The origins of chia seeds go well beyond that of your chia pet from 1991 (yes, this is the same chia you see in everything from water to pudding these days). In fact, you would be surprised to discover that before they became a means of growing hair on a terra cotta Homer Simpson’s head, chia seeds fueled the Tarahumara Indians for their legendary long-distance runs, as well as provided pre-battle nourishment for the Aztec Warriors. And now, centuries later, chia has created a tidal wave of hype surrounding it’s many benefits – all of which have legit scientific support.
So how much good stuff can a tiny grain of sand-sized seed pack in?
Here is what one serving size (28g) of chia seeds can do for YOU:
● 11 grams of dietary fiber, about a third of the recommended daily intake for adults
● 18 percent of the recommended daily intake for calcium, 27 percent of your daily value for phosphorus, and 30 percent of your recommended intake of manganese; all of which bolsters bone and oral health, and helps to prevent osteoporosis
● Chia seeds contain more Omega-3s than salmon, gram for gram (these fats are important for brain health and give you glowing skin)
● They are a great source of protein for vegetarians and don’t contain any cholesterol
● Chia seeds have a stabilizing effect on blood sugar and also fight insulin resistance which can be tied to an increase in belly fat
● Chia is being studied as a potential natural treatment for type-2 diabetes because of its ability to slow down digestion
● This seed also contains tryptophan – the same component responsible for your post Thanksgiving snooze – which helps regulate appetite, sleep and improves mood
● A review of 67 separate controlled trials found that even a modest 10-gram per day increase in fiber intake reduced LDL (the harmful type cholesterol) as well as total cholesterol. Recent studies have shown that dietary fiber may even play a role in regulating the immune system and inflammation, consequently decreasing the risk of inflammation-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity (Medical News Today)
So how can you get your daily dose of chia? They can be consumed raw or cooked, on their own or in some other yummy snack. You can simply sprinkle them into your water, smoothie or yogurt (heads up: they have a jelly-like texture after soaking), or you can add them to your overnight oats or make a delicious chia pudding for dessert.
If you simply don’t have time for chia treat creation, or don’t want to commit to a whole bag, plenty of nutritious snack lines are integrating them into their most popular products. From tortilla chips and sliced bread to kombucha and bottled drinks, you can get chia in just about every snack from your local health food store.
Our favorite chia snack is Health Warrior’s line of chia bars. The gluten, dairy, and soy-free bars come in five tasty flavors – apple cinnamon, mango, chocolate peanut butter, banana nut, coconut, coffee, acai berry and dark chocolate cherry.
How do you ch-ch-ch-chia??
