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Flax Three times a Day Can be Better

Background

Flaxseed has been shown in studies to lower blood glucose levels and this is now well accepted.  The study was to investigate possible benefits of spreading the intake of flax throughout the day.

Study Title: The effect of a split portion of flaxseed on 24-h blood glucose response
Design: Randomized, repeated-measures, crossover study
Participants: 15 healthy adults
Interventions:

  • 30 g flaxseed in muffins all at once (once-daily)

  • 30 g flaxseed split into three muffins eaten across the day (10 g each)

  • Control muffins with no flaxseed
    Outcome: 24-hour blood glucose measured by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)
    Key Finding:
    Those who ate flax muffins had lower glucose levels than the control group who ate muffins without flax. The group that ate 10g of flax per muffin three times per day had a significantly lower 24-h glucose profile — especially overnight — compared with the control, and those who consumed the 30g flax in a muffin once daily.

This suggests that spreading flaxseed intake across the day may help stabilise blood glucose better than eating it all at once.

The mechanism is believed to relate to flaxseed’s high fiber content and low glycemic effects, which slow carbohydrate digestion and reduce glucose fluctuations.  The effects of flax on the gut biome and production of short-chain fatty acids may also be playing a role here.

Summary

Three times daily flaxseed (10 g per dose) improved 24-hour glucose compared to the same amount in a single helping; both showed better results compared with those who ate control muffins without flax.
 Splitting flaxseed intake may stabilise glucose levels better than a single larger dose.

📄 Original Study PDF (Download)

You can download the full PDF of the published paper here:

👉 Download full study PDF – European Journal of Nutrition, Almehmadi et al. (2020)

This is the research version of the licensed journal article.

Broader Evidence on Flaxseed & Glycemic Control

Beyond this specific trial, multiple clinical studies and reviews indicate that flaxseed consumption can improve glycemic indices (like fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity) in both healthy people and those with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Results depend on the form, dose, and duration of intake.

For example:

  • Meta-analyses show flaxseed supplementation can lower fasting glucose and indicators like HOMA-IR.

  • Acute intake of 15 g ground flaxseed before a meal reduces post-meal glucose spikes in people with T2DM.