Flax Seeds vs Chia Seeds vs Hemp Seeds: Which Seed is Best?

Flaxseed

Flax seeds have a long history dating back thousands of years, with evidence of their cultivation and use for food and medicinal purposes found in China and India as well as ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece. The flax plant was highly valued for its nutritional benefits and versatility, being used for making fabric (linen), oil, and as a dietary supplement.

Flax seeds can commonly be purchased as a whole flax seeds, ground flax seeds, or flax seed oil. Some people choose to buy whole flax seeds and grind them at home to keep them more fresh and retain as many nutrients as possible, although the ground form is still a great option. If you choose to try flax seed oil, don't plan to cook with it as it has a low smoke point. Reserve flax seed oil as a finishing oil to make salad dressings, dips, and sauces.

Ground flax seeds are commonly mixed with water to create an egg-like texture that can replace eggs in baking recipes. Ground flax seeds can help to bind foods as eggs would.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds have a rich history dating back to ancient civilizations like the Aztecs and Mayans, who prized them for their nutritional value and believed they provided energy and endurance. After falling into obscurity for centuries, chia seeds experienced a resurgence in modern times due to their recognized health benefits and versatility in culinary applications.

Chia seeds are typically bought in their whole form as they are tiny seeds and do not require grinding like flax seeds do. Chia seed oil also exists and has a higher smoke point than flax seed oil at about 420 degrees F, which allows it to be used for medium-heat sautéing and baking as well as in dressings, dips, and sauces. However, don't use chia oil for high heat cooking like frying.

Similar to flax seeds, when chia seeds are mixed with water, they form a gel-like consistency that can help with binding foods in recipes. However, if whole seeds are used, they will be seen in the end product while ground flax seed is more easily concealed.

Hemp Seeds

Hemp seeds have a long history of use, dating back thousands of years in regions like China and the Middle East, where they were cultivated for food, fiber, and medicinal purposes. Despite facing restrictions in some parts of the world due to their association with cannabis, hemp seeds have gained recognition for their nutritional benefits and sustainability in recent years, leading to a resurgence in their popularity.

Don't worry, hemp does not contain any THC, the chemical in cannabis that results in the "high." Hemp hearts (aka hemp seeds) are most commonly purchased, but hemp seed oil is also available. Hemp oil has a relatively low smoke point, so it is better used as a finishing oil for sauces, dips, and dressings rather than for cooking.

Hemp seeds don't tend to gel up in the same way that flax and chia seeds do in water, so they tend to not affect the texture of smoothies and don't bind foods in recipes as the other two seeds would.

Nutrition Comparison of Flax Seeds vs Chia Seeds vs Hemp Seeds (per 3 tbsp)

Healthy Fats & Omega-3's

While they are all a good source of omega-3, flax seeds have the highest omega-3 content in the form of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) compared to chia and hemp seeds. Per 3 tbsp, flax seeds have 6800 mg of omega-3, chia seeds have 5300 mg, and hemp seeds have 3000 mg.

All three seeds are also low in saturated fat and primarily consist of polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats.

Protein

Hemp seeds have the most protein. There's 10 grams of protein in 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds, followed by flax seeds at about 6g, then chia seeds at 5g.

Dietary Fiber

Chia seeds have the most fiber. Per 3 tablespoon of chia seeds, there's 10 grams of fiber, followed by flax seeds at 8g, and then hemp seeds at 1g.

Fiber is incredibly important for gut health, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, increasing satiety, weight management, inflammation, immune function, and blood sugar control.

The current recommendation for fiber intake is 25-30g per day, but adults in the United States are currently eating only about 15g of fiber per day.

However, current evidence actually shows that the minimum dietary fiber for adults with hypertension should be more than 28g for women and more than 38g for men. It's very likely that we should be eating more fiber than the current recommendations for disease prevention and overall health.

Flax, chia, and hemp seeds provide both soluble and insoluble fibers.

Vitamins and Minerals

Hemp seeds tend to be higher in most vitamins and minerals compared to flax and chia seeds with a few exceptions (like chia seeds being higher in calcium).

They are all good sources of magnesium, and just 3 tablespoons per day can meet 25-50% of our daily needs (depending on the seed and a person's age/gender).

Additionally, the super seeds provide iron, copper, zinc, phosphorus, and potassium.

Antioxidant Properties

Antioxidants are compounds that reduce oxidative stress by protecting the body from free radicals and therefore play a big part in disease prevention.

Flax seeds contain high amounts of phenolic compounds such as lignans, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid. Lignans in flax have been shown to have a tumor growth reducing effect, especially for those that are hormone-sensitive such as breast, prostate, and endometrial.

Chia seeds contain several different polyphenols including myricetin, quercetin, kaemferol, caffeic acid, flavonol glycosides and chlorogenic acid. These antioxidants are believed to have protective effects on the heart and liver as well as anti-cancer and anti-aging effects.

Hemp seeds contain phenolic compounds, lignan derivatives, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, catechin, flavenoids, and tocopherols. Including all three of these seeds--flax, chia, and hemp--in our diets can provide us with different antioxidants that will aid in disease prevention.

Health Benefits of Flax Seeds vs Chia Seeds vs Hemp Seeds

All three of these seeds contain fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3 essential fatty acids. Therefore, potential health benefits include improved digestive health, decreased inflammation, and reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. If you're interested, make sure to check out the overall benefits of a plant-based diet as well.

