Ground flaxseed contains beneficial fatty acids, but it also contains a substance called linamarin, which the body converts into hydrogen cyanide and sometimes prussic acid. Hydrogen cyanide, in turn, can induce vomiting or even worse symptoms, according to the Swedish National Food Agency’s warning.
The agency recommends avoiding ground flaxseed completely, though whole flaxseed is still fine to eat, as long as you don’t excede one to two tablespoons of whole flaxseeds per day.
Currently, flaxseed sits on store shelves around the world without any warnings or recommendations at all. And since flaxseed is a natural product and largely unregulated by governments such as the United States, it seems important to stay on the safe side and follow the Swedish National Food Agency’s findings.
I, for one, am going to just sprinkle some whole flaxseeds onto my cereal in the morning. That way I’ll still get all of the benefits, but none of the hydrogen cyanide.
Do you eat ground flaxseed? Share this warning with others so they can also know how dangerous it is to their stomach!
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