Flax Seeds: How bad if?

GardeniaD

I am 5 weeks pregnant. I ate today flax seed bread loaf (unkowingly) at my neighbor's breakfst party. How bad is flax seeds to early pregnancy? I heard TTC and pregnants should avoiud it. But would what I ate have caused damage? 

Btw, I have cramps now more than the usual ones.

mben1119

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/991.html

You're most likely okay. Just don't eat it a lot.

ETA: Your cramps are most likely psychosomatic, because you are thinking you did something to harm your baby. Just relax.

GardeniaD

Thank you so much mabenar... I needed a voice of reason here. My mind was saying can't harm by one time, heart beating fast with the cramps and assuming worst! Thanks again.

Whitney915

Thanks for that information, mabenner1!  I like putting flax on my oatmeal -- I guess not anymore, I had no idea!

drpayne

jrtmom:

Flax seeds were not on the list of items to avoid given by my doctor.  I don't think I have eaten any, but why are they bad?

 

Flax mimics estrogen (similar to soy).  It can mess with your hormones.

workerbee82

so if flax mimics estrogen, similar to soy, is it bad that i ate an entire bowl of soybeans with grated cheese (because i love edamame)?
I did not know flax was bad for you if you are pregnant.

IS there a VALID list somewher of foods to avoid? There is SO much misinformation out there (including, i'm sorry to say, on TB).

I mean, why is putting your arms over your head when you are pregnant bad?   Soft cheese (okay I get the unpasteurized part--but most store cheeses are pasteurized). Lunch meat? Cookie dough? A girl's gotta live.
And believe me, i eat pretty healthy stuff. It's not all lunch meat and cookie dough.

lmb5109

I take a flaxseed pill every morning for my Crohn's disease. I told my OB & my high risk OB and neither said anything about stop taking it. 

drpayne

workerbee82:

so if flax mimics estrogen, similar to soy, is it bad that i ate an entire bowl of soybeans with grated cheese (because i love edamame)?
I did not know flax was bad for you if you are pregnant.

IS there a VALID list somewher of foods to avoid? There is SO much misinformation out there (including, i'm sorry to say, on TB).

I mean, why is putting your arms over your head when you are pregnant bad?   Soft cheese (okay I get the unpasteurized part--but most store cheeses are pasteurized). Lunch meat? Cookie dough? A girl's gotta live.
And believe me, i eat pretty healthy stuff. It's not all lunch meat and cookie dough.

I think if you keep everything in moderation, you're okay.  The thing with flax is that some people take supplements every day and they'd be better off getting omega 3's from another source.  I don't buy things that have soy as a main ingredient but if you read labels, you'll see it's tough to avoid entirely because it's in EVERYTHING (ie turkey bacon!).  Have you ever had food poisoning from soft cheese/lunch meat/eggs?   I have not. The risk with certain foods is listeria and/or salmonella.... but the odds are very low that you'd ever have an issue.    The last time I heard about a listeria outbreak it was from spinach (or lettuce), not lunch meat, so should pregnant women not eat salads?  Or drive cars? See what I mean?  Don't eat food from shady places or sandwiches that are prepared ahead of time.  I'll admit I'm on the lenient end of the spectrum.  I really didn't cut out much last time.  I ate sushi.  I drink a little wine.  Just don't overdo anything

FirefightersBride

I try and eat a tablespoon of flax every day...helps my digestion to actually function half straight.

GardeniaD

Great discussion gooing on here. Thanks all you who replied. Drpayne, thanks again for your advice here. I agree although I got a scare in the morning!

But I join my voice to asking if there is a really really important list of things to avoid. If there isn't anything given out there or by our DR, means just teh moderation tip prevails, or what?

MangomamaFL

"It is probably safe for most pregnant women to take flaxseed, especially when consumed in normal dietary amounts. However, if you are pregnant, you should probably check with your healthcare provider before consuming large amounts of flaxseed."

 

Source:  https://cholesterol.emedtv.com/flaxseed/flaxseed-and-pregnancy.html

 

 

GardeniaD

Mangomama, thank you so much, was good tip.

I guess what I come up with from this discussion and readings is that I fine for the amount I ate and even if I ate occasionally. As I am not intending to eat large amounts of flaxseed (not big fan or urgent need) I will not bother ask DR (especially there is no determinant reseach yet.

Thanks everyone again.  

drpayne

GardeniaD:

Great discussion gooing on here. Thanks all you who replied. Drpayne, thanks again for your advice here. I agree although I got a scare in the morning!

But I join my voice to asking if there is a really really important list of things to avoid. If there isn't anything given out there or by our DR, means just teh moderation tip prevails, or what?

Honestly, I think it depends who you ask and what your own comfort level is.  Some docs and patients are more conservative than others. I'm big on moderation as far as foods go. I'd never heat my lunch meat (ew) but a lot of ladies do.  If I went out to eat and there was blue cheese on my salad, I wouldn't pick it off, you know?  Other people would worry about it too much to enjoy it.  I think the safe med lists are pretty universal. All Tylenol products are okay. No Advil, no pepto. 

choppinbroccoli22

I have Kashi honey almond flax cereal every single day for breakfast. I did this a lot with DD too... I didn't know there was any concern out there, but it won't change my bowl of cereal tomorrow either. It's probably fine to have a little!

HappyMama30

workerbee82:

so if flax mimics estrogen, similar to soy, is it bad that i ate an entire bowl of soybeans with grated cheese (because i love edamame)?
I did not know flax was bad for you if you are pregnant.

IS there a VALID list somewher of foods to avoid? There is SO much misinformation out there (including, i'm sorry to say, on TB).

I mean, why is putting your arms over your head when you are pregnant bad?   Soft cheese (okay I get the unpasteurized part--but most store cheeses are pasteurized). Lunch meat? Cookie dough? A girl's gotta live.
And believe me, i eat pretty healthy stuff. It's not all lunch meat and cookie dough.

 

Agreed.  I find there is a lot of hand wringing happening on the Bump over nutrition stuff.  Obviously you shouldn't eat a whole grocery bag of flax, or the entire Subway deli counter... but that goes for non-pregger people too.  Everything in moderation people!  (Except drugs!  Duh...)

eatdrinkstretch

FirefightersBride:

I try and eat a tablespoon of flax every day...helps my digestion to actually function half straight.

 This.  My midwifery practice wants me to eat 1-2 T. of flax every day (I usually sprinkle it on oatmeal or put it in a smoothie).  They say not to go over that amount, but that the benefits or small doses outweigh the risk.

workerbee82

HappyMama30:

workerbee82:

so if flax mimics estrogen, similar to soy, is it bad that i ate an entire bowl of soybeans with grated cheese (because i love edamame)?
I did not know flax was bad for you if you are pregnant.

IS there a VALID list somewher of foods to avoid? There is SO much misinformation out there (including, i'm sorry to say, on TB).

I mean, why is putting your arms over your head when you are pregnant bad?   Soft cheese (okay I get the unpasteurized part--but most store cheeses are pasteurized). Lunch meat? Cookie dough? A girl's gotta live.
And believe me, i eat pretty healthy stuff. It's not all lunch meat and cookie dough.

 

Agreed.  I find there is a lot of hand wringing happening on the Bump over nutrition stuff.  Obviously you shouldn't eat a whole grocery bag of flax, or the entire Subway deli counter... but that goes for non-pregger people too.  Everything in moderation people!  (Except drugs!  Duh...)

HappyMama, right on.