A "magic seed" that can improve constipation! Just one spoonful a day, but there is one thing you must pay attention to!

In recent years, chia seeds have become all the rage in the fitness and weight loss circles, and are even called "superfoods". They also often appear in light meals as a garnish.

Why is this much-loved "little seed" so popular? What are the benefits of eating it regularly? This article will talk about chia seeds.

Chia seeds: nature’s treasure trove of nutrients

Chia seeds are the seeds of the plant chia. They are oval in shape and come in black and white. They look a bit like sesame seeds and have a smooth surface with an interwoven texture.

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When it comes to chia seeds, people now think of them as nuts. In fact, chia seeds were a food as early as 3500 BC. Wild chia seeds were first discovered in Mexico and Guatemala, and they were cultivated into the main local food crop. In 2014, chia seeds officially entered the Chinese food market as a new raw material, and gradually became accepted and popular.

Since chia only grows in highland deserts at an altitude of about 1,200 meters in Mexico and North America, there is no such species in Asia, and my country relies on imports for its consumption of chia seeds. Although chia seeds are small in size (generally 1.87±0.1mm long, 1.21±0.08mm wide, 0.88±0.04mm thick, and 1,000-grain weight is 1.2~1.4 grams), they are very nutritious, rich in dietary fiber, protein, B vitamins, minerals calcium and magnesium, selenium, unsaturated fatty acids, and a variety of antioxidant ingredients.

1

Dietary fiber

High dietary fiber is the biggest feature of chia seeds' nutritional content, with a content of up to 34.4 grams per 100 grams, nearly 2.5 times that of black sesame seeds and 1.3 times that of flax seeds.

The Chinese Nutrition Society recommends that Chinese adults should consume 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber every day, but the average daily dietary fiber intake of Chinese residents is only 10.4 grams, less than half of the recommended amount. Chia seeds are a good food for supplementing dietary fiber. Eating one bottle cap of chia seeds can meet nearly 10% of the minimum recommended daily dietary fiber intake of the general population.

Picture: 1 Chia seeds in a mineral water bottle cap, about 6 grams (photographed by myself)

2

protein

When it comes to foods that can supplement protein, everyone will think of meat, eggs, milk, and beans. In fact, chia seeds are also a good choice for protein supplementation. The protein content of chia seeds is richer than that of rice, wheat, corn, etc., which is 16.5 grams per 100 grams. There are also literature data showing that it is 20.70% to 25.32%. In addition, the amino acid composition is relatively reasonable and has a high edible value.

3

B vitamins

Chia seeds are a healthy food that supplements natural B vitamins. The content of vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 is 0.62 mg/100 g and 0.17 mg/100 g respectively. It also contains 8.83 mg/100 g of niacin.

The recommended daily intake of vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 for adults in my country is 1.4 mg/day for men and 1.2 mg/day for women. Lack of vitamin B1 will affect appetite, and lack of vitamin B2 will cause symptoms such as angular cheilitis, cheilitis, glossitis, photophobia, tearing, blurred vision, and fear of cold. According to statistics in 2015, the per capita intake of vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 in my country did not meet the recommended standards, only 0.8 mg and 0.7 mg. In terms of supplementing B vitamins, chia seeds can be eaten.

4

Minerals: calcium, magnesium, selenium

Chia seeds are rich in various minerals, such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, selenium and other nutrients. Among them, calcium, magnesium and selenium have relatively high content, which are 631 mg/100 g, 335 mg/100 g and 55.2 μg/100 g respectively. Eating 10 grams of chia seeds every day can provide us with 63 mg of calcium, 33.5 mg of magnesium and 5.5 μg of selenium.

Supplementing calcium and magnesium is beneficial to bone health, while supplementing selenium helps with anti-oxidation, cancer prevention and maintaining immunity.

5

Unsaturated fatty acids

As a seed food, chia seeds naturally have a high fat content of 30.7g/100g, and are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, of which the Omega-3 fatty acid content is 17.8g/100g, second only to flax seeds among common nuts (flax seeds are 22.8g/100g, see previous articles). Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid that is very beneficial to human health and can prevent chronic diseases and heart disease.

6

Antioxidant ingredients

Chia seeds are also rich in flavonoids and polyphenols, such as caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, myricetin, danshensu, catechins, hesperidin, rutin and other ingredients, which can help the body resist chronic inflammation.

1 scoop of chia seeds a day has many benefits

In 2018, the American magazine Impact Factor published a study in which the Asia-Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics analyzed the nutritional content of 1,000 foods and compiled a list of the "100 Most Nutritious Foods in the World," with chia seeds ranking fifth.

We must not miss such good food, we must eat it. If we can eat 1 spoon of chia seeds every day, it will have many benefits to our health.

Picture: A full spoon of chia seeds is about 10 grams (taken by myself)

1

Prevent constipation and protect the intestines

Chia seeds are high in dietary fiber, of which about 25% to 30% is soluble dietary fiber and the rest is insoluble dietary fiber. Soluble dietary fiber can absorb water and swell, so the volume of chia seeds can increase to 15 times its original size after absorbing water. Eating chia seeds can give you a strong sense of fullness and promote gastrointestinal motility. This is very helpful in preventing constipation and intestinal diseases. It should be noted that you should drink plenty of water at the same time!

2

Lower post-meal blood sugar

A study published in the American journal Nutrition Reviews showed that after consuming more than 7 grams of chia seeds per day for two consecutive months, postprandial blood sugar levels were significantly reduced.

This is related to the rich dietary fiber and unsaturated fatty acids in chia seeds.

3

Lowers blood pressure

Chia seeds are high in potassium and low in sodium, making them very suitable for people who need to control their blood pressure. Studies have shown that consuming >15 grams of chia seeds per day for 60-168 consecutive days can reduce diastolic blood pressure by an average of 7.14 mmHg.

4

Protect blood lipids

High blood lipids are mainly caused by the increase of serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (bad cholesterol), which is the culprit of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The soluble dietary fiber contained in chia seeds can effectively inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the body, thereby playing a role in lowering blood lipids; and the Omega-3 fatty acids in chia seeds can be converted into a small amount of EPA and DHA in the body, which has a positive effect on protecting blood lipid health.

Delicious ways to eat chia seeds

Chia seeds are small in size and have no special taste when eaten alone, so they are not delicious, so they are usually eaten with other foods.

1

Soak in milk or yogurt

This way of eating is relatively simple. Just sprinkle the chia seeds in milk or yogurt, stir well and let it sit for a while.

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2

Overnight Oats

According to the average amount of food for women, take about 30 grams of oatmeal and spread it evenly on the bottom of the container, pour about 75 grams of yogurt and spread it evenly, then pour 20 grams of oatmeal and spread it evenly, continue to pour in 75 grams of yogurt and spread it evenly, then sprinkle 1 spoon of chia seeds, and finally place the cut fruits such as pineapple, dragon fruit, kiwi, etc. on the top layer. After sealing, refrigerate overnight and it can be eaten early the next morning.

In addition, chia seeds can also be eaten in bread, steamed buns, whole-grain rice, vegetable and fruit salads, porridge and soups.

Summarize:

Although chia seeds are small in size, they contain amazing nutritional value. Eating 1 spoon of chia seeds can supplement us with rich Omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, protein, multiple vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants. At the same time, it also adds a beautiful scenery to the food and promotes appetite. However, one thing to note is that you should drink more water at the same time!

References

[1] Zhang Youxin, Gao Yang, Min Xueyang, Yan Xuebing, Wei Zhenwu, