1. Chia Seeds Deliver a Massive Amount of Nutrients with Very Few Calories
Chia seeds are tiny black seeds from the plant Salvia Hispanica, which is related to the mint. This plant grows natively in South America.Chia seeds were an important food for the Aztecs and Mayans back in the day.
They prized them for their ability to provide sustainable energy, in fact; “chia†is the ancient Mayan word for “strength.â€
Despite their ancient history as a dietary staple, only recently did chia seeds become recognized as a modern day super food.In the past few years, they have exploded in popularity and are now consumed by health conscious people all over the world.
This is particularly impressive when you consider that this is just a single ounce, which supplies only 137 calories and one gram of digestible carbohydrate!
Just so that we’re all on the same page, 1 ounce equals 28 grams, or about 2 tablespoons.
Interestingly… if you subtract the fiber, which may not end up as usable calories for the body, chia seeds only contain 101 calories per ounce.
This makes them one of the world’s best sources of several important nutrients, calorie for calorie.
To top things off, chia seeds are a “whole grain†food, are usually grown organically, are non-GMO and naturally free of gluten.
2. Chia Seeds Are High in Quality Protein
A Pile of Chia SeedsChia seeds contain a decent amount of protein.By weight, they are about 14% protein, which is very high compared to most plants.
They also contain a good balance of essential amino acids, so our bodies should be able to make use of the protein in them.Protein has all sorts of benefits for health. It is also the most weight loss friendly nutrient in the diet, by far.
A high protein intake reduces appetite and has been shown to reduce obsessive thoughts about food by 60% and the desire for night time snacking by 50%
Chia seeds really are an excellent protein source, especially for people who eat little or no animal products.
3. Due to the High Fiber and Protein Content, Chia Seeds Should be Able to Help You Lose Weight
Overweight Woman Holding a Scale with Thumbs up,many health experts believe that chia seeds can help with weight loss.The fiber absorbs large amounts of water and expands in the stomach, which should increase fullness and slow the absorption of food.
There have been several studies on glucomannan, a fiber that works in a similar way, showing that it can lead to weight loss. Then the protein in chia seeds could help to reduce appetite and food intake.
Unfortunately, when the effects of chia seeds on weight loss have been studied, the results have been rather disappointing.Although one study showed that chia seeds can reduce appetite, there was no significant effect on body weight.
In a study on 90 overweight people, 50 grams of chia seeds per day for 12 weeks had no effect on body weight or health markers.In another 10 week study of 62 women, chia seeds had no effect on bodyweight but did increase the amount of Omega-3s in the blood.
Although just adding chia seeds to your diet is unlikely to affect your weight, I personally believe that they can be a useful addition.A weight loss diet is about more than just adding or subtracting single foods. The entire diet counts, as well as other lifestyle behaviors like sleep and exercise.
When combined with a real food based diet and a healthy lifestyle, I can definitely see how chia seeds could help with weight loss.
4. Chia Seeds May Improve Certain Blood Markers, Which Should Lower The Risk of Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes
Chia Seeds in a Heart Shaped Bowl, Given that chia seeds are high in fiber, protein and Omega-3s, they should be able to improve metabolic health.This has been tested in several studies, but the results have been inconclusive.
In two studies, a diet with chia seeds, soy protein, oats and nopal, has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, increase HDL cholesterol and reduce inflammation.Because these studies also used other ingredients, nothing can be concluded about the chia seeds themselves.
Overall… it is possible that chia seeds can improve these risk factors, but probably won’t have a major effect unless followed by other beneficial changes in the diet.
5. They Are High in Many Important Bone Nutrients
Smiling Elderly Woman, Chia seeds are high in several nutrients that are important for bone health. This includes calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and protein.
The calcium content is particularly impressive… 18% of the RDA in a single ounce.
Gram for gram, this is higher than most dairy products.
Chia seeds may be considered an excellent source of calcium for people who don’t eat dairy.
