What are chia seeds
Chia seeds are edible seeds grown from the Salvia hispanica plant. They are indigenous to parts of Mexico and Guatemala but are widely grown throughout much of North and South America.1
Do chia seeds help you lose weight?
There are a lot of claims on the Internet that chia seeds can curb your appetite and therefore help you lose weight. Chia seeds are believed to keep you feeling fuller for longer, as they are filling and high in fibre. As a result, they could help to reduce overeating. Furthermore, just two teaspoons of chia seeds provide nearly 10g of fibre, almost 40% of the recommended daily allowance. This is beneficial, as fibre-rich diets have been related to weight reduction.2
Chia seeds have a significant calorie and fat content as well. There are 138 kcal and 9g of fat in just two tablespoons. When consumed in moderation, chia seeds may make you feel fuller and less prone to overeat. However, if you consume an excessive amount during the day, you may exceed your daily calorie restriction.2
Other benefits of chia seeds
Helps improve bone health
Chia seeds are a great source of minerals, as they contain minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, all of which are excellent for bone health. A 25 gram serving of chia seeds provides a larger amount of calcium, about 158mg, compared to the same amount of milk, at 32mg.3
Lowers blood pressure and good for the heart
Chia seeds appear to provide cardio-protective benefits, which may be due to their high fibre content, polyunsaturated fat content, and anti-inflammatory qualities. Chia seeds and chia flour have also been shown to reduce blood pressure in hypertensive individuals; the benefits were significant for both medicated and unmedicated participants. But it's important to remember that any change in diet needs to be paired with changes in lifestyle and exercise to have a noticeable effect on heart health.1
Chia seeds have also been shown to help in the prevention of cardiovascular disease in several ways, due to their high antioxidant, fibre, and heart-healthy fat content.1 Chia seeds can help lower inflammation and in doing so, a number of heart disease risk factors, including excessive cholesterol and blood pressure.1 Similarly, chia seeds contain more omega-3 fatty acids per gram than salmon, which is beneficial, as omega-3 fatty acids reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation, which protect the heart.1
Improves blood sugar management
Chia seeds have been shown to reduce insulin resistance in studies that looked at their impact on blood sugar regulation in animals.4
Improves digestive health
25 grams of chia seeds contains nearly 9 grams of fibre, which is nearly a third of the recommended daily consumption of 30 grams. Dietary fibre is essential for digestive health and maintaining a healthy microbiota in the gut. A diet high in fibre reduces the chance of developing several illnesses as well as all-cause death.1
Nutritional facts about chia seeds
The nutritional value of Chia seeds per 28.35 gram serving is 138 calories, 4.7 grams of protein, 8.7 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbohydrates, 9.8 grams of fibre, and 0 grams of sugar.1
Chia seeds are also a good source of many nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, selenium, and phosphorus. Similarly, they contain high quantities of alpha-linolenic acid which is an omega-3 fatty acid that promotes a lower omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio - a lower ratio is connected with a decreased risk of chronic illnesses including heart disease, inflammatory disorders and cancer.
Summary
Chia seeds include high amounts of beneficial nutrients such as fibre, minerals, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which are good for the heart. As well as advantages for intestinal and digestive health, chia seeds have been associated with reductions in diabetes and heart disease risk factors.
References
- Ullah R, Nadeem M, Khalique A, Imran M, Mehmood S, Javid A, et al. Nutritional and therapeutic perspectives of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.): a review. Journal of Food Science and Technology [Internet]. 2015 Oct 1 [cited 2022 Feb 15];53(4):1750–8.
- Can Chia Help With Weight Loss? | Nutrition | Andrew Weil, M.D. [Internet]. DrWeil.com. 2018 [cited 2022 Dec 2].
- Montes Chañi EM, Pacheco SOS, Martínez GA, Freitas MR, Ivona JG, Ivona JA, et al. Long-Term Dietary Intake of Chia Seed Is Associated with Increased Bone Mineral Content and Improved Hepatic and Intestinal Morphology in Sprague-Dawley Rats. Nutrients [Internet]. 2018 Jul 19 [cited 2022 Dec 2];10(7).
- Simopoulos AP. The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy [Internet]. 2002 Oct [cited 2022 Dec 2];56(8):365–79.