Ground Flaxseed Meal Vs. Flour

With its mild, nutty flavor, ground flaxseed meal makes a welcome addition to a range of dishes, including smoothies and baked goods. Flaxseed meal can substitute for some of the flour in your meals -- up to one-third of your recipe's flour content, according to North Dakota State University. Using flaxseed in place of flour changes the nutritional value of your meal, with flax offering some health benefits and some disadvantages compared to wheat flour.

Flaxseed meal offers a nutritional leg up over flour when it comes to its lipid and protein content. It contains omega-3 fatty acids -- a type of fat that reduces inflammation, fights cardiovascular disease and promotes healthy brain function -- not found in flour. It also contains 5 grams of protein per quarter-cup serving, compared to 4 grams in an equivalent serving of whole-wheat flour. Consuming protein keeps your tissues strong, promotes bone health and maintains your hormone balance.

Flaxseed meal also offers advantages over flour due to its fiber content. Each quarter-cup serving of flax meal contains 7.6 grams of dietary fiber -- one-fifth of the daily fiber intake recommendation for men and 29 percent for women, according to the Institute of Medicine. An equivalent serving of whole-wheat flour provides just 3.2 grams of fiber. The increased fiber content of flax meal keeps your stomach full for longer after your meal to suppress hunger, and also helps control your blood sugar levels and prevent cardiovascular disease.

Flour serves as a better source of minerals, including selenium and manganese, than flaxseed meal. A quarter-cup serving of whole-wheat flour provides 19 micrograms of selenium, or 35 percent of the recommended daily intake, as well as 1.2 milligrams of manganese -- 52 percent of the recommended daily intake for men and 67 percent for women, according to the Institute of Medicine. An equivalent serving of ground flaxseed meal contains just 7 micrograms of selenium and 0.7 milligrams of manganese. Selenium promotes a healthy immune system, aids in blood vessel function and nourishes your thyroid gland, while manganese supports wound healing and fuels your metabolism.

Flour also contains more vitamins than ground flaxseed meal, and serves as an especially rich source of niacin. The niacin from your diet helps your body cope with stress, allows for cellular communication and aids in new cell growth. A quarter-cup serving of whole-wheat flour contains 1.5 milligrams of niacin -- 9 and 11 percent of the recommended daily intake for men and women, respectively, set by the Institute of Medicine. Ground flaxseed meal contains much less niacin, at 0.9 milligrams per quarter-cup serving.