Boosting Nutrition with Flaxseed

As discussed, wheat germ is a great way to ensure that your kids are getting the nutrients they need for optimal growth and development – particularly if they are finicky eaters! Flaxseed is considered to be another such “Superfood.”

A KidNutriYum reader has asked me “which is better?” The answer; they’re different and contain their own set of nutrients. With a well balanced diet, these nutrients are derived from the foods we eat. However, the average Canadian child is picky and tends not to eat a varied enough diet for these Superfoods not to add some added value to their nutrition.

First and foremost, it is important to note that the best way to get the nutrients from flax is to consume the milled flax seed. Whole flaxseeds will pass through your system undigested and therefore the only way to derive the benefits of this food is to either buy them pre-ground or grind them yourselves.

Wheat germ contains a significant amount of fiber and is a good source of folic acid, amongst a host of other nutrients. The biggest difference is that Flaxseed is the best source of ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid. With just 1 tbsp. of flaxseed, we can get our daily ALA requirements, and a tsp of ground flaxseed is sufficient for a toddler. Note that Flaxseed also has a high fiber content so introduce it gradually to your children (and yourselves for that matter). Flaxseed is also a good source of most B vitamins, magnesium, manganese, potassium, etc. and not to mention protein.

It is worth mentioning as a side note that flaxseed may inhibit the absorption of medication and is not recommended for breastfeeding or pregnant women. To read more about this please visit: http://www.enotalone.com/article/9291.html.

There are an endless number of easy ways that we can add wheat germ and flaxseed to our diets, and here’s a great recipe to get you started:http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/flaxseed-wheat-germ-chicken It’s so easy to improve a child’s diet by simply sprinkling these Superfoods into their cereals, yogurts, etc. So please add flaxseed to your grocery list and get started today – improving your children’s nutrition is as easy as that!