Chia seeds are a “health food” that we hear and read about often, but why are they so great? There are actually many reasons why they are incredibly healthy. Here are some reasons that including chia seeds into your diet can benefit your health.

Chia seeds are healthy because they are:

  • a whole grain but are gluten free.
  • high in dietary fiber
  • are low in carbs
  • do not contain sugar
  • are non-GMO and predominantely organic
  • have a very low calorie ratio
  • high in Omega-3s (even more than salmon!)
  • provide various antioxidants for anti-inflammatory and antiviral protection
  • contain antioxidants that slow aging and possibly cancer
  • high in protein as well as the amino acids that help pur bodies use the protein

Chia seeds do even more!

  • Our bodies can use nutrition from the entire seed.
  • Chia seeds have more protein than many other plants.
  • Adding them to your diet can help reduce inflammation in the body, especially the intestines.
  • They greatly improve intestinal digestion and prevent constipation.
  • Chia seeds do help lower bad cholesterol while boosting the good.

 

How much chia seeds should we eat per day?

A good serving of chia seeds is about 2 tablespoons per day.

This provides:

  • Fiber: 11 grams.
  • Protein: 4 grams.
  • Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are omega-3s).

In addition, chia seeds provide the following nutrients:

  • Calcium: 18% of the RDI.
  • Manganese: 30% of the RDI.
  • Magnesium: 30% of the RDI.
  • vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 and vitamin B3 (niacin)
  • potassium, phosphorus and zinc

What about chia seeds and weight loss?

In this article by Healthline, they site information from some weight loss studies that do not report chia seeds promoting great amounts of weight loss. However, high amounts of protein and fiber are proven to reduce your appetite and make you feel more satisfied after eating them. As well, if you are adding nutrient rich foods to your healthy and balanced diet and you are reducing calories, weight loss is inevitable.

The amount of nutrition that chia seeds provide make it an essential part of any diet whether for everyday health, a diet to control a condition or illness or to lose weight.

How do we eat chia seeds?

Chia seeds are tiny black seeds that have minimal flavor. This makes them easy to incorporate into almost any food without causing any change in flavor. In some foods they can go completely undetected.

Pro Tip: Chia Seeds can be used as an egg substitute. This is a secret of many vegans. Mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water, then let that sit for a few minutes. A gel will form that can be used instead of eggs in baking.

Chia seeds are a plant based food that have a long list of health benefits. No matter what your health goals are, chia seeds will most likely contribute generously to your diet. With the added bonus of having very little flavor, it is easy to add chia seeds to all sorts of foods. Take action to get them into your diet today!