Whole Wheat Flour vs. Flaxseeds
Nutrition comparison of Whole Wheat Flour and Flaxseeds
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
whole wheat flour
versus
flaxseeds
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in whole wheat flour and flaxseeds:
- Both whole wheat flour and flaxseeds are high in calories, dietary fiber, iron, potassium and protein.
- Flaxseed has more thiamin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Flaxseed is an excellent source of calcium.
- Whole wheat flour has 7.5 times less saturated fat than flaxseed.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Whole Wheat Flour (Wheat flour, whole-grain, soft wheat) and Flaxseeds (Seeds, flaxseed) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both whole wheat flour and flaxseeds are high in calories. Flaxseed has 61% more calories than whole wheat flour - whole wheat flour has 332 calories per 100 grams and flaxseed has 534 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, whole wheat flour is much heavier in carbs, much lighter in fat and similar to flaxseeds for protein. Whole wheat flour has a macronutrient ratio of 11:84:5 and for flaxseeds, 13:20:67 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Whole Wheat Flour | Flaxseeds | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 11% | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 84% | 20% |
| Fat | 5% | 67% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Whole wheat flour is high in carbohydrates and flaxseed has 61% less carbohydrates than whole wheat flour - whole wheat flour has 74.5g of total carbs per 100 grams and flaxseed has 28.9g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both whole wheat flour and flaxseeds are high in dietary fiber. Flaxseed has 108% more dietary fiber than whole wheat flour - whole wheat flour has 13.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and flaxseed has 27.3g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Whole wheat flour and flaxseeds contain similar amounts of sugar - whole wheat flour has 1g of sugar per 100 grams and flaxseed has 1.6g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Both whole wheat flour and flaxseeds are high in protein. Flaxseed has 90% more protein than whole wheat flour - whole wheat flour has 9.6g of protein per 100 grams and flaxseed has 18.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Whole wheat flour has 7.5 times less saturated fat than flaxseed - whole wheat flour has 0.43g of saturated fat per 100 grams and flaxseed has 3.7g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Flaxseeds and whole wheat flour contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - flaxseed has 0.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and whole wheat flour does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Whole wheat flour and flaxseeds contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - whole wheat flour has 2.7ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and flaxseed does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Whole wheat flour and flaxseeds contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - whole wheat flour has 0.53mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and flaxseed has 0.31mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Whole wheat flour and flaxseeds contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - whole wheat flour has 1.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and flaxseed has 4.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Flaxseed has more thiamin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both whole wheat flour and flaxseeds contain significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
| Whole Wheat Flour | Flaxseeds | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.297 MG | 1.644 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.188 MG | 0.161 MG |
| Niacin | 5.347 MG | 3.08 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 1.011 MG | 0.985 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.191 MG | 0.473 MG |
| Folate | 28 UG | 87 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Flaxseed is an excellent source of calcium and it has 673% more calcium than whole wheat flour - whole wheat flour has 33mg of calcium per 100 grams and flaxseed has 255mg of calcium.
iron
Both whole wheat flour and flaxseeds are high in iron. Flaxseed has 54% more iron than whole wheat flour - whole wheat flour has 3.7mg of iron per 100 grams and flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron.
potassium
Both whole wheat flour and flaxseeds are high in potassium. Flaxseed has 106% more potassium than whole wheat flour - whole wheat flour has 394mg 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,
| Whole Wheat Flour | Flaxseeds | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 5 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 220 UG | 651 UG |
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 Wheat Flour or Flaxseeds .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Whole Wheat Flour (Wheat flour, whole-grain, soft wheat) and Flaxseeds (Seeds, flaxseed) .
Whole Wheat Flour g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Flaxseeds g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does whole wheat flour or flaxseeds contain more calories in 100 grams?Both whole wheat flour and flaxseeds are high in calories. Flaxseed has 60% more calories than whole wheat flour - whole wheat flour has 332 calories in 100g and flaxseed has 534 calories.
Does whole wheat flour or flaxseeds have more carbohydrates?
By weight, whole wheat flour is high in carbohydrates and flaxseed has 60% fewer carbohydrates than whole wheat flour - whole wheat flour has 74.5g of carbs for 100g and flaxseed has 28.9g of carbohydrates.
Does whole wheat flour or flaxseeds contain more calcium?
Flaxseed is a rich source of calcium and it has 670% more calcium than whole wheat flour - whole wheat flour has 33mg of calcium in 100 grams and flaxseed has 255mg of calcium.
Does whole wheat flour or flaxseeds contain more iron?
Both whole wheat flour and flaxseeds are high in iron. Flaxseed has 50% more iron than whole wheat flour - whole wheat flour has 3.7mg of iron in 100 grams and flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron.
Does whole wheat flour or flaxseeds contain more potassium?
Both whole wheat flour and flaxseeds are high in potassium. Flaxseed has 110% more potassium than whole wheat flour - whole wheat flour has 394mg of potassium in 100 grams and flaxseed has 813mg of potassium.