
Adding ground flaxseed to your food may be an ideal part of your prenatal diet. Ever review the contents of prenatal supplements? What do you read? A very similar array of nutrients and compounds found in flaxseed. So why not get these recommended nutrients ‘and some’ from a natural and proven food source.
It goes without saying that anyone pregnant or not should consult their licensed health practitioner if they have any questions or concerns with the use of flaxseed. This article is no substitution for medical advice and should not be construed as such.
If you have any questions or comments regarding this article, please share them below.
Sarah
References:
- www.livestrong.com/article/402078-ground-flaxseed-during-pregnancy
- Dagnelie PC, et al. Macrobiotic nutrition and child health: results of a population-based, mixed-longitudinal cohort study in The Netherlands. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1994; 59: 1187S-1196S 1994.
- Kurzer MS, Lampe JW, Martini MC, Adlercreutz H. Fecal lignan and isoflavonoid excretion in premenopausal women consuming flaxseed powder. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 1995 Jun;4(4):353-8 1995. PMID:18180
- Mantzioris E, James MJ, Gibson RA, Cleland LG. Nutritional attributes of dietary flaxseed oil. Am J Clin Nutr 1995 Oct;62(4):841-2 1995. PMID:18170.
- Nesbitt PD, Thompson LU. Lignans in homemade and commercial products containing flaxseed. Nutr Cancer 1997;29(3):222-7 1997. PMID:18160.
- Thompson LU, Rickard SE, Cheung F, et al. Variability in anticancer lignan levels in flaxseed. Nutr Cancer 1997;27:26-30.
