Chia seeds are one of the major superfoods in vogue right now, but they have been around since the Mayan and Aztec civilizations. Chia is an edible seed that originates from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala. In Nahuatl, the word chian means oily, and chia is derived from this word.
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Nutritional value of chia seeds
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Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, fiber, carbohydrates, antioxidants, and calcium. Chia seeds are an unprocessed, whole-grain food, that can be absorbed as seeds by the body. 100g of chia seeds provides 436kcal of energy, along with these nutrients:
- 72g of carbohydrates
- 4g of dietary fiber
- 74g of fat
- 83g of omega-3 fatty acids
- 83g of omega-6 fatty acids
- 54g of proteins
- Vitamin B3 – 59% of daily value
- Vitamin B1 – 54% of daily value
- Vitamin B2 – 14% of daily value
- Vitamin B9 – 12% of daily value
- Vitamin E – 3% of daily value
- Vitamin C – 2% of daily value
- Manganese – 130% of daily value
- Phosphorous – 123% of daily value
- Magnesium – 94% of daily value
- Calcium – 63% of daily value
- Iron – 59% of daily value
- Zinc – 48% of daily value
- Potassium – 9% of daily value
- 8g of water
Chia seeds also contain vital fatty acids alpha-linoleic and linoleic acid, strontium, mucin, vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, along with minerals iron, iodine, sulfur, magnesium, and manganese, and plenty of antioxidants.
Chia seeds have a mild, nutty flavor that makes them super easy to add to various dishes and beverages. Most commonly, they can be consumed by sprinkling them on sauces, cereal, vegetables, rice dishes, or yogurt, or mixed into baked goodies and drinks. Another plus is that they are easily digestible, when prepared properly. Chia seeds are nutrient-rich and pack quite a punch in terms of energy.
Health benefits of chia seeds
Chia seeds are also known to promote healthy skin, helping reduce signs of aging, support heart health and a healthy digestive system, and build stronger bones and muscles. Let’s take a look at some of the other health benefits of chia seeds and how consuming them regularly can improve your health in so many ways.
1. Promotes healthy skin and prevents premature skin aging.
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Chia seeds are powerhouses of antioxidants, that are shown to stop up to 70% of free radical activity, that is the primary cause for skin damage and premature skin aging. Antioxidants are responsible for speeding up the skin’s repair systems, and essentially prevent further damage. These seeds can also help prevent premature skin aging by reducing the free radical damage.
2. Promotes a healthy digestive system.
Being a high source of dietary fiber, chia seeds are amazing for your health. Fiber is what helps your body to balance its insulin levels. Chia can be a natural blood sugar balancer because of the presence of high fiber content as well as healthy fats. A high fiber content also helps regular and smooth bowel movements, thereby helping promote a healthy digestive tract.
Plus, since chia seeds are nutrient-dense, they make you feel fuller quickly, because of its amazing water absorption power which expands in the stomach when consumed. This is why chia seeds are said to curb hunger and suppress appetite, which can then lead to weight loss. Once chia seeds are consumed, they create a gelatin-like substance in the stomach, that work as a prebiotic, supporting the growth of probiotics in the gut.
3. Promotes a healthy heart.
Chia seeds are excellent when it comes to reversing inflammation, regulating cholesterol levels, and lowering blood pressure, all of which are paramount to promoting a healthy heart. Plus, since these seeds can reverse oxidative stress, it’s less likely for a person to develop atherosclerosis if consumed regularly.
Plus, since chia seeds are rich in linoleic acid, a fatty acid, they help the body in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Chia seeds are said to contain high quantity of omega-3 fatty acids, more than what is found in salmon. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to protect the heart by reducing the blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and even inflammation. This inflammation is what can put unnecessary strain on the blood vessels, and thereby cause heart disease. So get munching on chia seeds and protect your heart.
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4. Helps treat diabetes.
For someone to develop diabetes, two factors come into play – insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia, a condition where there is excessive fat in the blood. Studies have shown that chia seeds have the potential to prevent the onset of both of these factors, thereby proving that they can, indeed, stop diabetes, and probably even reverse it.
5. Boosts your energy and metabolism.
Since just a serving of 100g of chia seeds provides a whopping 436kcal of energy, these are great to give you a much-needed energy boost when you want it. Also, chia seeds are known to boost your metabolism, thereby helping burn belly fat as well.
6. Strengthens bones.
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An ounce of chia seeds contains 18% of the daily recommended value of calcium. And like everyone knows, calcium is vital for bone health, and helps maintain bone strength and mass. Chia seeds also contain boron, another essential nutrient that promotes bone health. Boron is known to help metabolize minerals like manganese, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous for the healthy growth of bones and muscles.
7. Helps build muscle and lose weight.
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Among the top plant based proteins, chia seeds rank at the top. So this is another valid reason to include chia seeds in your diet for those who want to put on lean muscle, burn fat, and balances blood sugar levels. Since these are high in antioxidants, they also help replace some of the vital nutrients lost during exercise. Plus, they are also quite rich in certain minerals like iron, zinc, calcium, manganese, magnesium, copper, phosphorous, and niacin.
One of the impressive qualities of chia seeds is that they can absorb up to ten times its own weight in water, thereby prolonging hydration and improving nutrient absorption of electrolytes. This helps slow down digestion, making you feel fuller for longer, reducing sugar cravings. The zinc that chia seeds contain, help your body to increase the production of leptin, a hormone that regulates your body’s appetite, how your body spends energy, and regulates your energy levels. If you want to get in shape, include chia seeds in your diet today, because they help improve your stamina and endurance, both of which are necessary to exercise your way into an amazing shape.
8. Fights breast cancer and cervical cancer.
Being rich in alpha-linoleic acid, chia seeds help limit the proliferation of cancer cells, in both breast as well as cervical cancers. They were also found to cause cell death of the cancer cells, without causing any harm to the healthy cells.
9. Promotes dental health.
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Since chia seeds are packed with vitamin A, and minerals like zinc, calcium, and phosphorous, they are excellent to promote dental health. Calcium is the primary building block necessary for teeth health, and zinc helps prevent tartar by keeping plaque from mineralizing on your teeth. Plus it also has an antibacterial effect, thereby keeping bad breath germs at bay. Phosphorous and vitamin A work together to make your teeth stronger and give you a healthy mouth.
10. Is gluten-free.
Since chia seeds do not contain any gluten at all, this is an excellent superfood for those who are advised a gluten-free diet.
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Incorporating chia seeds in your diet
Chia seeds are versatile, in that they can be easily incorporated into your diet. While the seeds themselves may taste a bit bland, they can be added onto pretty much anything you can think of. Eat them raw, mixed in with juice, sprinkle it on porridges and puddings and oatmeal, or even add them to baked goods. You can even sprinkle them on your cereal, yogurt, vegetables, and rice dishes.
Since chia seeds have a super ability to absorb water and fat, they come in handy when you want to thicken sauces, and even used as egg substitutes in many recipes. Just a handful of chia seeds can pack quite a punch of nutrition to an otherwise regular dish. Also, be wary of consuming too much chia seeds, because if you’re not one to eat too much fiber in your diet, then you might have to face a few digestive side effects of consuming too much fiber through chia seeds.
So these are the amazing health benefits of chia seeds. These innocuous-looking seeds are excellent for your health, your skin, and your teeth! So grab a packet of chia seeds and get munching on them today!
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