Whole Milk vs. Flaxseeds

Nutrition comparison of Whole Milk and Flaxseeds


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of whole milk versus flaxseeds (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in whole milk and flaxseeds:

  • Both flaxseeds and whole milk are high in calcium.
  • Flaxseed has more thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, whole milk contains more Vitamin B12.
  • Flaxseed is an excellent source of dietary fiber, iron, potassium and protein.
  • Whole milk has signficantly less carbohydrates than flaxseed.
  • Whole milk has signficantly more Vitamin D than flaxseed.
Detailed nutritional comparison of whole milk and flaxseeds is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Whole Milk (Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D) and Flaxseeds (Seeds, flaxseed) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Whole Milk src
Image of Flaxseeds src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Flaxseed is high in calories and whole milk has 89% less calories than flaxseed - flaxseed has 534 calories per 100 grams and whole milk has 61 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, whole milk is heavier in protein, heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to flaxseeds per calorie. Whole milk has a macronutrient ratio of 21:31:48 and for flaxseeds, 13:20:67 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Whole Milk Flaxseeds
Protein 21% 13%
Carbohydrates 31% 20%
Fat 48% 67%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Whole milk has signficantly less carbohydrates than flaxseed - flaxseed has 28.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and whole milk has 4.8g of carbohydrates.

The carbs in flaxseeds are made of 95% dietary fiber and 5% sugar, whereas the carbs in whole milk comprise of 100% sugar.

dietary fiber

Flaxseed is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has more dietary fiber than whole milk - flaxseed has 27.3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and whole milk does not contain significant amounts.

sugar

Flaxseeds and whole milk contain similar amounts of sugar - flaxseed has 1.6g of sugar per 100 grams and whole milk has 5.1g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Flaxseed is an excellent source of protein and it has 481% more protein than whole milk - flaxseed has 18.3g of protein per 100 grams and whole milk has 3.2g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Whole milk has 49% less saturated fat than flaxseed - flaxseed has 3.7g of saturated fat per 100 grams and whole milk has 1.9g of saturated fat.

cholesterol

Flaxseed has less cholesterol than whole milk - whole milk has 10mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and flaxseed does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Flaxseeds and whole milk contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - flaxseed has 0.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and whole milk does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

Whole milk has more Vitamin A than flaxseed - whole milk has 46ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and flaxseed does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin D

Whole milk has signficantly more Vitamin D than flaxseed - whole milk has 51iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and flaxseed does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Flaxseeds and whole milk contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - flaxseed has 0.31mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and whole milk has 0.07mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Flaxseeds and whole milk contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - flaxseed has 4.3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and whole milk has 0.3ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Flaxseed has more thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, whole milk contains more Vitamin B12. Both whole milk and flaxseeds contain significant amounts of riboflavin.

Whole Milk Flaxseeds
Thiamin 0.046 MG 1.644 MG
Riboflavin 0.169 MG 0.161 MG
Niacin 0.089 MG 3.08 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.373 MG 0.985 MG
Vitamin B6 0.036 MG 0.473 MG
Folate 5 UG 87 UG
Vitamin B12 0.45 UG ~

Minerals

calcium

Both flaxseeds and whole milk are high in calcium. Flaxseed has 126% more calcium than whole milk - flaxseed has 255mg of calcium per 100 grams and whole milk has 113mg of calcium.

iron

Flaxseed is an excellent source of iron and it has 190 times more iron than whole milk - flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron per 100 grams and whole milk has 0.03mg of iron.

potassium

Flaxseed is an excellent source of potassium and it has 516% more potassium than whole milk - flaxseed has 813mg of potassium per 100 grams and whole milk has 132mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids,

Whole Milk Flaxseeds
beta-carotene 7 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin ~ 651 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than whole milk per 100 grams.

Whole Milk Flaxseeds
alpha linoleic acid 0.075 G 22.813 G
Total 0.075 G 22.813 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, flaxseed has more linoleic acid than whole milk per 100 grams.

Whole Milk Flaxseeds
linoleic acid 0.12 G 5.903 G
other omega 6 ~ 0.007 G
Total 0.12 G 5.91 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Whole Milk or Flaxseeds .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Whole Milk (Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D) and Flaxseeds (Seeds, flaxseed) .

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FAQ

Does flaxseeds or whole milk contain more calories in 100 grams?
Flaxseed is high in calories and whole milk has 90% less calories than flaxseed - flaxseed has 534 calories in 100g and whole milk has 61 calories.

Does flaxseeds or whole milk have more carbohydrates?
By weight, whole milk has signficantly fewer carbohydrates than flaxseed - flaxseed has 28.9g of carbs for 100g and whole milk has 4.8g of carbohydrates. the carbs in flaxseeds are made of 100% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in whole milk comprise of 100% sugar.

Does flaxseeds or whole milk contain more calcium?
Both flaxseeds and whole milk are high in calcium. Flaxseed has 130% more calcium than whole milk - flaxseed has 255mg of calcium in 100 grams and whole milk has 113mg of calcium.

Does flaxseeds or whole milk contain more iron?
Flaxseed is an abundant source of iron and it has 190 times more iron than whole milk - flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron in 100 grams and whole milk has 0.03mg of iron.

Does flaxseeds or whole milk contain more potassium?
Flaxseed is a rich source of potassium and it has 520% more potassium than whole milk - flaxseed has 813mg of potassium in 100 grams and whole milk has 132mg of potassium.