SubscribeNew Superfood: Chia Seeds?
Chia seeds--yep, the same ones that will eventually grow into one of those goofy chia pets if you encourage them--are being called the newest Superfood.
Are they any good for you? And what the heck do you do with them?
Growing in Popularity
According to an article about Chia seeds in the San Jose Mercury News, these formerly obscure seeds are getting quite a bit more popular, especially after being endorsed by "Dr. Oz" from the Oprah Winfrey show. Online orders are suddenly booming and health food chains are starting to carry them too.
They come from a plant relative of the mint called salvia hispanica, and the Aztecs used to eat them. Apparently the seeds were known for increasing endurance--useful whether you're an Aztec warrior or a mother with three kids.
So What's So Good about Chia Seeds?
Chia seeds are high in:
- Protein;
- Fiber;
- Magnesium,
- Calcium, and, best of all,
- ALA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid. (In fact chia seeds contain more Omega-3's than any other plant source, including flaxseed).
An ounce of chia seeds contains 137 calories, and will get you four grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber.
Research: Well, There's at Least a Little Bit
A lot of the health claims seem to come from looking at the nutritional profile of Chia seeds, rather than from actually studying what happens when people eat them.
But a 2007 study of 20 diabetics did show some impressive health benefits.
Patients who ate up to four teaspoons of chia seeds every day for three months:
- reduced their blood clotting factors by 20 per cent;
- reduced markers for inflammation by 30 per cent;
- increased the levels of essential omega-3 fatty acids by 80 per cent; and
- dropped six units in systolic blood pressure.
According to an interview with the lead researcher, Dr. Vladimir Vuksan, "one hundred grams of Salba contains as much omega-3 fatty acid as a 32-ounce Atlantic salmon steak, as much magnesium as 10 stalks of broccoli, as much calcium as 2½ cups of milk and as much iron as half a cup of kidney beans."
So What Do They Taste Like?
I was talked into to trying chia seeds by the health blogger MizFit. (Beware: she is very persuasive).
So with some trepidation I swallowed a spoonful of them and...
They kind of taste like nothing.
On the plus side, this makes them easy to sprinkle into other foods. You can make them into muffins or even drink them. On the other hand, they're not a snack you'd look forward to like some other healthy fats--say peanut butter or avocados.
Would any of you try Chia seeds? What do you think of "superfood" claims generally?
Wow what an interesting products. I had heard how some herbs contained alkaloids and could help a variety of illnesses. This start with Ephedra and we all know how what happened to this.
Replythanks for the shout out.
Id love to hear if anyone knows about TOASTING them.
All the info Ive found states that it DIMINISHES the goo (which it does!) and does NOT take away from the ch-ch-ch-chia benefits.
any nay sayers?
Id love to hear.
ReplyI'd avoid heating them if they have a high omega-3 content since heat damages the fatty acids and makes them rancid.
ReplyI hear some people say the same about flaxseed, but I've never had a problem with my flax going rancid after being baked into things like granola.
ReplyI'd try them, but I also love seeds! I think I'll wait until I can find them at my local Whole Foods, however.
ReplyAre chia seeds sold as Salba? Is there any benefit to the chia seeds or is it only in the salba?
I raise an eyebrow whe researchers make statements like "one hundred grams of Salba contains as much omega-3 fatty acid as a 32-ounce Atlantic salmon steak". This implies that all omega-3's are the same. ALA is different than EPA and DHA in structure and in health benefits. You need oodles and oodles of ALA to convert into biologically significant amounts of what you get in marine sources that provide direct EPA/DHA.
I think salba is a formidable seed, although I'm not sure it's healthier than flaxseeds. Are there any lignans in salba? Not that I'm trying to pit one food vs. another, it's just people will jump and swithch on a whim when marketers make exaggerated proclamations about their products.
ReplyMike: (you posted at the same time as I).
Chia has not yet been evaluated for lignans. However, unlike flax, chia does not contain vitamin B antagonists, toxic glycosides(limarin), or other antinutritional factors. Also, because it is high in antioxidants, chia's shelf life is much longer. Finally, unlike flax seed, chia seed does not need to be ground to be digested.
You are, however, correct in stating that the short chain omega-3 fatty acids found in flax and chia must first be converted to long-chain EFA and DHA to be useful to the human body.
ReplyThanks for the info Margaret - interesting stuff re; antinutrients. Has what you described been studied or is this a theorhetical model? ie. have their been animal studies showing reduced absorption of vitamins with flaxseed ingestion?
Good point about not having to grind salba, although you can buy pre-ground flaxseeds (Yes, they will go rancid if exposed to O2). Although I grind my own flaxseeds, there are limitations as I'm up earlier than the rest of my family and strangely enough, they don't like being woken up to the sound of a coffee grinder :)
Do they make salba oil too?
ReplyI've been eating and blogging about chia seeds for over a year now. Visit my blog for some recipe ideas.
To answer some questions: toasted chia seeds are delicious and are as nutritious as raw seeds.
Whole Foods doesn't yet carry chia seeds, but the Vitamin Shoppe does, at least in New York.
Mizfit, if you call it "gel" instead of "goo," it will taste alot better, LOL. Actually, if you mix the seed with lemonade, the gel will absorb the lemonade flavor in a really good way. You'll easily learn to enjoy it.
One final word: Smoothies!!
ReplyMargaret,
Thanks for all the additional info! Will have to check out the recipes. (I'm still going to call it "goo," however, because it's funnier that way--it's all MizFit's fault).
Replybecause that damn MizFit is a CHILD, I say!
