What are chia seeds?

Chia is a plant (Salvia Hispanic) native to Central America. The plant is said to have originated in Mexico and Guatemala. The Mexican state of Chiapa draws its name from the plant. Chia seed is a small, brown, black and white coloured grain – no bigger than a millimetre in diameter. The plant is related to the mint family, and its seeds have a nutty taste. Chia’s when mixed with water or milk, can absorb up to 27 times their weight when soaked in liquid, and create a gel.

Chia Seeds Benefits and Side Effects

Chia seed is one of the healthiest foods in the world. They’re packed with hard to obtain nutrients that are important for our body and brain. Chia was an essential plant for the Aztecs. Although a sub-tropical plant, it is now cultivated in parts of USA with the rise in demand among vegans and health enthusiasts.

Health Benefits Of Chia Seeds
Here are some science-backed health benefits of chia. Some are still considered inconclusive for the lack of further proof and research:

1. Chia Seeds Are Packed With Dense Nutrition.
Chia has dense nutrition with low calories.

They have traditionally been the dietary staple of the Aztecs and the Mayans. It is only now that chia has become recognized as a modern-day superfood.

Health-conscious people from all over the world now consume this extremely popular superfood.

A one-ounce (28 grams) serving of chia seed contains

Protein: 4.4 grams.
Fibre: 10.6 grams.
Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are omega-3s).
Manganese: 30% of the RDI.
Phosphorus: 27% of the RDI.
Magnesium: 30% of the RDI.
Calcium: 18% of the RDI.
They also contain small amounts of vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2, vitamin B3 (niacin), zinc and potassium.
Chia is one of the world’s best nutrient-dense food source, calorie for calorie. It packs more calcium than milk, more antioxidants than blueberries, and more omega-3 than salmon.

For example, 100gms of milk has 125mg calcium, while 100 gms of these seeds has a whopping 631mg of calcium! Chia is a whole-grain food, non-GMO, usually grown organically. It is also naturally gluten-free. Evidence also suggests that these seeds may have strong anti-oxidant properties.

You can buy chia online here.

2. Rich Source Of Protein
Protein is essential to human health.

Protein is the major component of our hair and nails. It is used by the body to repair tissue. The body also uses protein to make enzymes, hormones and other essential chemicals. Protein is also an essential building block of muscles, cartilage, skin and bones.

Protein is a “macronutrient,” meaning that the body needs relatively large amounts of it. But unlike fat and carbohydrates, the body does not store protein, and therefore it must be consumed in sufficient amounts in the daily diet.

Protein is a weightloss friendly dietary nutrient.
According to studies, a high protein diet lowers appetite and has been shown to reduce hunger and obsessive thoughts of food by 60%. It also reduced night time snacking by 50%. Chia is a great vegan source of quality protein. A one-ounce (28 grams) serving of these seeds contains 4.4 gms of protein.