Fashion

The superfood you're pouring over your smoothies could be toxic



Flaxseed – it’s one of the trendy superfoods that has grown in popularity thanks to well-meaning wellness gurus online touting it as a healthy addition to cereals and smoothies, but scientists are warning that too much could expose you to toxic levels of cyanide.

Also known as linseed, the often ground product is known for being rich in fibre and omega-3 fatty acids, making it many healthy foodies’ go-to when trying to boost their morning porridge or breakfast smoothie. However, the seeds also contain amygdalin, a naturally occurring compound that can produce cyanide gas as it degrades – and experts are warning that even small amounts could be dangerous.

In a worrying new report from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), scientists have revealed that just three teaspoons of flaxseed in one sitting could cause illness in adults, while as little as a third of a teaspoon could be dangerous for a small child. Yikes.

If you’ve been liberally sprinkling your ground flaxseed over your cereal every morning as part of your ‘clean eating’ regime, you might want to cut back; symptoms of cyanide poisoning can include headaches, confusion, agitation, and trouble breathing, while in extreme circumstances it can even be fatal.

While the figures are based on a “worst case scenario” of assuming the flaxseed contains high concentrations of cyanogenic glycoside, the news makes for scary reading – and Sweden’s authorities have already made the decision to advise against eating the so-called superfood, stating that there isn’t yet enough knowledge to say how much is safe, therefore it’s best avoided.

The UK Foods Standard Agency (FSA) has reportedly said it’s aware of the report, telling The Mail on Sunday that “the assessment is more likely to overestimate risk than underestimate it”, with the matter being kept under review, so no changes in advice over here just yet.

Watch this space – and meanwhile, perhaps go easy on the sprinkles. Better safe than sorry.





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