She'll utter anything for a cheap laugh.
love your site, Margaret.
ReplyM.
Crabby is right -- the MizFit is extremely persuasive. If you visit her site be prepared to shell out (happily, I may say) for sometimes delicious, always healthy snacks. :)
Nice work following the chia trail a bit further yet.
ReplyUm, weird...I don't know if I'd try these or not. Do you eat them as seeds or as the sprouts? I like alfalfa sprouts and bean sprouts, so maybe I'd like these sprouted. But if you can get all the health benefits from these seeds just by mixing them in with stuff, I may try that too.
This story reminds me of the time when I was a kid...I got a Chia Pet for Christmas one year and I got it to sprout and it got all "hairy". Well, my sister (who ate just about ANYTHING) decided to eat the "hair" off my Chia pet. Maybe she was on to something. I'll have to tell her about this study.
ReplyJust don't eat too many or you'll look like this:
Replyhttp://www.flyingomelette.com/oddities/sab/chiahead.jpg
I grind a few tablespoons of salba, then mix the powder into a bowl of fat free yogurt. I then add fresh or frozen blueberries/strawberries and a dash of xylitol for taste. Man is it delicious! My kids love it, too.
I hope it's as healthy as they claim. :)
ReplySo......could these be used the same way I use ground flax? Like in my yogurt and smoothies and cookies?
Replyfor sure, Angie!
I love mine in smoothies/on oatmeal and really like the fact that unlike flax seeds which need to be ground chia does NOT.
MizFit
ReplyChia seens really have a lot of buzz these days. I have yet to try them, but I am looking forward to when I do. Based on the reading I have done, they truly seem to pack a lot of health value into one food. It will be interesting to see if this product stands the test of time.
ReplyI put them into my bottled water. It doesn't taste like anything, it grosses everyone out though.
ReplyFor more information about chia visit
www.elpeto.com/chiawflyer.pdf
Both white and black varieties of chia are available from El Peto products at reasonable prices.
ReplyI heard about chia a month or so ago and decided to try them. My local health food store had not heard of them, so I bought a bag of the black seeds at www.chiaseedandoil.com since they were cheaper yet have the same quality as the white. The total cost was about 14.00 and that included shipping. It was a 24 oz bag which is lasting a long time. I like the fact that it does not have to be refrigerated nor ground. I put them in smoothies, sprinkle into my cereal, on fruit, and whatever else I want. BTW, Margaret, what is your website. I would like to look at your recipes for chia seeds.
ReplyWow! I just returned to the website where I bought my last bag of chia seeds and they have gone up quite a bit. Too bad:( They had such a good deal on them before.
ReplyI have to admit... curiosity got me to order not only some Chia seeds the other day, but also some hemp seeds. I do make smoothies at least once a day, so thought they might work nicely in that as a change from flax meal. And I'd probably try them in oatmeal too.
It's more that I just want to try something new.
ReplyJanice...
There supposedly *is* a difference between the white and black - in fact, it is only the *white* that are called 'salba', as far as I can tell...
MizFit? Margaret? Can either of you confirm or deny? Any studies to back up the claim?
Thanks!
ReplyChia naturally is a mix of black, brown & whitish-grey seeds - and is what is known as "black chia". By selectively breeding out the white seeds, growers have been able to offer the market "white chia" as well as the original "black". The difference nutritionally is very minor and is mostly just a personal preference.
El Peto Products offers both black Chia & white Chia
ReplyLots more info at www.elpeto.com/chiawflyer.pdf
Ideally the best chia seeds to get are the ones that aren't milled and are micro fractioned. IF the chia seed gets milled it can lose almost all of its nutrients. Only the best chia products actually show the nutrition facts table on the product. If the product doesn't show the actual nutrition facts who knows what the actual ratio are of all the nutrients you are taking in.
ReplyWhat is the difference in chia and signature grain, and is one more efficient healthwise than the other.
ReplyWell I went to the site Janice posted and they are closed due to them going to South America to do research or whatever...lol...oh well :)
ReplyIsn't it true that there are some crops of Chia that are not grown with any standards for human consumption... meaning the chia seeds in your chia pet are not something you should just pick up and eat but that you should be sure what you are consuming has been handled with care.
Also, there are so many "brands of chia" out there how can you be certain whose brand is going to give you the best nutrients.
Since Dr. OZ says you should "chew" the seed... being milled meaning losing nutritional value cannot be true. If this were the case why would you be able to purchase chia oil that has many of the same benefits as eating the seed.
I worry about how many "experts" there are out giving advice and not really knowing what's "best".
Personally I'll wait until Dr. Oz posts more on his website and follow that. He has already stated on numerous occassions that he is NOT going to support any one brand of Chia seed. Which leads me to believe his advice will be unbasis and based on facts. .
ReplyI saw an ad for Salba , googled "chia" and got a world of info. I bought some white chia online. The website also offered "chia flour" but I figured I'd make my own in my coffee grinder for less money. Did and made muffins. They are delicious. Ive copied a lot of info for my doctor's visit on the 25th. I'm diabetic and we'll see what happens to my blood glucose. My doctor's wife is a nutritionist and I'm anxious to see what she has to say. More in two weeks......
ReplyTry www.superseeds.ca! I have recently ordered from them and am super happy! They shipped quick and had the added benefit of providing a bullet,which I fill and bring to work each day.... www.superseeds.ca
ReplyI also tried superseeds funny enough! Also a great and simple experience... They had flour, white seeds and black seeds available... I also use the bullet, which help me make my day's meals more healthy! I feel the seeds help reduce the risks to the diseases listed above!
Reply