This plant, related to mint, is native to the deserts of Mexico and Guatemala. Today, chia seeds are grown<\/a> in various parts of the United States, as well as Argentina, Australia, Peru, and Bolivia, with around 80% of the world\u2019s supply coming from<\/a> South America. However, the U.S. is the largest chia seed consumer, importing<\/a> around 15,000 tons annually.<\/p>\n Even though chia seeds are still fairly new to the mainstream health community, native people have used them for thousands of years. In fact, they\u2019ve been used for medicinal, religious, and culinary purposes throughout history. <\/a><\/p>\n Chia seeds have traditionally been ground into flour, pressed for oil, and mixed into drinks. The ancient Aztecs saw them as sacred and used them in sacrificial ceremonies. The traditional Mayans believed chia seeds had supernatural powers, and they were used to provide travelers with energy for long journeys.<\/p>\n Today, members of the Mexican Tarahumara tribe \u2014 known for being long distance runners \u2014 drink<\/a> a mixture of chia seeds, lemon, and water called \u201cIskiate.\u201d They believe chia seeds provide them with the strength to run hundreds of miles. (Their whole foods, plant-powered diet probably<\/a> doesn\u2019t hurt, either.)<\/p>\n The word \u201cchia\u201d is derived<\/a> from the Aztec word \u201cChian,\u201d which means oily. While you can press chia seeds for oil, \u201coily\u201d isn\u2019t what comes to mind when I think about eating them, although admittedly I\u2019m not Aztec.<\/p>\n The main fats in chia seeds are mostly omega-3s \u2014 especially alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which accounts for three-quarters of the total \u2014 and some omega-6s. ALA is an important omega-3 fat and a precursor for your body to make DHA and EPA, two other very important omega-3 fats.<\/p>\n As small as they are, chia seeds pack a lot of nutrition. In every 1 tablespoon of seeds, you\u2019ll find 2.1 grams of ALA,<\/a> 4 grams of fiber<\/a> and 2 grams of protein. They\u2019re also a rich source of vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, phosphorus, and zinc.<\/p>\n You can eat them raw, or mix them into baked goods, puddings, or other dishes, where they add a mild, crunchy, nutty flavor.<\/p>\n Today, you can buy chia seeds at a wide range of both mainstream and health food grocery stores. You can find them dried and in the bulk foods section.<\/p>\n Chia seeds are an excellent source of fiber, especially insoluble fiber, which is an important nutrient for your digestive system. Insoluble fiber<\/a> acts like a broom for your digestive tract, cleaning it out and keeping it healthy.<\/p>\n Eating enough fiber can reduce your risk for many digestive diseases, such as colorectal cancer<\/a>.<\/p>\n The fiber from chia seeds also serves as a needed nutrient for the beneficial bacteria in your microbiome, which in turn reduces inflammation throughout your body.<\/p>\n The recommended minimum<\/a> amount of daily fiber intake is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men, and only a small percentage<\/a> of people actually meet that daily minimum. But adding a couple of tablespoons of chia seeds to your routine will get you well on your way to meeting and \u2014 with the help of some fruits and vegetables \u2014 even surpassing that daily minimum.<\/p>\n A 2018 study published<\/a> in the Global Journal of Health Science<\/i> divided German college students into two groups: a control group and a group that consumed 5 grams of chia seeds daily for 21 days. Researchers found that those who ate chia seeds performed significantly better on an academic test than the control group.<\/p>\n Coincidence? A total of 34,600 college students participated in this study, so probably not. My bet would be on the omega-3 boost their brains<\/a> got. Why? Omega-3 fats, like the ALA in chia seeds, are essential for brain function and improved cognition<\/a>.<\/p>\n Chia seeds are a good source of many minerals<\/a>, including calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, that are needed for bone strength<\/a>. The dairy industry likes to portray milk products as necessary for strong bones. But plant-sourced calcium has been proven<\/a> to be effective in increasing bone density.<\/p>\n And animal studies have shown<\/a> that rats fed a diet made up of 10% chia seeds over 13 months had significantly higher bone density than rats on a low calorie diet sans<\/i> chia seeds.<\/p>\n The ALA in chia seeds has an anti-inflammatory effect<\/a>. Chronic inflammation can promote<\/a> various diseases in the body, such as autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Research has shown ALA to be particularly effective in reducing<\/a> inflammation among people with metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, excess abdominal fat) and related diseases.<\/p>\n The high fiber content in chia seeds helps to keep your blood sugar stable<\/a>. Fiber slows digestion, preventing blood sugar from spiking after a meal. Fiber also promotes satiety, or the feeling of fullness after a meal. This has been demonstrated specifically with the addition<\/a> of chia seeds to people\u2019s diet.<\/p>\n The ALA in chia seeds can also protect your heart. A 2012 meta-analysis looked at 27 studies, which included over 250,000 participants, to see if there was a relationship between ALA intake and heart disease risk. Researchers found<\/a> that people who consumed a high amount of ALA experienced up to a 10% lower risk of heart disease.<\/p>\n Another study of 3,638 people found that those who consumed around 18 grams of ALA per day had a 39% lower<\/a> risk of heart disease than those who consumed less ALA. Chia seeds can also benefit your heart by helping to lower<\/a> your blood pressure.<\/p>\n The ALA in chia seeds may also have cancer-preventing properties. A 2013 in vitro study published in the Journal of Molecular Biology<\/i> demonstrated the ability of ALA to slow<\/a> the growth of breast and cervical cancer cells. It also promoted cell death of cancer cells while not affecting the healthy cells. While more research is needed to apply this to humans, other studies have shown a similar effect of ALA on liver<\/a> cancer cells.