The reason chia seeds considers a food is the full content of vitamins and minerals per gram compared to any other food. They contain fiber, a significant amount of vegetable omega-3 fats, and magnesium.
Research shows that chia seeds positively affect blood lipid profile and help control hunger better. How to take these seeds correctly for health benefits?
About Chia Seeds
Chia seeds exist the seeds of the chia plant, an annual flower that grows up to 2 m high. Homeland – Central America. Before Spanish colonization, chia seeds, spirulina, and corn were critical staples in the Aztec diet.
Intended for a long time, the benefits of chia were forgotten since the plant was considered extinct. Though, in the 1980s, it was discovered in the distant mountains of Paraguay. Currently, they are popular in South America and Europe, and the plant is also successfully grown in Russia.
Besides reviews, both scientific types of research support the health benefits of chia, and they are unlikely in calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus. Moreover, chia grains contain vegetable omega-3 fats and a type of soluble fiber that improves stomach function.
How to use Chia Seeds?
Chia seeds are best beneficial in the form of flour – since the grains cover with a hard shell, they are only partially digested in their usual form. Practice says that the easiest way to use chia is to prepare vegetable and fruit smoothies, beating them with a blender.
In addition, chia seeds are a beneficial ingredient in home-based whole grain bread. Because of the high soluble fiber content, the milled grains add volume and unique taste to the bread while lowering the glycemic index.
Chia seeds likewise have beneficial properties in the form of an oil – it distinguishes by a high content of plant Omega-3 acids and natural substances that avoid the oxidation of these acids. Chia oil is recycled in cosmetics to help fight acne.
What are the Benefits of Chia Seeds?
Training shows that chia seeds used daily can help reduce micro-inflammation in the body¹. It lowers blood pressure and helps maintain normal cholesterol levels. We also note other valuable properties:
1. Contains many Minerals
Chia seeds are an excellent source of magnesium and calcium, essential for metabolism. 100 g of chia contains 94% of the daily value for magnesium, 63% of the deal for calcium, and 59% of the value for iron. Recall that magnesium restores the nervous system, while the iron is beneficial for the circulatory system.
2. Reduce Cholesterol Levels
Due to its rare type of soluble fiber, it can influence blood cholesterol levels by lowering the amount of “bad” cholesterol. It also plays a role in the fact that they contain potent antioxidants that increase the level of absorption of omega-3s
3. Contains Omega-3
These are one of the leaders in plant Omega-3 content. They help combat micro-inflammation and accelerate the rate of muscle recovery in male athletes and help maintain optimal immune function. The best form of chia intake, in this case, is oil.
4. A Source of essential Amino Acids
The protein profile of chia seeds is complete – they contain essential amino acids necessary for metabolism, lysine, methionine, and others. Also, the beneficial properties of chia are the presence of the amino acid tryptophan, which is essential for the synthesis of serotonin.
5. Contains Antioxidants
Chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid contained in seeds are powerful natural antioxidants. Chia also contains the flavonoids myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol – they are helpful for immune functions and increase the body’s ability to fight against damaging factors of different nature.
6. Good for Gut Health
Chia seeds have probiotic properties – that is, they improve the condition of the intestinal microflora, acting as food for beneficial bacteria. In addition, chia is safely weakening (for this, they need to take at night in 2-3 tablespoons, washed down with water) without having side effects and contraindications.
7. Reduce Hunger
Because these remain high in fiber, they quickly relieve hunger and provide long-term satiety. You can keep a bag of chia seeds in your bag and wash down a handful of these seeds with water as needed – an ancient Aztec technique.
8. Easy to Grow at Home
It can germinate at home – and faster than soybeans. Sprouted grains eat as a source of chlorophyll. In turn, the chia plant, akin to sage and mint, blooms beautifully and does not require special care – when planted in open ground, it bears fruit in a year.
