Multiple studies have found that flaxseed is good for diabetics.
Studies have shown that adding ground, or crushed, or milled flaxseed to the diet reduces insulin resistance, fasting blood sugar, and HbA1c. In short, it improves blood sugar control.65-68
The doses used have varied between 10 and 40 grams (0.35-1.4 ounces) per day in most studies. 65-67, 69, 70
The reason that flaxseed improves blood sugar control is likely thanks to its high levels of omega-3, fiber, antioxidants, and a low carbohydrate content.
It’s probably best to add some ground flaxseed to each meal rather than consuming everything at once. This way, the flaxseed can dampen post-meal blood sugar spikes caused by each meal.
Flaxseed can also be baked into bread to reduce its glycemic index (post-meal blood sugar levels).
To highlight some studies, type 2 diabetics that added 10 grams per day of flaxseed powder for 1 month reduced fasting blood sugar (-20%) and HbA1c (-16%).67
In prediabetics, a 12-week diet with 40 grams of ground flaxseed per day reduced fasting blood sugar and insulin resistance, an effect not seen with the same amount of wheat bran.70