Skip to content

Take the guesswork out of eating right with new meal plan recipes.

Content starts here

CLOSE ×

Red Membership Card

AARP MEMBERSHIP

Join AARP for just $15 for your first year when you sign up for automatic renewal. Gain instant access to exclusive products, hundreds of discounts and services, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine.

Fuel Your Day With Flaxseed

These tiny but mighty seeds are nutritional powerhouses

By

Staying Sharp

Updated June 13, 2024

Updated June 13, 2024

A bowl of golden linseed and shovel on green wood

Westend61/Getty Images

Quick Win

Sprinkle some mild-tasting flaxseed on your meals for an instant nutrient boost.

Try This Today

Purchase flaxseed from your grocery store. It’s usually in the baking aisle or near the oatmeal. You can choose whole seeds or ground flaxseed (also called milled flaxseed or flax meal). Ground flaxseed is easier for your body to digest and therefore may provide more nutrients, but it's also more prone to spoiling. (Storing it in the fridge or freezer can help prevent this.)
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed onto your breakfast; its mild, nutty flavor works well in cereal, oatmeal, smoothies or even omelets.
Try baking scones or muffins with flaxseed.

Why

Flaxseed offers fiber, plus it’s also a vegetarian source of omega-3 fatty acids, a type of dietary fat linked to healthy brain aging, according to AARP’s Global Council on Brain Health 2018 report “Brain Food.” In a study that followed 40 healthy, cognitively normal adults (average age 76) for two years, higher intake of omega-3s was associated with better memory, processing speed and white matter volume. Participants received cognitive tests, MRIs and blood draws several times during the study, published in 2023 in Brain Sciences.

You’ve reached content that’s exclusive to AARP members.

To continue, you’ll need to become an AARP member. Join now, and you’ll have access to all the great content and features in Staying Sharp, plus more AARP member benefits.

Already a member? Login

Privacy Policy Terms of Service Legal Disclaimer

Legal Disclaimer

Best Of

More From Staying Sharp

Is It Worth Getting Your Microbiome Tested?

Your gut microbiome may influence your mood and more

A close-up view of raw artichokes with olive oil and spices on a wooden background

7 Foods That Fight Inflammation

These delicious foods may protect your brain

A close up of Asian green curry with coconut milk in a pan

A Plant-Based Diet's Impact on Brain Health

Plant-based eating takes planning to get all nutrients needed

Most Popular

Benefits Recommended For You

Legal Disclaimer: Staying Sharp, including all content and features, is offered for informational purposes and to educate users on brain health care and medical issues that may affect their daily lives. Staying Sharp is based on a holistic, lifestyle approach to brain health that encourages users to incorporate into their daily lives activities that are associated with general wellness. Nothing in the service should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Features including the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins, Additional Tests, exercises, and challenges assess performance at a particular moment in time on certain discrete cognitive tasks. Staying Sharp games are intended for entertainment and recreational purposes only. Various factors may affect performance, including sleep, tiredness, focus, and other social, environmental, or emotional factors. Performance is not indicative of cognitive health and not predictive of future performance or medical conditions.

Unused AARP Rewards points expire 12 months after they are earned, in monthly batches on a rolling basis.