Flax seeds have been shown to decrease risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, autoimmune, and neurological disorders due to the presence of omega-3s, fiber, and lignans.

Chia seeds reduce risk of heart disease by decreasing blood pressure, platelet aggregation, cholesterol levels, and oxidation. They can also help reduce blood sugar, provide bulk to stool, and decrease risk of cancer by protecting the body from inflammation. These benefits are mainly due to their omega-3s, antioxidants, and fiber.

Currently, there are more animal studies than human studies done on the benefits of hemp, but the evidence we do have suggests a correlation to decreased risk of heart disease, decreased inflammation, and decreased risk of neurodegenerative disease. This makes sense as hemp seeds contain omega-3s, antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

How Do Omega-3s From Flax, Chia, and Hemp Seeds Differ From The Omega-3s in Fatty Fish?

The main difference between the omega-3 fatty acids in seeds vs fatty fish is the form. The omega-3s found in fish are in the form of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), while the omega-3s in plants and seeds are in the form of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) .

This is important to note, because while the body can convert some ALA to EPA and DHA, the conversion is often inefficient. Studies show that men convert 8% of ALA to EPA and 0-4% to DHA while women convert 21% of ALA to EPA and 9% to DHA. A theory for this is that women may have adapted to have higher conversion rates to help provide more DHA to developing babies while pregnant.

ALA is an essential fatty acid, meaning the body cannot make it and we have to consume it from food. The RDA for ALA is currently 1.6g per day for men and 1.1g per day for women.

Studies show that EPA and DHA are important for fetal development, cardiovascular health, weight management, and brain health.

There are no official recommendations for EPA and DHA currently, but most health organizations agree that 250-500 mg of EPA/DHA combined is a good amount to maintain health (and sometimes doctors will prescribe more for those with heart conditions). For pregnant women, evidence shows that at least 200mg DHA should be consumed for fetal growth and health.

I recommend that people consume flax, chia, or hemp seeds regularly for the ALA, and it may be wise for vegans and vegetarians who don't eat fish to consume an algae-based DHA supplement, especially during pregnancy and lactation.

How Do Flax, Chia, and Hemp Seeds Compare to Walnuts?

Walnuts are often grouped together with flax, chia, and hemp seeds as good sources of omega-3 fats. And while it's true that these four are the best sources of ALA (alpha linolenic acid) out of all the nuts and seeds, the three super seeds still contain the most.

For reference, most nuts and seeds have less than 50 mg of ALA per 1-oz serving. However, walnuts contain 560 mg of ALA per 1-oz serving, which is 11x more than the majority of nuts and seeds.

Nonetheless, flax, chia, and hemp seeds still contain much more ALA than walnuts, ranging from 2430-6500 mg per 1-oz serving (about 4-11x the amount in walnuts).

How Do Flax, Chia, and Hemp Seeds Compare to Other Common Edible Seeds?

Unlike flax, chia, and hemp seeds, other edible seeds tend to be low in ALA (or plant-based omega-3s). Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds have 50 mg or less ALA per ounce while sesame seeds have about 110 mg ALA per ounce (compared to 6500 mg per ounce in flax seeds).

These other seeds also have a slightly lower ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids compared to flax, chia, and hemp seeds. As far as protein content, all of the seeds range from 6-10g of protein per ounce, with pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds being highest in protein.

Vegan Flax Seed Recipes

Flax Seed Pudding

Although it's more common to see chia seed puddings, it's totally possible to make a flax seed pudding as well. This one by Wholly Tasteful is super easy to make.

Seedy Power Cookies

These energy cookies by A Virtual Vegan are made with flax seeds and have several other healthy whole food ingredients including hemp seeds and walnuts.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Balls

These oatmeal peanut butter balls by Veggie Inspired are made with both flax seeds and hemp seeds with a few other healthy whole foods.

Vegan Chia Seed Recipes

Banana Chia Pudding

This banana chia pudding by The Cookie Dough Diaries is a classic. There's 2 tablespoons of chia seeds in each serving and it also has the option to add hemp seeds.

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

If chocolate is more your thing, this chocolate chia pudding by Eating By Elaine is an easy and delicious way to add more chia seeds into your diet.

Blueberry Chia Jam

This blueberry chia jam by Strength and Sunshine is so simple -- just chia seeds, blueberries, and an optional sweetener.

Vegan Hemp Seed Recipes

Hemp Seed Pesto

This nut-free hemp seed pesto by Eating By Elaine is only 4 ingredients (plus salt) and is super easy to make.

Hemp Seed Dressing

This simple hemp seed dressing by Veggie Inspired is made with fresh herbs, lemon, dairy-free yogurt, hemp seeds, and spices.

How To Add More Flax, Chia, and Hemp Seeds Into Your Diet

Aside from the recipes above, there are plenty of ways to add in more of these super seeds into our meals. We can add them into oatmeal, yogurt, salads, smoothies, sandwiches, dressings, and baked goods.

To add more of these seeds into my toddler's diet, I sprinkle them onto cut up banana pieces or add them to oatmeal, pancakes, and smoothies.

Flax Seeds vs Chia Seeds vs Hemp Seeds: Which Seed Is The Healthiest?

All three seeds have health benefits and contain protein, fiber, healthy fats, omega-3s, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They are all a great addition to our diets and should be included on a regular basis.

The major difference is that flax seeds provide the most omega-3s, hemp seeds provide the most protein and micronutrients, and chia seeds provide the most fiber (and are a close second for omega-3s).