Flaxseeds vs. Edamame
Nutrition comparison of Flaxseeds and Edamame
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
flaxseeds
versus
edamame
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in flaxseeds and edamame:
- Both edamame and flaxseeds are high in calcium, calories, dietary fiber, iron, potassium and protein.
- Edamame has 4.9 times less saturated fat than flaxseed.
- Edamame has 69% less carbohydrates than flaxseed.
- Flaxseed has more thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6, however, edamame contains more folate.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Flaxseeds (Seeds, flaxseed) and Edamame (Edamame, frozen, prepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both edamame and flaxseeds are high in calories. Flaxseed has 341% more calories than edamame - edamame has 121 calories per 100 grams and flaxseed has 534 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, flaxseeds is much lighter in protein, lighter in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to edamame per calorie. Flaxseeds has a macronutrient ratio of 13:20:67 and for edamame, 37:27:36 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Flaxseeds | Edamame | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 13% | 37% |
| Carbohydrates | 20% | 27% |
| Fat | 67% | 36% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Edamame has 69% less carbohydrates than flaxseed - edamame has 8.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and flaxseed has 28.9g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in edamame are made of 58% dietary fiber, 25% sugar and 17% starch, whereas the carbs in flaxseeds comprise of 95% dietary fiber and 5% sugar.
dietary fiber
Both edamame and flaxseeds are high in dietary fiber. Flaxseed has 425% more dietary fiber than edamame - edamame has 5.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and flaxseed has 27.3g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Edamame and flaxseeds contain similar amounts of sugar - edamame has 2.2g of sugar per 100 grams and flaxseed has 1.6g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Both edamame and flaxseeds are high in protein. Flaxseed has 54% more protein than edamame - edamame has 11.9g of protein per 100 grams and flaxseed has 18.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Edamame has 4.9 times less saturated fat than flaxseed - edamame has 0.62g of saturated fat per 100 grams and flaxseed has 3.7g of saturated fat.
trans fat
Both edamame and flaxseeds are low in trans fat - edamame has 0.01g of trans fat per 100 grams and flaxseed does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Edamame has 917% more Vitamin C than flaxseed - edamame has 6.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and flaxseed has 0.6mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Edamame has more Vitamin A than flaxseed - edamame has 15ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and flaxseed does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Edamame and flaxseeds contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - edamame has 0.68mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and flaxseed has 0.31mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Edamame has 521% more Vitamin K than flaxseed - edamame has 26.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and flaxseed has 4.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Flaxseed has more thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6, however, edamame contains more folate. Both flaxseeds and edamame contain significant amounts of riboflavin.
| Flaxseeds | Edamame | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 1.644 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.161 MG | 0.155 MG |
| Niacin | 3.08 MG | 0.915 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.985 MG | 0.395 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.473 MG | 0.1 MG |
| Folate | 87 UG | 311 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both edamame and flaxseeds are high in calcium. Flaxseed has 305% more calcium than edamame - edamame has 63mg of calcium per 100 grams and flaxseed has 255mg of calcium.
iron
Both edamame and flaxseeds are high in iron. Flaxseed has 152% more iron than edamame - edamame has 2.3mg of iron per 100 grams and flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron.
potassium
Both edamame and flaxseeds are high in potassium. Flaxseed has 86% more potassium than edamame - edamame has 436mg of potassium per 100 grams and flaxseed has 813mg 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,
| Flaxseeds | Edamame | |
|---|---|---|
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 651 UG | 1619 UG |
| beta-carotene | ~ | 175 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than edamame per 100 grams.
| Flaxseeds | Edamame | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 22.813 G | 0.358 G |
| EPA | ~ | 0.003 G |
| Total | 22.813 G | 0.361 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, flaxseed has more linoleic acid than edamame per 100 grams.
| Flaxseeds | Edamame | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.007 G | 0.002 G |
| linoleic acid | 5.903 G | 1.792 G |
| Total | 5.91 G | 1.794 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 Flaxseeds or Edamame .
Flaxseeds g
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Daily Values (%) |
Edamame g
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
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| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does edamame or flaxseeds contain more calories in 100 grams?Both edamame and flaxseeds are high in calories. Flaxseed has 340% more calories than edamame - edamame has 121 calories in 100g and flaxseed has 534 calories.
Is edamame or flaxseeds better for protein?
Both edamame and flaxseeds are high in protein. Flaxseed has 50% more protein than edamame - edamame has 11.9g of protein per 100 grams and flaxseed has 18.3g of protein.
Does edamame or flaxseeds contain more calcium?
Both edamame and flaxseeds are high in calcium. Flaxseed has 310% more calcium than edamame - edamame has 63mg of calcium in 100 grams and flaxseed has 255mg of calcium.
Does edamame or flaxseeds contain more iron?
Both edamame and flaxseeds are high in iron. Flaxseed has 150% more iron than edamame - edamame has 2.3mg of iron in 100 grams and flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron.
Does edamame or flaxseeds contain more potassium?
Both edamame and flaxseeds are high in potassium. Flaxseed has 90% more potassium than edamame - edamame has 436mg of potassium in 100 grams and flaxseed has 813mg of potassium.