Health Benefits of Chia Seeds and Best Way to Incorporate into your Diet

In Latin America, particularly Mexico, chia seeds have been prized for centuries.  Now, they are finally starting to be appreciated elsewhere as people across the world begin to discover just what these amazing little seeds have to offer.

Fiber, protein and nutrients galore

The three headline benefits of chia seeds address three of the most pressing health issues in modern society.

Fiber

Modern eating habits mean that many of us are probably getting less fiber than we should.  The fact is that foods such as breakfast cereals and breads may take time to chew, which is usually a good indication of a decent fiber content, but unless they are made with actual whole grains, then they are unlikely to have the sort of fiber level you may think.  Foods designed to be eaten on the go, such as burger buns and hot dog rolls and even many sandwich breads actually tend to be quite low in fiber.

Chia seeds are about one third fiber, which means that they can go a long way towards filling this gap and, indeed, filling our stomachs so we feel comfortably full and are less inclined to start snacking.  What’s particularly good about chia seeds is that they hold water, which also helps to keep us feeling full as well as to keep us hydrated.

Protein

Vegetarians and vegans have a particularly high need for protein from plant-based sources and even those who eat meat may wish to look for economical and healthy alternatives.  Chia seeds are about one seventh protein, which is enough to be a useful source, particularly given all their other health benefits.  It’s worth noting that protein is also a very filling good group, which is another reason why chia seeds are so filling.

Nutrients

Vegetarians and vegans take note, chia seeds are full of essential fatty acids of the sort found in oily fish.  In fact, if you do eat meat but don’t like (oily) fish, then you should definitely investigate chia seeds.

Vegans and those with dairy issues should also be aware that chia seeds are a good source of calcium.

Overall, name your nutrient and you’ll probably find a decent helping of it in chia seeds: copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, vitamins A, B, E and D, zinc and many, many more.

Chia seeds and modern lifestyles

We all know that we should be eating three, carefully balanced meals per day and that if we need to fill in gaps between meals, we should do so in a healthy manner.  In the real world, however, that can be easier said than done, with the result that we can easily find ourselves going hungry and/or reaching for unhealthy snacks leading to our sugar levels going up and down.

Chia seeds can be very useful when it comes to squaring this circle.  They can be easily added to meals so that we feel fuller for longer and easily eaten between meals as an effective and healthy alternative to common snacks.  This is very helpful in terms of weight control (be it loss or maintenance) and also for mitigating the risk of diabetes.

Incorporating chia seeds into your diet

While this probably isn’t technically a health benefit, in practical terms, one of the major advantages of chia seeds is that they are so very easy to incorporate into your diet.

Eat them as they are

To be perfectly honest, chia seeds aren’t exactly the tastiest seeds out there and you probably wouldn’t choose to snack on them in the same way as you might choose to snack on the likes of pumpkin or sesame seeds, but they taste OK, you certainly can eat them just as they are.  You don’t even need to grind them as you do with flax seeds.

NB: if you do eat chia seeds without soaking them, it’s strongly advisable to have some liquid with them, ideally water.  Chia seeds will soak up the liquid in your body, so it’s important to ensure that your body has enough liquid for them to absorb some of it without you feeling dehydrated.

Soak them in a variety of liquids

One of the most common ways to enjoy chia seeds is to soak them in milk and either eat them as they are or add them to another breakfast food.  In fact eating quinoa porridge with chia seeds and coconut milk may be the ultimate healthy start to he day.

In point of fact you can soak chia seeds in pretty much any (non alcoholic) liquid and their nutty taste will usually fit right in.  Use them in salad dressings or to thicken soups or add them to milk or fruit juices.

Vegans take note, chia seeds can be used in place of eggs in simple recipes (i.e. ones where the egg is just being used as a binding agent).  Use one tablespoon of chia seeds plus three tablespoons of water to replace one egg.  Use for a maximum of two eggs.

A couple of notes of caution

The fact that chia seeds are full of fiber mean that it can take a while for your body to get used to them, so start very gently.  In fact, we’d even say start with as little as a pinch of chia seeds and then work your way up to the recommended serving of two tablespoons of dry seeds per day (or whatever suits you).

For the sake of clarity, by two tablespoons of dry seeds we mean this is the dry quantity,  You can eat them dry or soaked as you prefer.

Finally, while we have mentioned this before, we’d like to emphasize it here.  Chia seeds can absorb up to 10 times their weight in water.  If you soak them beforehand, then they’ll already be full of water and at their most filling.  If you eat them raw, without soaking, then you need to be prepared for them to swell up to 10 times their size inside your stomach, which is one of the reasons why a very small serving of chia seeds can go a very long way towards making you feel full.

