Is Flaxseed (alsi) safe during pregnancy?
Nuts & seeds Also called Tishi (Bengali); Ali vidai (Tamil); Avise ginzalu (Telugu); Jawas (Marathi); Cheruchana vithu (Malayalam); Agasi (Kannada); Adsi (Gujarati).
Official sources differ
The official sources below do not agree, so each position is shown with who holds it.[1,2]
- NIH NCCIH: Flaxseed is possibly unsafe in pregnancy, but the evidence is not conclusive.
- ICMR-NIN: Shows flax seeds among omega-3-rich foods on its pregnancy page.
What official sources say
NIH NCCIH: Herbs at a Glance: flaxseed-and-flaxseed-oil
ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024
- Chia seeds, mackerel, tuna and flax seeds are shown as foods rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (LCn-3PUFA). (p. 19)[2]
Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)
| Energy | 534 kcal |
| Protein | 18.29 g |
| Fibre | 27.3 g |
| Sugars | 1.55 g |
| Iron | 5.73 mg |
| Calcium | 255 mg |
| Folate (DFE) | 87 µg |
| Folate, total | 87 µg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 0 µg |
| Vitamin C | 0.6 mg |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg |
| Choline | 78.7 mg |
| DHA (omega-3) | 0 g |
| EPA (omega-3) | 0 g |
| Caffeine | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 30 mg |
USDA FoodData Central: Seeds, flaxseed (FDC ID 169414), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.
Sources
- NIH NCCIH: Herbs at a Glance: flaxseed-and-flaxseed-oil · nccih.nih.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
- ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 · nin.res.in. Printed page 19. Paraphrased and cited by printed page; the text is not reproduced.
Sources checked 26 September 2026.
Quotes are checked word for word against each source page, and paraphrases against the original text. Official bodies are named as sources only: none of them reviewed or endorses this page.
Educational information, not medical advice. Your own doctor or midwife may advise differently for you — follow their advice.