The secret behind Chia

Many people dealing with weight loss or high cholesterol are intrigued by facts, figures, and sometimes legends about chia seeds. These seeds do have unique properties which can help with losing weight in some particular cases. Research also indicates chia seeds and other derivatives can benefit digestion and reduce some risk factors for heart diseases and diabetes. Nobody knew about chia plant as a food until a few decades ago. In a short time, chia seeds became a superfood entering people’s diet worldwide. Some history is needed.

Sacred and forbidden plant

The chia plant, with its botanical name Salvia hispanica, is native in the central and southern regions of Mexico and Guatemala. The ancient Mayan and Aztec cultures considered this plant as sacred and used its seeds both as a medicine and as an energetic food. Chia was actually the ancient Mayan word for “strength”.

Unfortunately, chia’s power wasn’t enough to prevent the Spanish conquistadores from banning this and other plants because of their religious significance in native American populations. One chia landrace survived the ban in some rural regions of Mexico, so that in the past century it was possible to spread again the seed across Mexico, Bolivia and other Mesoamerican regions like Argentina, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala. Today the Salvia hispanica is also widely cultivated in Australia. After this plant has been forgotten for hundreds of years, some recent scientific research discovered a few specific chia’s benefits for human health. We finally know this plant is probably not sacred but it helps to maintain a healthy body and soul, when incorporated into a balanced diet.

The secret for strenght is a high and balanced nutritional content

Chia seeds are a non-GMO, whole grain, gluten-free food. The plant is usually grown with organic agriculture procedures and its seeds contain 486 calories per 100 grams of product. Chia seeds consist approximately in 6% water, 45% carbohydrates (of which 80% is insoluble fiber), 35% fats, 18% proteins. They are also rich in B vitamins, antioxidants and minerals, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc. Chia seeds’ protein content is very high compared to most plants’ seeds, and they also contain a good balance of essential aminoacids. Chlorogenic acid, Caffeic acid, and Quercetin are Chia’s own antioxidants, in charge to protect the seeds from biochemical damage. Studies show that some of them can also contrast the free radicals’ action on our body’s cells, which contributes to ageing and diseases.

Feeding, healing and filling up with gel, fibers and the omega factor

Chia seeds’ high nutritional value doesn’t mean they make you lose weight. The “slimming factor” resides in the fact that they can absorb up to 10 times their weight in water, building up a nice gel that expands in your stomach making you feeling pretty full. That’s it. Toghether with healty snacks, chia seeds can combat junk food cravings. The slow-digesting carbohydrates and fibers mix doesn’t raise blood sugar and the energy provided is long-lasting. Proteins in chia seeds also help reducing appetite and cravings. The high calcium content helps bone health, which is crucial for overweight persons.

There’s more. Chia seeds are one of the best plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids including α-linolenic acid. **This study shows chia seeds can help lowering bad cholesterol levels and simultaneously raise the good cholesterol levels, suggesting that eating chia seeds for a long time can attenuate one of the major cardiovascular risk factors.

A few other studies have shown that chia seeds might help lower blood pressure, and blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, thus reducing some of the risks of heart diseases and stroke. However there is no scientific evidence that chia seeds alone can improve symptoms of any major disease.

Easy cooking with chia seeds

Now that chia is not a mistery anymore, we can start cooking with it. We can purchase whole or milled chia seeds, or chia flour and oil. Seeds are most flexible as a chia ingredient, and they pair well with both sweet and savoury foods. They only have a delicate taste, adding a crunch more than flavour. The easiest way to assume the “strength” is just use chia seeds as a topping for any food, or dash them in yogurt, smoothies, cereals, sauces, or in cooked dishes with rice and veggies. Seeds can be baked, and the particular chia seed’s gel that generates in contact with water can replace about 25% of the eggs, oil or other fats content in cakes and baked food. Chia’s baked gel is capable to add a nice fluffiness to gluten-free sweet food, such as in bread and cakes.