Super Foods

Chia seeds are derived from the desert plant Salvia Hispanica, which is a member of the mint family found in Southern Mexico.

If the word Chia sounds familiar to you, that's because it's the seed used to grow "green hair" on those tacky clay chia pets that people give to their friends as novelty gifts.

But now these little known seeds are poised to take center stage in the nutrition world because of their health promoting, high concentrations of plant derived compounds called phytonutrients.

History

Chia seeds were an important food staple of the Aztec and Mayan cultures and the word Chia actually comes from the Aztec word "Chian", meaning oily seed due to its rich Omega-3 fatty acid content.

Chia seeds played a central role in Aztec religious ceremonies and was revered for its medicinal applications such as relieving joint pain and healing various skin conditions.

In fact, chia seeds were a major crop in Mexico up until the 16th century, when growing it was outlawed by the Spanish Conquistadors because of its association with the "Pagan" Aztec religion.

Over the past few decades, chia seeds had been relegated to junk seed status, but researchers have recently rediscovered their outstanding nutritional content and chia seeds have experienced a resurgence of commercial production in Latin America.

Health Benefits

One of the unique aspects of chia seeds is that they naturally repel insects, so when cultivating them pesticide use is unnecessary, making virtually all the chia seeds that you find in stores organic.

Nutritionally speaking, chia seeds are a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids and gram for gram they have the highest fiber content of any food. They also provide many essential nutrients such as zinc, manganese, copper, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, B vitamins and free radical fighting antioxidants.

On a per gram comparison with some other healthy foods, chia seeds contain:

• 7 times more vitamin C than oranges.
• 5 times more calcium per gram than milk.
• 3 times more iron than spinach.

Recent studies have demonstrated that consuming chia seeds on a regular basis can improve your cardiovascular health by lowering elevated blood pressure and reducing C-Reactive Protein (CRP) levels, an important marker of inflammation, which is a major contributing factor in heart disease.

Preparation and Usage 

Chia seeds come in white and black colors, which have a virtually identical nutrient profile. They are easy to store and travel well because they can be kept at room temperature (in a sealed jar) for long periods of time without their oils going rancid.

Unlike other seeds such as flaxseeds, chia seeds do not need to be ground before consuming them. Whole or ground (if you prefer) chia seeds can be added to smoothies, cereals (hot or cold) yogurt, as well as salads and they add a pleasant nut-like flavor.

When making baked goods such as muffins, you can add ground chia seeds to the base flour in order to improve nutritional content and flavor.

Get creative and try substituting this nutrient dense seed into your daily diet, so you can experience the health benefits of this ancient super-food today!