Health Benefits Of Chia Seeds

About chia seeds

Proper healthy diet helps in living a healthy life. An unhealthy diet can increase the risk of different diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, depression and even cancer.¹ With the increase in the number of diseases due to unhealthy diets, there is a need to enhance consumption of healthy food that can prevent these diseases.² Plants are not only a source of food for us; they also have medicinal importance. Hence, adding plants as a source of food in your diet can strengthen your health. Let’s look into the health benefits of chia seeds. Chia seed is native to South America.⁴ Chia seeds have good amounts of minerals, vitamins, proteins, lipids, and dietary fibers which provide various health benefits including anti-inflammatory activity, cardio-protective and anti-hypersensitive activity.⁵

Nutritional value of chia seeds

Chia seeds contain a significant amount of protein, fiber and fatty acid (omega-3).⁶ The content of protein is 15% to 20%, carbohydrates is 26% to 41%, dietary fiber is 18% to 30%, and vitamins and minerals are 90% to 93% in chia seeds.⁵ In chia seeds, gluten is absent which makes it beneficial for weight reduction.⁶

Amount of energy, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber in 100g of chia seeds is shown below in Table 1:

Table 1: Nutritional Content of Chia Seeds⁷

Health benefits of chia seeds

Chia seeds and chia oil have the same healthy effect on the body. Chia seeds provide a wide range of health benefits such as decreasing blood glucose levels, possessing anti-diabetic activity, decreasing weight, protecting against cancer cells by killing cancer cells,^8,9 and maintaining the health of the heart and liver as chia seeds redistribute lipids away from the liver.^10,11 Chia seeds are also beneficial in providing  protection against arthritis [12]. Chia seeds comprise of fatty acids which exhibit antimicrobial activity that protects the body  against microbes. Therefore, due to their nutritional contents, chia seeds are beneficial in reducing the risk of diabetes, cancer, and coronary heart diseases. Additionally, chia seeds increases the  health of the digestive system, promotes muscle strength, healthy skin and bones.^6,13,14,15 Further benefits of chia seeds are shown in pregnant women. When pregnant women consume chia seeds, it helps in strengthening the retina and brain development of the fetus.¹⁶ Risks of eating too many chia seeds

• It may sound implausible, but too much of a certain food r can be injurious to health even if it is something organic. Chia seeds are an opulent source of plant-based omega 3 fatty acids. Excessive consumption of omega 3-rich food can cause thinning of blood which in turn lowers blood pressure below the  normal range. For example, when someone is using medicines to lower blood pressure while also consuming chia seeds, the addition of chia seeds will worsen and lower the level of blood pressure. In such a situation, it is better to reduce the intake of chia seeds or consult your doctor to get advice about how much quantity of chia seeds is permissible for you¹⁷
• Dietary fibers are important for health, and chia seeds are a better source of fibers but excessive consumption may cause constipation and abdominal pain¹⁸
• Chia seeds contain a good quantity of ALA- Alpha Linolenic acid. In some studies, it has been concluded that excessive consumption of ALA can increase the risk of prostate cancer¹⁸
• Too much intake of chia seeds can disturb the digestive system and cause massive problems of the gastrointestinal system including stomach ache, diarrhea, and bloating¹⁹
• Excessive intake of chia seeds can also cause allergic reactions¹⁹

FAQs

How much chia seeds should I eat?

As excessive intake of chia seeds is harmful to health, it can disturb the digestive system. When you are using chia seeds, staying hydrated can help to avoid digestive system problems.¹⁷ The permissible healthy amount of chia seeds is 15 grams per day. Consumingmore than this amount can cause unpleasant side effects.¹⁹

Is it okay to eat chia seeds every day?

Yes, but make sure to take a balanced amount of chia seeds along intake of a healthy diet and plenty of water.¹⁹

Does eating chia seeds help to burn fat?

According to a study, consuming 4 grams of chia seeds mixed with oats diluted with 250ml of water twice a day for two months can be beneficial for a noteworthy reduction in body weight.²⁰

Does chia seeds cause allergy?

Chia seeds belong to the mint family; Chia  seeds can trigger allergic reactions in your body if you  are allergic to mint or mint-related foods. In that case, make sure to avoid the consumption of chia seeds because it can cause allergies, diarrhea, vomiting, and itching of the tongue and lips.¹⁸

How to eat chia seeds?

It is recommended to eat chia seeds by grinding the seeds and mixing them with water to  help in getting full nutrients from the chia seeds. If you are using one tablespoon of chai seeds then one cup of water is enough for mixing. Consume ground seeds mixed with water after at least 30 minutes. If it is difficult for you to avoid your favorite food then there are 

different ways of taking chia seeds. For example, adding chia seeds to your favorite food such as waffles, muffins, fish, and vegetables. As chia seeds are neutral in taste, adding these seeds will not spoil the taste of your food. Chia seeds pudding can be made easily as these seeds absorb liquid very easily and in large quantities.¹⁸

Summary

Chia seeds are very beneficial for health. The seeds include essential proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and dietary fibers. This makes chia seeds  a  healthy addition to food to get a wide range of health benefits including lowering the risk of cancer, diabetes, controlling cholesterol, reducing weight, protecting from microorganisms, keeping the digestive system healthy, maintaining health of heart, protect from arthritis, and strengthen muscles. It is necessary to take chia seeds in balanced quantities so that side effects of chia seeds can be avoided.