Hemp vs Flax vs Chia: Who is the Seed King?

Superfoods are blowing up. Just walk down your local grocery store and you’ll find a wide variety of different nuts, fruits, and seeds in the health section that offer large doses of protein, antioxidants, omegas, vitamins, and minerals. Among these foods, hemp, flax, and chia seeds are becoming some of the most popular items. They’re easy to add to our daily foods, quite savory, and relatively affordable.

All this sounds great – but how are they different? Are they all equally good? Is one better than the other? How do you which one is the best value? Which one do I buy?

When there’s a surplus of options, it’s easy for us to be unsure which is the best choice. From the research we’ve done, we can say that there’s no one perfect option that is the king of all superfoods. All options are great. Yet, we still want to make it easier for you to choose, depending on what you’re looking for. So here’s our breakdown of the seeds:

In our research, we broke it down to four categories:

• Taste
• Nutrition
• Price
• Ways to Eat Them

Read our review in full or check out the categories that matter to you most. Either way, we hope this post will help you get a better sense of which seed is the best choice for you.

TASTE

• HEMP

Hemp seeds have a pleasant nutty taste that could be compared to unflavored sunflower seeds, but with a much softer texture.

• FLAX

There are two different types of flaxseeds: Golden and Brown. Both of them have similar nutrition profiles. Golden flaxseeds tend to be smooth and nutty, whereas brown flaxseeds have more earthy undertones. More people tend to prefer golden to brown.

• CHIA

When eaten dry, chia tastes a bit like a poppy seed. It is dense, small and crunchy. Soaked chia seeds absorb liquid and become very plump, sweet and soft like tapioca pearls, and can be used much in the same way.

Winner: None.

There’s no seed that tastes better than the other. It’s strictly a personal preference of what taste you prefer. One thing to note is that all these seeds don’t have a strong taste. Rather, their tastes are all quite subtle. This is the reason why all of them are great as an additive. They won’t be overpowering.

NUTRITION

Hemp vs Flax vs Chia: Comparison Chart

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Winner: Hemp Seeds.

When considering nutrients across the board, hemp seeds offer the most variety. Specifically, hemp seeds offer a superior amount of protein per serving compared to its competitors. Additionally, although not noted in the table, hemp seeds offer both GLA (gamma linolenic acid) and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). GLA is a fatty acid that has anti-inflammatory properties. CLA is a building block of cell membranes.

PRICE

• Hemp – $9-$15 per lb
• Flax – $5-$10 per lb
• Chia – $4-$6 per lb

Winner: Chia Seeds.

If you’re looking for the best value, Chia seeds is your best bet. You’ll get the most amount of chia seeds for your money. However, before deciding the most volume, think about what you’re trying to gain from eating these seeds. If you’re looking for more protein, it might make sense to spend a bit more on hemp seeds as you’ll get more protein per serving.

WAYS TO EAT THEM

One of the main reasons these seeds are so popular is because they can be eaten in so many different ways. They can be considered as a seasoning or additive that you can add to your daily meals. There’s not a specific way that each seed are used. Rather, all of them can be used in similar ways. Here are some of the most popular ways add seeds into your diet:

• Eat a spoonful raw as a quick snack
• Mix them into your smoothie
• Sprinkle on top of cereal, salads, yogurt, or even oatmeal
• Substitute the seeds for breadcrumbs to coat chicken or fish
• Ground the seeds to use them as condiments

Here are some specific ways each seeds can be used:

• Hemp

– Blend with water to make hemp seed milk
– Toasted hemp seeds can be eaten like popcorn

• Chia

– Chia has a unique texture that makes it similar to tapioca (boba tea) when mixed in water. Try combining it with a chilled green tea and fruit juice.

SO WHO WINS?

It’s hard to say one type of seed is the best. It really depends on what you’re looking for.

Most nutritious? Hemp seeds
Best value? Chia seeds

But all in all, you won’t go wrong with any of these seeds. They’re all a great to add some great nutrition to our daily foods. Bon appétit!