The Health Benefits of the Chia Seed
The chia seed is a very healthy seed and is quickly becoming a very popular health food. What makes this seed such a healthy addition to the daily diet?
Could it be true? Could the Chia Seed be healthier than the Flax Seed? With the popularity of Flax Seed Oil and the sales of all Flax products soaring in health food stores across America, the flax market has some new competition. Look out flax; there is a new seed in town!
What makes the Chia Seed the super food that many claim it to be?
- 30% of the chia seed’s oil is Omega 3 oil. 40% of its oil is Omega 6 oil. This provides the nice balance those who take supplemental Essential Fatty Acids are looking for. The chia seed’s substantially dense percentage in alpha-linolenic fatty acid also makes this seed a healthy dietary source of fatty acids.
- You do not need to grind the Chia Seeds to digest it. It is a relatively easy to digest seed, whereas flax seeds are not. Often, one has to grind flax seeds to be able to process them in their digestive system. That is not the case with chia seeds.
- The chia seeds are great for athletes because they are highly hydrophilic. Being hydrophilic means it absorbs large amounts of water. Chia Seeds can absorb over 10 times their weight in water making them a great enhancer in hydrating our bodies. They absorb the water we drink holding it in our system longer.
- Studies show that eating chia seed slows down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrate calories into simple sugars. This leads scientists to believe that the chia seed may have great benefits for diabetics.
- The chia seed gels when becoming wet and this gel, when in our digestive systems, helps prevent some of the food, hence calories that we eat from getting absorbed into our system. This blockage of calorie absorption makes the chia seed a great diet helper. Eating the seeds also helps dieters by making them feel fuller faster so they will be less hungry!
- Chia seeds provide antioxidant activity
- Chia is a great addition to a detoxification program. Chia seeds are high in fiber and in healthy oils making them an excellent addition to many detox programs.
- Mix Chia seeds into yogurt, sprinkle them on cereal in the morning, add to salads, or even add them to your baking. There are many ways to add chia seeds into your daily routine!
Around for centuries, the chia seed in only now starting to gain recognition as the super food that many health gurus have always known it to be. Will this be a short lived health fad or will the chia seed become common place in the household cupboards of the 21st century?
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gloreecloud | Feb 25, 2008 | Reply
Dr. Oz talked about the Chia seed on Oprah. Never heard of it till then. I currently take flax oil daily but am seriously considering switching to this.
shonerway | Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
I started taking the seeds about three days ago. I can already feel a big difference. I’ve been recovering from the flu, and immediately, I started feeling like I was getting my strength back after the second day. Not to mention, these are great for elimination!
shonerway | Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
I started taking the seeds about three days ago. I can already feel a big difference. I’ve been recovering from the flu, and immediately, I started feeling like I was getting my strength back after the second day. Not to mention, these are great for elimination!
jillinthecity | Mar 2, 2008 | Reply
Thanks for all of your positive comments. I know a lot of people who use chia and love it.
khristopher | Jul 22, 2008 | Reply
I heard about chia seed from my brother. He sent me some and I could not believe the energy and regularity that it brings. I love it.
patricia | Jul 27, 2008 | Reply
We use chia seed in my country for lemonade, we just add the chia seeds to it, it is delicious especialy in the summer. We love it
Noah F San Tsorbutz | Nov 7, 2008 | Reply
According to this chart, salvia hispanica has over 60% of it’s oil as ALA, and less than 20% as LA:
http://www.arizonachia.com/blackwhite.html
blvdws | Mar 3, 2009 | Reply
What is the daily serving?
Joy Los Angels | Mar 8, 2009 | Reply
A Friend told me How to increase my engery level with the chia seed I thought it was a joke at first, but now I fine I’m moving around like a school girl. I even took up praise dancing. I had very poor health. All the positive things about chia I really needed. And I got. I feel great, I’ve improved my breathing losing weight, It even lowered my stress levels at work. CHIA IS GREAT!
CHIA water | Apr 20, 2009 | Reply
In Mexico a popular way to consume Chia Seeds is to make “Agua de Chia” or Chia Water. As mentioned in the article Chia seeds when wet make a gel and are delicious. If you make lemonade and add a good amount of Chia, they swell in the lemonade and are a great digestive aid. Not your typical lemonade, and perhaps, not as aesthetically pleasing and some might want, but I love “Chia Water” and the texture is really interesting. Hope you all give it a try.
