Flaxseed has long been used as a gentle and natural relief for constipation, but we have since discovered that it has a whole host of other benefits for bowel health. Here are six reasons for including flaxseed in your daily diet, with some hot tips to help you get it right.

1. Flaxseed for fibre

One of the reasons why flaxseed is so good for our gut is thanks to its high fibre content. A lovely source of both soluble and insoluble fibre, it is a great addition for digestive support. Most of us struggle to get the daily recommended fibre intake of 30g. Flaxseed is a great way to add a big boost of fibre to your diet. Just one tablespoon (a 20g serving ) will hit your diet with 5g of the stuff. (1)

Hot tip no. 1 – add a tablespoon of milled flaxseed to your daily diet. Try it on breakfast, added to soups or baked into healthy muffins or snacks.

2. A natural laxative

Flaxseed contains a particular type of fibre that can soften the stool and act as a natural laxative to help relieve constipation. This mucilage fibre forms a gel when combined with water to help keep things soft and moving well (2)

Hot tip no 2. – have a glass of water or herbal tea with any meals containing milled flaxseed to help maximise the beneficial soluble fibre effects.

3. Soothes and calms

The mucilage fibre we heard about above is thought to help support and protect the lining of our gut, helping to soothe mucus membranes and reduce irritation.

However, it is recommended that flaxseed is not taken during a flare-up of IBD as this can exacerbate symptoms in some people, so take it easy. (3)

Hot tip no. 3 – start slowly and build up gradually. Start with a teaspoonful of milled flaxseed every other day and build up slowly to see if it works for you.

4. Whole, milled or flaxseed oil?

Put it like this – whole flaxseed will come out the way it goes in. It cannot be broken down in our digestive tract, so is of little benefit to digestion. A better way to consume your daily flaxseed is in its milled form. This way the little seed has been cracked open to allow your body to access all the nutrition it contains, including the soluble fibre. Some people take flaxseed oil, but taken this way you will miss out on so much  nutrition  that flaxseed has to offer.

Hot tip no. 4 – consume flaxseed in its milled form for optimal benefits.

5. Friendly for your microbiome 

We have heard all the talk about probiotics and how important these friendly bacteria are for our health, far beyond our digestive tract. Flaxseeds have been shown to help support a healthy balance of the goodies in our gut microbiome, supporting levels of probiotic bacteria like the Lactobacillus species, Bifidobacteria family as well as less well known species like Akkermansia, which  is an important bug to help support mucus production for a healthy gut lining. (4,5)

Hot tip no. 5 – add flaxseed to a probiotic yoghurt for a double whammy, you’ll get a prebiotic (flaxseed) and a probiotic in one hit.

6. A low FODMAP fibre

If you are following a low FODMAP diet, you might be struggling to get enough fibre. Adding some flaxseed to your diet  can help. Just remember to start slowly and build your levels up if you are not used to having flax in your diet.

Hot tip no. 6 – flaxseed crackers are a great addition to a low FODMAP diet and will help increase interest and variety. You’ll find lots of great recipes online here: www.linwoodshealthfoods.com.

Jane McClenaghan BScHons, DipION

BANT registered Nutritional Therapist

References:

1. https://linwoodshealthfoods.com/product/milled-organic-flaxseed/
2. Goyal A, Sharma V, Upadhyay N, Gill S, Sihag M. Flax and flaxseed oil: an ancient medicine & modern functional food. J Food Sci Technol. 2014 Sep;51(9):1633-53. doi: 10.1007/s13197-013-1247-9. Epub 2014 Jan 10. PMID: 25190822; PMCID: PMC4152533
3. Palla AH, Gilani AU, Bashir S, Ur Rehman N. Multiple Mechanisms of Flaxseed: Effectiveness in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020 Jul 12;2020:7974835. doi: 10.1155/2020/7974835. PMID: 32765633; PMCID: PMC7374215.
4. Brahe LK, et al. Dietary modulation of the gut microbiota – a randomised controlled trial in obese postmenopausal women. Br J Nutr. 2015 Jul 2:1-12
5. https://atlasbiomed.com/blog/what-is-akkermansia/
6. https://centerforfunctionalmedicine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Overview-of-the-Low-FODMAP-Diet_BRFINAL.pdf

This article from Linwoods is published by Bladder & Bowel UK as part of a promotional agreement. 

Get in touch with us

Bladder & Bowel UK have information about a wide range of bladder and bowel conditions for children and for adults on our website. For free confidential advice and support please contact our helpline via the webform or on phone number 0161 214 4591.

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We know that constipation is a common problem in childhood and once established treatment with laxatives will almost certainly be required to help resolve the problem. However, what we also know is that there are things that can be done to both reduce the incidence of constipation and help to stop it happening again once the child has been successfully treated.