 

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Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

Health awareness is increasing everywhere and so is the demand for healthy foods. Arguably, prepackaged and processed food unnecessarily pollute the can-be-simple process of providing our bodies with nutrition. In response, many people look to whole, raw foods that have traditional appreciation. If you want to avoid lab-experiment food, then just ask yourself, what did people eat before they started eating attractively packaged baked goo made from test tube ingredients?

That’s a question with many answers, and one such answer is chia seeds. Chia seeds are a traditional food in central and south America and, yes, these are the same seeds known for the association with the Chia Pet. But more than an answer to ceramic statue baldness, chia seeds are very nutritious and loaded with omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.

Benefits of Eating Chia Seeds

Chia seeds can be eaten alone or added to smoothies, protein shakes, yogurt, cereal, salads, and so on. They have a very mild flavor that is slightly nutty but mostly neutral. When they’re hydrated or mixed with water they form a clear gel consistency. Some people are a little skeptical at first but relax, the flavor is benign, almost tasteless. Nutritionally, however, chia seeds and chia gel is rich in protein and amino acids.

As an ingredient alternative, chia seed gel can replace as much as 25% of oil or eggs and produce a more nutritious product without sacrificing flavor or texture. ^[1] I’d recommend going ahead and substituting a little more. Additionally, know that breads made with chia seeds are higher in protein, omega-3, omega-6, fiber and folic acid than breads made from whole wheat. ^[2]

Chia Seeds: Endurance Food

When I was in school, it was the norm for the swim team to ingest massive amounts of pasta a day or two before a big competition to “carb up.” It’s common for marathon runners and cyclists to do the same thing. The idea is that “carb loading” will increase the amount of glycogen (energy) in your muscles. Obviously if you’ve got a big competition or strenuous event, you need to make sure your gas tank is full. But, pasta is heavy in carbs and sugars, is loading up on that stuff the only way to have enough available energy?

According to research performed at the Human Performance Laboratory at The University of Alabama, a better option may exist and that option may be chia seeds. Researchers determined that using chia seeds to load up on omega 3 fatty acids appeared to be a viable substitute for fueling performance during endurance events. Extra bonus? No sugar. ^[3]

Other Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

According to the Natural Standard Research Collaboration, chia seeds may provide various roles of support for symptoms of many diseases. Omega fatty acids are beneficial but another part of the general “tonic” effect of chia seeds is probably due to antioxidant action. ^[4] Appalachian State University conducted a study involving 62 overweight women, ages 49-75 and reported an improvement in lipid levels following a diet that included chia seeds. ^[5] Nutritionally, chia seeds are everything good and nothing bad. For most people, they are a food to include in your diet.

Are Chia Seeds Beneficial for Your Skin?

Like avocados and cucumbers, chia seeds are among nature’s best offerings that, in addition to being nutritionally sound, may also promote healthy skin.

Dry and itchy skin is an annoyance, but severe cases can cause severe problems, especially when ulcers and infections develop. The results of 2010 Korean research indicate relief may be on the horizon and chia seeds may be to thank. A study involving patients with severe skin dryness used a topical salve produced from chia seed oils. After 8 weeks, all patients reported significant improvements in skin hydration without any negative side effects. ^[6]

References (6)

1. Borneo R, Aguirre A, León AE. Chia (Salvia hispanica L) gel can be used as egg or oil replacer in cake formulations. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Jun;110(6):946-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2010.03.011.


2. Justo MB, Alfaro AD, Aguilar EC, Wrobel K, Wrobel K, Guzmán GA, Sierra ZG, Zanella Vda M. [Integral bread development with soybean, chia, linseed, and folic acid as a functional food for women]. Arch Latinoam Nutr. 2007 Mar;57(1):78-84. Spanish.


3. Illian TG, Casey JC, Bishop PA. Omega 3 Chia seed loading as a means of carbohydrate loading. J Strength Cond Res. 2011 Jan;25(1):61-5. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181fef85c.


4. Ulbricht C, Chao W, Nummy K, Rusie E, Tanguay-Colucci S, Iannuzzi CM, Plammoottil JB, Varghese M, Weissner W. Chia (Salvia hispanica): a systematic review by the natural standard research collaboration. Rev Recent Clin Trials. 2009 Sep;4(3):168-74.


5. Nieman DC, Gillitt N, Jin F, Henson DA, Kennerly K, Shanely RA, Ore B, Su M, Schwartz S. Chia seed supplementation and disease risk factors in overweight women: a metabolomics investigation. J Altern Complement Med. 2012 Jul;18(7):700-8. doi: 10.1089/acm.2011.0443.


6. Jeong SK, Park HJ, Park BD, Kim IH. Effectiveness of Topical Chia Seed Oil on Pruritus of End-stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Patients and Healthy Volunteers. Ann Dermatol. 2010 May;22(2):143-8. doi: 10.5021/ad.2010.22.2.143. Epub 2010 May 17.

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