Margaret | May 20, 2009 | Reply
For recipes and nutrition info, please visit my blog at
http://www.chiativity.org (Thanks Noah for correcting the error re: omega3 to omega6 ratio.)
trainwithjean | May 22, 2009 | Reply
The daily serving of chia seed gel is THREE tablespoons 3/day. I noticed for me I had to slowly build up to that dosage because it was too much for my body to handle at first. The othe thing I love about chia seed is if you have a stomach ache take one teaspoon of DRY chia with just enough water to swollow. Wait for 15 minutes and your stomach ache will be gone. It is better then any anti-acid that’s out there on the market! Go CHIA!!!
jimdetroit | Jun 6, 2009 | Reply
yeah, i do the chia “gel” 3T, 3X/day for the last few months. Got a 2lb bag on ebay. Waiting for my latest blood work, we’ll see if it brought down my triglycerides, etc.
barbara | Jun 11, 2009 | Reply
After getting a free sample with an order of coconut oil, I did a bit of research. Funny coincidence, I had just that morning awakened with a really pink and swollen eye. Hated the thought of an expensive doctor visit. As I was reading up on the chia seed, I came across several references to its use as an eye purifier and treatment for pink eye. What the heck, what did I have to lose at that point. I put 3 or 4 seeds in my eye (just dropped them in to the lower lid area) and laid back with my eyes closed for a bit, waiting for the seeds to soften a bit. I could feel them but it was not painful. Well, I continued that for the next 24 hours, and my eye began to get better immediately. I never did go to the doc – by the next day the swelling was pretty much gone, with just a trace of redness left. I continued to keep a seed or two in the eye for a few days and never had any more trouble.
Gus London | Aug 24, 2009 | Reply
I’ve recently seen a super-food for profit which uses up to 35 marvelous health foods listed under their Proprietary Blend. without ever mentioning how much of each herb or plant derivative is present. Just your suggestions about Chia seeds could never be mixed with the other excellent plants that they list. They are essentially hiding the true amounts of each to be effective as the literature indicates. Indeed this company is a pyramid scheme that doesn’t even let people know that there is something known as the efficacy level for all nutrients and medicine. There could be one seed in their formula witch will not affect anyone at the proper levels of efficacy that you mention here, Bravo! But these people think that they are getting all of these 35 wonderful natural nutrients &/or medicines at their true efficacy level in a scoop (3/4) tsp. Liars at best & greedy malevolent vultures for real. Send this company love, their Karma is very sad to even imagine.
Thanks,
Peace & Love,
Gus
thaythay | Sep 25, 2009 | Reply
This subject coincidentally was part of a discussion on another health forum. I must say chia seeds and flaxseed oil are both superfoods in my opinion. Yes, it is true that flaxseeds must be be ground/milled to reap the benefits of the nutrients. However, you can toasted the whole flaxseeds yourself. One question I have now is- why not consume both? Why does it have to be either or? I do know that the one thing that flaxseeds are sufficient in that chia seeds are not is- LIGNANS. So there really is no substitute for this marvelous ingredient. The one thing I like about chia seeds in addition to them being nutrient dense, is you don’t worry about them going rancid as with the fresh oil and even the flaxmeal needs to be kept refrigerated. All in all, I incorporate them both. But I must say that flaxseed oil is the next best thing since sliced bread. And if I just had to choose one, it would be the flax.
thaythay | Sep 25, 2009 | Reply
I must add that I absolutely love sunflower seeds, unsalted. Once again, why choose one seed over the other? A little of each provides variety.
Bobbie | Oct 17, 2009 | Reply
I have people trying to convince me that the only chia that is of any quality is the Lifemax Mila. Naturally they sell it. Can you please tell me if this so called magic chia is any different than the chia I buy in bulk form a nut company?
Jillindacity | Nov 20, 2009 | Reply
Great comments everyone. Your favorite brands, experiences with, and thoughts and concerns are wonderful items to post in these comment sections. Jill