Flour vs. Flaxseeds
Nutrition comparison of Flour and Flaxseeds
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
flour
versus
flaxseeds
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in flour and flaxseeds:
- Both flaxseeds and flour are high in calories, dietary fiber and protein.
- Flaxseed has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Flaxseed is an excellent source of calcium, iron and potassium.
- Flour has signficantly less saturated fat than flaxseed.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Flour (Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, unenriched) and Flaxseeds (Seeds, flaxseed) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both flaxseeds and flour are high in calories. Flaxseed has 47% more calories than flour - flaxseed has 534 calories per 100 grams and flour has 364 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, flour is much heavier in carbs, much lighter in fat and similar to flaxseeds for protein. Flour has a macronutrient ratio of 12:86:2 and for flaxseeds, 13:21:66 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Flour | Flaxseeds | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 12% | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 86% | 21% |
| Fat | 2% | 66% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Flour is high in carbohydrates and flaxseed has 62% less carbohydrates than flour - flaxseed has 28.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and flour has 76.3g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both flaxseeds and flour are high in dietary fiber. Flaxseed has 911% more dietary fiber than flour - flaxseed has 27.3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and flour has 2.7g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Flaxseeds and flour contain similar amounts of sugar - flaxseed has 1.6g of sugar per 100 grams and flour has 0.27g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Both flaxseeds and flour are high in protein. Flaxseed has 77% more protein than flour - flaxseed has 18.3g of protein per 100 grams and flour has 10.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Flour has signficantly less saturated fat than flaxseed - flaxseed has 3.7g of saturated fat per 100 grams and flour has 0.16g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Flaxseeds and flour contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - flaxseed has 0.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and flour does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Flaxseeds and flour contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - flaxseed has 0.31mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and flour has 0.06mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Flaxseeds and flour contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - flaxseed has 4.3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and flour has 0.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Flaxseed has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Flour | Flaxseeds | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.12 MG | 1.644 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.04 MG | 0.161 MG |
| Niacin | 1.25 MG | 3.08 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.438 MG | 0.985 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.044 MG | 0.473 MG |
| Folate | 26 UG | 87 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Flaxseed is an excellent source of calcium and it has 16 times more calcium than flour - flaxseed has 255mg of calcium per 100 grams and flour has 15mg of calcium.
iron
Flaxseed is an excellent source of iron and it has 390% more iron than flour - flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron per 100 grams and flour has 1.2mg of iron.
potassium
Flaxseed is an excellent source of potassium and it has 660% more potassium than flour - flaxseed has 813mg of potassium per 100 grams and flour has 107mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than flour per 100 grams.
| Flour | Flaxseeds | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.022 G | 22.813 G |
| Total | 0.022 G | 22.813 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, flaxseed has more linoleic acid than flour per 100 grams.
| Flour | Flaxseeds | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.391 G | 5.903 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.007 G |
| Total | 0.391 G | 5.91 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.
Flour g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Flaxseeds g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does flaxseeds or flour contain more calories in 100 grams?Both flaxseeds and flour are high in calories. Flaxseed has 50% more calories than flour - flaxseed has 534 calories in 100g and flour has 364 calories.
Does flaxseeds or flour have more carbohydrates?
By weight, flour is high in carbohydrates and flaxseed has 60% fewer carbohydrates than flour - flaxseed has 28.9g of carbs for 100g and flour has 76.3g of carbohydrates.
Does flaxseeds or flour contain more calcium?
Flaxseed is a rich source of calcium and it has 16 times more calcium than flour - flaxseed has 255mg of calcium in 100 grams and flour has 15mg of calcium.
Does flaxseeds or flour contain more iron?
Flaxseed is an abundant source of iron and it has 390% more iron than flour - flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron in 100 grams and flour has 1.2mg of iron.
Does flaxseeds or flour contain more potassium?
Flaxseed is a rich source of potassium and it has 660% more potassium than flour - flaxseed has 813mg of potassium in 100 grams and flour has 107mg of potassium.