<\/p>\n Chia seeds are full of antioxidants that are known to be protective against the skin damage<\/a> caused by free radicals. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Chromatography A<\/i> found that chia seeds had much higher<\/a> antioxidant capacity than previously thought. In the study, chia seeds inhibited up to 70% of free radical activity.<\/p>\n Remember the Mexican Tarahumara tribe runners I mentioned earlier? They appear to be onto something with their use of chia seeds to fuel their runs. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research<\/i> found<\/a> that chia seeds are an effective option for fueling endurance exercise, while avoiding the sugar that\u2019s found in Gatorade and other traditional sports drinks.<\/p>\n Chia seeds are a highly nutritious food, but there are some things to keep in mind if you choose to eat them.<\/p>\n You may be aware that in order to increase absorption and get the most nutritional value from flaxseeds<\/i>, they should be ground<\/a> before you eat them. Is this also true for chia seeds? A 2012 study published<\/a> in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine <\/i>helps answer that question.<\/p>\n The study involved 62 overweight women, with no known diseases, between the ages of 49-75 years. They ate two tablespoons of whole chia seeds per day for ten weeks, at which point they saw no change in their blood omega-3 levels. However, when they ate the same amount of chia seeds \u2014 but in ground form \u2014 their blood omega-3 levels increased significantly after another ten weeks. Levels of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) increased by 58% and levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) increased by 39%.<\/p>\n It turns out that many people don\u2019t chew whole chia seeds enough to break them down fully. As a result, they can go \u201cin one end, and out the other.\u201d Grinding them is a good way to ensure that you\u2019re getting their full nutritional value.<\/p>\n My dad likes to use a coffee grinder to do this.<\/p>\n Chia seeds, whether ground or not, are a versatile food to have on hand. You can add them to salads, to hot oatmeal, and to many other dishes. If you’re making pancakes or muffin, you can mix them into the batter. You can also add ground chia seeds to smoothies and other blended foods. Or you can sprinkle ground chia seeds on just about any savory dish (and some sweet ones, too!).<\/p>\n Did you know you can also use chia seeds to replace eggs<\/a> in baking? The basic recipe is 1 tablespoon of chia seeds to 2 \u00bd tablespoons of water. Gently stir together the seeds with the water, and let the mixture sit for about five minutes. Just as you would use eggs as a binding agent in baking, chia seeds will form a gel that keeps your recipe together. (The gel will last<\/a> in your fridge for about two weeks.)<\/p>\n Here are some great ways to use chia seeds.<\/p>\n Overnight Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding<\/a> by Minimalist Baker – This is a creamy, chocolatey pudding that can be enjoyed any time of day. You can choose to omit the maple syrup for a low-sugar version.<\/p>\n Raspberry Chia Seed Jam<\/a> by Gimme Some Oven – This is an incredibly easy homemade jam that requires only a few ingredients. With the sweetness of the berries, you don’t need to add additional sugar.<\/p>\n Strawberry Banana Chia Seed Smoothie<\/a> by Jar of Lemons – Four ingredients and loads of nutrition in this one! You could easily swap out other fruits of choice with this recipe.<\/p>\n Chia seeds may be tiny, but it\u2019s clear that they\u2019re nutritional powerhouses with a lot to offer. Packed with fiber, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, chia seeds are a convenient way to add a lot of benefits to your diet.<\/p>\n And in case you were wondering, Chia Pets do still exist. (People would buy terracotta figurines to sprout chia seeds. The chia sprouts grow within a couple of weeks to resemble an animal’s fur or hair.) Some people may enjoy Chia Pets, but I think chia seeds are far more useful when you eat them as the highly nutritious food that they are…<\/p>\n Featured Image: iStock.com\/YelenaYemchuk<\/i><\/p>\n Why are so many people eating chia seeds? What health benefits do they offer? Should you add them to your diet? And if so, what\u2019s the best way to eat them? We\u2019ll cover it all in this article.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":16789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,2638,2639],"tags":[1735,19,108,1674,1135,1702,2169,1793,36],"class_list":["post-16787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-blog","category-food","category-health","tag-bone-health","tag-brain-health","tag-cancer","tag-gut-health","tag-heart-health","tag-inflammation","tag-nuts-and-seeds","tag-skin-health","tag-type-2-diabetes","wpautop"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nChia Seed Nutrition<\/h2>\n
9 Health Benefits of Chia Seeds<\/h2>\n
![\"chia](\"https:\/\/cdn.foodrevolution.org\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75,format=auto\/foodrevolution.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Optimized-iStock-1046872380.jpg\")
1) They support your digestive health.<\/h3>\n
2) They\u2019re good for your brain.<\/h3>\n
3) They help keep your bones strong.<\/h3>\n
4) They can reduce inflammation.<\/h3>\n
5) They keep your blood sugar stable.<\/h3>\n
6) They\u2019re good for your heart.<\/h3>\n
7) They may help lower your risk for certain cancers.<\/h3>\n
8) They can help keep your skin healthy.<\/h3>\n
9) They can fuel your endurance.<\/h3>\n
Potential Downsides to Chia Seeds<\/h2>\n
\n
Chia Seeds: Whole or Ground?<\/h2>\n
![\"Chia](\"https:\/\/cdn.foodrevolution.org\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75,format=auto\/foodrevolution.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Optimized-iStock-1057424136.jpg\")
How To Enjoy Chia Seeds<\/h2>\n
![\"Chia](\"https:\/\/cdn.foodrevolution.org\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75,format=auto\/foodrevolution.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Optimized-iStock-1134307009.jpg\")
Chias to Your Health<\/h2>\n
Tell us in the Comments:<\/h4>\n
\n
Read next:<\/h4>\n
\n