Can Flax Cause Bloating?

[Ace-of-Steak]

Last night I made a one minute muffin for the first time in several months. I used to eat these a few times per week last year when I first started LC'ing. But I decided to cut out artificial sweeteners at the time so I ditched the muffins. For the past 9 months, my menu has been mostly: meat, eggs, cheese, butter, olive oil and a few times per week a salad. I have had exceptional results eating like this.

I decided to last night to make one of these muffins and the ingredients in it that I haven't had in 9 months were ground flax seeds, 1 packet of splenda and a 1/2 tsp of baking soda.

Shortly after eating it, I had terrible discomfort in my stomach and felt bloated to the max.

I wonder what ingredient caused this?

All I know is I will not repeat this ever again. I haven't felt that horrible since before I started this WOE when I was at my highest weight ever.

[pocahontas]

Absolutely. I cant tolerate flax.

[slimforever06]

Absolutely for me too - I cannot tolerate it

[Leo41]

Same here. I have trouble "going," and flax was suggested on these boards. While it may work that way for many people, all I get is gas and bloating--awful.

[FloridaShell]

No flax here!

[metqa]

Wow, so no grain or grain based fiber for a 3 seasons and you drop a flax bomb on yusself.
I'm not laughing at you but OUwwie. Yeah, you are gonna get bloated.

Flax is a super load of fiber. Both kinds of fiber, so while you now have a load of insoluble roughage pushing it's way through you, you've got a bucketload of insoluble fiber sucking up water and giving you a gushy smooshie texture in which to hold bubbles of air and gas and trap them as they are trying to pass through!

Ah ha ha ha, ohh, man, I'm feeling the burbles for you That doesn't mean that flax is bad thought. I remember that recipe, it calls for a LOT of flax. and your body is not used to that much. If you want to eat it, just add a teaspoon to your salad, or something where you want a bit of texture. Don't jump in with such a large amount of a powerful food like that, especially a grain/seed.

Maybe you ought freeze the rest of those and only take out one per day and just take a nibble here and there.

Feel better. You should have some interesting movements.

I used to eat 2 T per 6 oz of yogurt several times a day, but it was a regular part of my diet, and it did help with my regularity before I started using coconut oil and magnesium as regular supplements. I mostly liked the texture. but there's no need for that much fiber in one day. If you are eating them for the fiber for regularity, then just get rid of that recipe, There are better ways to move your bowels .

[TrinaBeena]

I have to drink a lot more water when I eat flax or I am the same way.

[Ace-of-Steak]

Thanks for the replies, ladies. I did some reading on flax; enough to know that I have absolutely no business associating with it ever again!

Originally Posted by metqa

Wow, so no grain or grain based fiber for a 3 seasons and you drop a flax bomb on yusself.
I'm not laughing at you but OUwwie. Yeah, you are gonna get bloated.

Flax is a super load of fiber. Both kinds of fiber, so while you now have a load of insoluble roughage pushing it's way through you, you've got a bucketload of insoluble fiber sucking up water and giving you a gushy smooshie texture in which to hold bubbles of air and gas and trap them as they are trying to pass through!

Ah ha ha ha, ohh, man, I'm feeling the burbles for you

You have quite a way with words! I like your sense of humor

I did indeed drop a flax bomb on myself and was blown to smithereens!

[metqa]

Are you surviving?

Wow, VLC for 9 months, is impressive. Great Loss!

[AllieCat0817]

I used to eat flax ALOT (Bobs Red Mill ground flaxmeal). I ate it in my yogurt and one minute muffins. It did me good. But I quit out of estrogen hormone fears.

The other day I added just 2 tb to my morning yogurt and I was in BAD SHAPE the entire day. Tummy was a freakin mess, yeah bloated and all that. Guess I can't eat flax anymore.

[jacky_ks]

I have to drink boatloads of water when I eat flax. If I don't, I get that bloated discomfort feeling bad!

Maybe just add a tablespoon in with something else once or twice a week to start.

What are the estrogen fears AllieCat??

[Faia]

This is from memory, so may be incomplete...

But from what I have read, fiber can expand up to 4x inside the digestive tract after eating, one contributor to bloating. Soluble fiber will tend to ferment, giving off gas, in the lower digestive tract, a second contributor to bloating.

[AllieCat0817]

I do not even remember the specifics @ the estrogen. I know there are possible hormonal effects for hypothyroid (which I am) but I can't remember any specifics...

[jacksmixedtape]

I can't handle much flax either. My tummy protests!

[Nitebreez]

Absolutely NO flax here,...just can't do it. But then again,..I seem to have a very delicate system for much of anything. Thank goodness my "system" loves the low-carb life. I can't even do most veggies (even the very low-carb types like green beans). Just a tiny bit, and that's it for me. I must say, that since I've been doing low-carb (and VLC mostly)....I have felt soooo much better than I ever have before. So I can do without flax.

[verbqueen]

On my first round with Atkins, I ate those flax muffins all the time. I was struggling with what to eat for breakfast, since I strongly dislike eggs. I don't recall having any problem with them at all. BUT, I imagine my body was used to lots of fiber, since I had just switched to the low carb lifestyle.

This time, I'm like you--I've been eating very low carb for three months, with very little if any fiber. I was kind of contemplating making some of the muffins just for fun, but I think I'll learn from your suffering, and just say no. Thanks for serving as my "terrible example"!

[metqa]

Take a clear glass and fill it with water then stir in a teaspoon of ground flax, then sit and wait. You will see how much water it absorbs and how thick it gets.

If I didn't eat my flax 'n yogurt within 5 minutes of mixing it, it would turn to glue. Great Fiber , but only if you are used to it.

After 10 minutes go look at that glass and see an example of what's going on inside of you. If your body is not used to that, you could imagine how shocked it might be!

[Ace-of-Steak]

Yes, I'm feeling much better now... thanks.

It took about 2 days to get past the misery. All I've eaten over the past 2 days were 4 beautiful and fatty steaks - which, of course, I had no problems with

[jem51]

i was on the flax train here a few years ago when it was 'the thing'.
not anymore!! all those lignans and other such fiber; not for me!

[lighterbeing]

I love flax seeds, no problem for me. I just made the muffin recipe into a flat little loaf, double recipe. I use half ground flax and half ground almonds. I spread it with cream cheese, it is as good as any bread to me. However, I do not lose weight on the days I eat this...but tomorrow is another day!

[jasper]

wow, this is amazing. I have been taking 2 teaspoons of ground flax in my cereal every morning. I used to drink a lot of water while I was on the flax, but I haven't been drinking as much. Boy, am I ever bloated. But I had no idea that the flax could be causing this bloating. It was actually getting quite embaressing. I am so glad I looked it up on the internet. I am hyopthyroid as well, and ever since I have been taking flax, my levels are all over the place. I couldn't figure out what was going on. My levels had remained the same for years. This all started since I started the flax. I think I may need to take a break from the flax. Although it has a lot of benefits, I don't think it is for me anymore. I haven't taken a break from flax for over a year, so I will take a break now and see what my body thinks. I truly hope stopping the flax, gets rid of all the gas and bloating. wish me luck