chia seeds nutrition

chia seeds nutrition:'Eating, Benefits, Side Effects'

Chia Seed is one of the super red health supplements in the past two years. On the billboards such as PTT and Facebook Group, you will see that Chia seeds are recommended. But for most people, the name Chia Seed is very strange, and the appearance of Chia seeds is rarely seen in the general diet. What is Chia Seed? Are the benefits of Chia seeds that are madly transmitted on the Internet, are they all true? The following article, we will come to help you organize the complete and correct knowledge of Chia seeds, hoping to provide some reference for everyone.

chia seeds nutrition

Chia seeds, also known as chia seeds or sage seeds, are plant seeds called sage. According to historical records, the earliest planted sages were Aztecs in central Mexico, who used Chia seeds as a staple food like corn. In fact, the source of Chia's name "Chia" is the Mayan language spoken by the Aztecs, meaning power, which is the seed that provides strength.


The Aztec concept is not wrong. Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, omega 3 and vitamin B, riboflavin, folic acid, thiamine, and niacin. They also contain many essential trace elements such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and manganese. Etc., you can supplement many of the nutrients your body needs at one time, providing the energy needed for normal metabolism. It is no wonder that after the Aztecs have eaten, they will feel the power increase.

The natural Chia seed is an oval seed with a diameter of about 1 mm. The color is brownish black and looks a bit like pale poppy seeds. The special place of Chia seed is that it absorbs water and absorbs 12 times the weight of the liquid. Therefore, many people say that they have a feeling of fullness after eating Chia seeds. European and American brands have many products that directly sell Chia seed, which can be added to bread or yogurt. If you are not used to eating nuts or cereals directly, you can also choose to add Chia seeds to other foods such as cereals, energy bars, cereal bars, bread, and Chia seed drinks.

Five benefits of Chia seeds

As mentioned earlier, Chia seeds contain a lot of essential nutrients, which is very helpful for maintaining normal body function. Here are the top five benefits of Chia Seeds that we have compiled based on the nutritionist's recommendations.

Benefit one: increase satiety and help weight management

Controlling eating is most hungry, but do you know that some foods will be more and more hungry? The so-called good food is not as good as eating. With the popularity of low-GI diets, more and more people know that choosing foods that increase satiety and helping to suppress hunger are the key to effective weight management.

Chia seeds are a food that increases satiety. As mentioned above, Chia seeds have a good water absorption function. After eating in the stomach, they can absorb water and increase the volume, thereby increasing the feeling of satiety. Such a powerful water-absorbing function is because Chia seeds are rich in dietary fiber, which not only does not contain calories, does not increase blood sugar, and also has the effect of suppressing hunger.

Benefit 2: Help digestion

The average person often eats fewer vegetables, lacks fiber intake, and causes digestive problems such as constipation and indigestion. The rich dietary fiber contained in Chia seeds can help digestion and maintain the normal function of the digestive tract.

Benefit 3: supplement protein

Protein is one of the important nutrients to maintain normal metabolism in the human body. Most people generally take protein from foods such as milk, eggs, and fish. Therefore, vegetarians are prone to insufficient protein intake. Chia seeds are a good choice if you want to add protein from plants. In Chia seeds, about 15% of protein content, and it is a more easily absorbed plant protein, and don't worry about eating too much fat calories like eating meat, so whether you are vegetarian or eaten, you can borrow Protein is supplemented by eating Chia seeds.

Benefit 4: Add omega 3

Omega 3 is a kind of polyunsaturated fatty acid. It is one of the essential fatty acids in the body and can help maintain the normal cholesterol content in the body. However, since the human body cannot make it by itself, it must be taken from food. In general foods, the most abundant omega 3 is deep-sea fish oil, but there are many sources of omega 3 in plants, and Chia seeds are one of them. Chia seeds contain 18% omega 3 and are a good source of natural omega 3 nutrients that can help you replenish your body's fatty acids.

Calcium is important for growing children and for the elderly who are at risk of osteoporosis. Milk has the highest calcium content, but it is not so convenient for people with lactose intolerance. In addition to supplementing calcium tablets, it can also be taken from natural foods. In fact, Chia seeds contain a higher proportion of calcium than milk, which is a good source of calcium supplements that can help maintain bone health.

Chia seeds nutrition recommended " eating/recipe"

Have you seen the heart here? But how about the small seeds of Chia seeds? If you want to eat Chia seeds, you can buy the Chia Seed Energy Bar or Chia Seed Drink on the market directly, or you can make your own creative recipes.

However, although it is not difficult to cook Chia seeds, it is also a little learned. The question that people often ask at the beginning is that Chia seeds need to be washed like rice. If you want to wash, how long does it take to soak? In fact, Chia seeds do not need special cleaning, but before cooking, you need to soak for a few minutes to release the gelatinous substances in the seeds. Generally, it takes 5 minutes to soak cold water, and the hot water can be faster. It takes about 3 minutes to find that the water becomes thick, which means that the Chia seeds are ready to be simmered.

Because the Chia seeds themselves have no taste, it is usually recommended to add foods that have been somewhat flavored, such as oatmeal, yogurt, pudding, milk tea, etc., or make a drink like sago, add natural honey together. Eat, ice in the refrigerator in the summer, not only can bring a feeling of fullness, but also can cool off.

chia seeds side effects

Although Chia seeds are natural foods, under normal circumstances, they do not cause too many side effects. However, if you have any of the following conditions, it is recommended to ask your doctor before eating Chia seeds.

Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers: 
Because omega 3 in Chia seeds has the effect of lowering blood pressure, the blood pressure of pregnant mothers is generally unstable. For the safety of the baby, it is recommended to consult a dietitian or doctor before eating Chia seeds...
People who are allergic to sesame, mustard or peppermint: Chia seeds are the seeds of sage, similar to plants such as sesame. If you have a history of allergies to related foods, you may be allergic to Chia seeds and be very careful.

People with low blood pressure: 
Chia seeds have the function of lowering blood pressure. If the blood pressure is already low, people must be especially careful to avoid low blood pressure.
People who are prone to flatulence: People who are prone to flatulence indicate that the function of the usual digestive tract is not very good. Because Chia seeds contain a lot of fiber that can't be digested, it can promote intestinal peristalsis for the average person. However, for people with bad stomach, it may cause the adverse effect of flatulence, so be careful.

People with the risk of prostate cancer:
α-linolenic acid contained in Chia seeds, confirmed by clinical trials, may increase the risk of prostate cancer. Therefore, people who are already high-risk groups must be especially careful when eating Chia seeds.

Where to buy Chia seeds nutrition

With the popularity of Chia seeds, the packaged Chia seeds are now available at Costco or Quanlian, and the prices are very reasonable. If you don't want to do it yourself, you can also choose energy bars with Chia seeds, or granola bars to help you eat Chia seeds more easily.

Are you eating Chia seeds now? Is there any recommended menu that we didn't mention, or do you want to share it with us? Let us know in the comments below!