Chia means strength in the Mayan language
Do you know that we have two different kind of chia? Red and black.
They both have exactly the same nutritional value.
Chia seeds are originally from Mexico and Guatemala. Nowadays we can find them everywhere. In the past the seeds were highly valued for their medicinal properties and nutritional value. They were cultivated as a food source as early as 3500 BC, it was offered to Aztec God in religious ceremonies.
Aztec warriors ate chia seeds to give them energy and endurance, claiming that just one spoonful of chia could sustain them for 24 hours. Chia means “strength” in the Mayan language, and chia seeds were known as “runners’ food” because runners and warriors would use them as fuel while running long distances or during battle.
Chia seeds, one of the most popular superfoods and included in various recipes like food protein bars, smoothies, breakfast parfaits and more. Some of the most popular benefits is the increase in energy levels, balance blood sugars and improve heart health.
Chia seeds are a highly versatile ingredient. They have little if any distinctive flavour so they dont compete with any other. They also soften in the presence of liquid and become a less detectable texture.
These are some of the most common uses of Chia:
- Sprinkle a few teaspoons into breakfast cereal (hot or cold) salads, soups, or stews.
- Use chia gel as a thickener added to smoothies, puddings, and soups (stir the gel into these foods after they are prepped or cooked).
- Stir into salad dressings, sauces, marinades, or cake/muffin/bread batter.
These are some of the benefits of the chia seeds; promoting healthy skin, reducing signs of supporting health and digesting system , improving cardiovscular disease, reduce inflamation building strong bones and good dental health. Here more details.
Support healthy skin
Chia seeds are jam-packed with antioxidants are compounds that fight free radical damage and prevent oxidative stress while also promoting tissue repair and protecting against skin damage.
As one of the most high antioxidant food on the planet, adding chia seeds to your diet may help fight premature aging and protect the skin cells against free radical damage to optimize the health of your skin.
Interestingly enough, researchers from Mexico recently uncovered that they have a total antioxidant concentration nearly two times higher than previously reported. In fact, the antioxidant activity of chia seeds was shown to stop up to 70 percent of free radical activity.
Promote Digestive Health
Chia is loaded with fiber, squeezing nearly 11 grams of fiber into a single ounce. This means that adding just one ounce of chia seeds into your daily diet can supply a whopping 44 percent of your fiber needs for the entire day.
Because of their rich fiber content, chia seeds benefit digestive health by promoting regularity and increasing stool frequency to prevent constipation.
Eating chia seeds in high quantities can increase the risk of abdominal pain and reduction of calcium and iron absorption.
If we eat this in excess can produce so much fibre causing gastrointestinal pain, inflammation, bloating and reduction of absorption of calcium and iron and other minerals than our body need.
It is high dense in calories. 100 grams of chia contains 500 Kcal aprox.
People with diverticulosis can get worse as increase the chances of inflammation if is eaten in big quantities causing superior pain in the small intestine.
Enjoy having a balance diet full of good quality protein, whole-grains with complex carbohydrates and good quality fat. Have a portion of chia seeds for your breakfast as a good source of protein, fibre and energy to start your day.
Improve Heart Health
Because of the power of antioxidants, fiber and heart-healthy fats, chia seeds pack a major punch when it comes to cardiovascular health. In fact, one of the most powerful chia seed health benefits is their ability to reduce inflammation and decrease several risk factors of heart disease.
Balance Blood Sugar
Rich in both alpha-linolenic acid and fiber, evidence from several studies suggests that chia seeds can help maintain normal blood sugar levels to fight diabetes and insulin resistance. One animal model in the British Journal of Nutrition even found that adding them to a high-sugar diet prevented changes in blood sugar and lipid levels.
Boost Energy and Exercise Performance
Enhance exercise performance for workouts that lasted 90 minutes the same as sugary drinks but without all the unhealthy sugar. In the study, half of the athletes drank 100 percent Gatorade, while the others consumed half Gatorade and half chia seed drink. In the end, the runners’ times were matched, but the half-chia group consumed far less sugar.
Plus, the protein in chia seeds can help build muscle mass and increase strength to help fuel your workouts.
Some research have shown that consuming protein as a post-workout meal can aid in the repair of muscle tissue and can also build new muscle to speed up recovery time between workouts.
Enhance oral health
Because chia seeds are packed with calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A and zinc, it’s no wonder that promoting oral health makes the list as a top benefit of chia seeds. Calcium is the building block of your teeth that is necessary for maintaining oral health.
RECIPE OF TODAY
“ Chocolate chia pudding “
Servings 4
Ingredients:
60 grm of chia seeds
400 mls of unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
2 tbsp of maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
cacao nibs , mixed
Frozen berries to serve.
Method
Step 1
Put all ingredients together in a large bowl with a generous pinch of sea salt and whisk to combine. Cover with cling film then leave to thicken in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Step 2
Spoon the pudding into four glasses , then top with the frozen berries and cacao nibs.
Recipe from Good Food Magazine , February 2018
Take a look at the chia seeds nutrition facts, and it’s easy to tell why they’re so good for you.
If you want to know more about nutrition facts
Each serving of 100 grams contains 486 calories contains a small amount of chia seeds calories but is rich in protein, fiber, manganese, phosphorus and calcium. Plus, chia seeds also contain omega-3 fatty acids and other important micronutrients and antioxidants that are important to health as well.
total fat : 31 g
saturated fats : 3.3 grams
Polyunsaturated fat 24 g
Monounsaturated fat 2.3 g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 16mg
Potassium 407 mg
Total Carbohydrate 42 gr
Dietary fiber 34 g
Protein 17 g
Calcium 63%
Iron 42%
References
Magnesium 83%
The percent value are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
References
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE.Dietary chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) rich in alpha-linolenic acid improves adiposity and normalises hypertriacylglycerolaemia and insulin resistance in dyslipaemic rats. BR J NUTRITION 2009.
Suri, S., Passi, J. S., Goyat, J. Chia Seed (Salvia Hispanica L.) – A New Age Functional Food. 4th International Conference on Recent Innovations in Science Engineering and Management. March 20, 2016.
Koh AS, Pan A, Wang R, Odegaard AO, Pereira MA, Yuan JM, Koh WP. The association between dietary omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular death: the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2015 Mar;22(3):364-72.
Albert CM, Oh K, Whang W, Manson JE, Chae CU, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Hu FB. Dietary α-linolenic acid intake and risk of sudden cardiac death and coronary heart disease. Circulation. 2005 Nov 22;112(21):3232-8.
Lemaitre RN, King IB, Mozaffarian D, Kuller LH, Tracy RP, Siscovick DS. n− 3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids, fatal ischemic heart disease, and nonfatal myocardial infarction in older adults: the Cardiovascular Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Feb 1;77(2):319-25.
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