Chia Seeds vs Flax Seeds: nutrition compared
Per 100 g, chia seeds have 486 calories and 17 g of protein; flax seeds have 534 calories and 18 g of protein. Per 100 g, chia seeds have more selenium, niacin and calcium, and flax seeds have more thiamin, copper and magnesium.
Chia seeds: 1 tbsp of chia seeds (12 g)
- Calories
- 58
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 5.1 g
- Fat
- 3.7 g
Flax seeds: 1 tbsp of whole flax seeds (10.3 g)
- Calories
- 55
- Protein
- 1.9 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 4.3 g
Side by side
Per 100 g. Bold marks the clearly higher value (at least 10% and 2% of the Daily Value apart).
| Nutrient | Chia seeds | Flax seeds |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 486 | 534 |
| Protein | 17 g | 18 g |
| Carbs | 42 g | 29 g |
| Fat | 31 g | 42 g |
| Fiber | 34 g | 27 g |
| Potassium | 407 mg | 813 mg |
| Calcium | 631 mg | 255 mg |
| Iron | 7.7 mg | 5.7 mg |
| Magnesium | 335 mg | 392 mg |
| Zinc | 4.6 mg | 4.3 mg |
| Phosphorus | 860 mg | 642 mg |
| Vitamin C | 1.6 mg | 0.6 mg |
| Vitamin E | 0.5 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.6 mg | 1.6 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.2 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 8.8 mg | 3.1 mg |
| Folate | 49 mcg | 87 mcg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Selenium | 55 mcg | 25 mcg |
| Copper | 924 mcg | 1220 mcg |
| Manganese | 2.7 mg | 2.5 mg |
| Omega-3 | 17830 mg | 0 mg |
| Saturated fat | 3.3 g | 3.7 g |
| Sodium | 16 mg | 30 mg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
Sources: USDA FoodData Central #170554, Seeds, chia seeds, dried; #169414, Seeds, flaxseed.
Questions
Which has fewer calories, chia seeds or flax seeds?
They are within 10% of each other per 100 g: 486 for chia seeds and 534 for flax seeds. 1 tbsp of chia seeds has 58 calories; 1 tbsp of whole flax seeds has 55 calories.
Which has more protein, chia seeds or flax seeds?
They are within 10% of each other per 100 g: 17 g for chia seeds and 18 g for flax seeds. 1 tbsp of chia seeds has 2 g of protein; 1 tbsp of whole flax seeds has 1.9 g of protein.
Which has more fiber, chia seeds or flax seeds?
Chia seeds have more fiber: 34 g per 100 g for chia seeds and 27 g for flax seeds.
Which is healthier, chia seeds or flax seeds?
Per 100 g, chia seeds have more selenium, niacin and calcium, and flax seeds have more thiamin, copper and magnesium. Which fits better depends on what the rest of your day is short on.
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