The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) has identified that most people do not eat enough dietary fibre. As a low fibre intake may be one of the contributary factors for children developing constipation, it is important to ensure children have an appropriate intake of fibre for their age. The recommended average daily intake for fibre is 30g for adults however children will need proportionally less. The BNF recommended amounts are: 15g/day for children aged 2-5 years, 20g/day for children aged 5-11 years, 25g/day for children aged 11-16 years and 30g/day for adolescents aged 16-18 years. For preschool children, introduction of more fibre should be done gradually.

How Sorbitol helps children’s digestive health

Foods that are high in fibre include fruit, vegetables, pulses and whole-grain breads and cereals. It is suggested that those fruits containing sorbitol should be particularly encouraged.

Sorbitol is a type of carbohydrate which is a water-soluble compound that occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables. It helps keep the poo soft by drawing water into the bowel thereby helping prevent constipation. Sorbitol is found in dried fruits, fruit with stones and in apples and pears. It is also commercially produced from glucose for use in packaged foods and beverages to provide sweetness, texture and moisture retention.

Recommended amount of water

As milk can fill children up and reduce their solid food intake they should be limited to around a pint (500mls) per day. Food should be eaten at regular mealtimes and children should be drinking around six to eight glasses of water-based drinks per day. Drinking just before eating may reduce the appetite, so offer drinks after meals rather than before. For children who find it difficult to increase the amount they drink, try to include foods that contain a high-water content, such as gravy, sauces, soup, jelly and ice lollies.

The correct position

Ensuring a correct position on the toilet will also help with bowel movements. A toilet seat reducer for smaller children will be beneficial as it allows the child to sit comfortably without the fear of ‘falling in’. A step or stool, which enables the feet to be flat with the knees higher than the hips, is also recommended. For younger children try and encourage sitting on the potty or toilet about 15 -20 minutes after meals to help establish a regular pattern of bowel movements.

Although dietary changes can help prevent constipation once constipation is established then dietary changes alone will not resolve the problem and treatment with laxatives is always recommended. If you feel your child does have a problem with constipation, then do seek further advice from your doctor or nurse.

Further information on preventing constipation in children

For further information please contact our Bladder & Bowel UK confidential helpline via email: bbuk@disabledliving.co.uk or call us on: 0161 214 4591.

For further information about Bladder & Bowel UK services and resources visit our website at www.bbuk.org.uk

To see the full range of Bladder & bowel UK information leaflets about children and young people’s bladder and bowel issues, including digestive health, visit https://www.bbuk.org.uk/children-young-people/children-resources/

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To maintain or achieve a healthy bowel, it is important to eat meals regularly to boost metabolism, ideally three a day. Food choices are important in the maintenance of a healthy bowel.

A healthy metabolism will promote a healthy weight, overall health and wellbeing. Eating breakfast everyday will boost your metabolism and aid overall health of your digestive system.

The bowel needs fibre to assist with production of a healthy stool / poo and to stimulate a bowel movement.

Fibre rich foods include:

• Wholegrains including breakfast cereals, whole wheat pasta and rice, wholegrain bread and oats
• Fruit such as berries, pears,  melon and oranges
• Vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and sweetcorn
• Peas, beans and pulses such as lentils, kidney beans and butter beans
• Nuts and seeds – including almonds, hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds
• Potatoes with skin on – boiled or baked

To increase your fibre intake you could:

• Choose a high fibre breakfast cereal e.g. wholegrain cereal like whole wheat biscuit cereal, bran flakes or porridge. Try adding some fresh fruit, dried fruit, seeds and/or nuts
• Go for wholemeal or seeded wholegrain breads
• Choose wholegrains like whole wheat pasta, bulgur wheat or brown rice
• Eat potatoes with skins on baked potato, wedges or boiled new potatoes
• For snacks try vegetable sticks, rye crackers, oatcakes, unsalted nuts or seeds
• Include plenty of vegetables with meals especially green leafy vegetables such as Kale and Spinach
• Add pulses like beans, lentils or chickpeas to stews, curries and salads

Recommended daily intake of dietary fibre for an adult is 30g per day (based on guidelines published in 2015 by Department of Health).

Other advice:

• It is important to include all food groups in all meals – protein, carbohydrates and fats
• Drink between 2-5 litres of fluid a day, water-based fluids are most healthy e.g. cordial, water
• It is also important not to defer the need to empty your bowels for too long as this can lead to constipation
• Exercise and keeping active contribute to a healthy bowel so maintaining or increase some daily activity will help prevent constipation

If you have any concerns about your bowels, including an altered bowel habit, please consult with your GP. If you want any more information, then please contact Bladder & Bowel UK helpline today.

Written by Joanne Hoyle, Specialist Nurse.

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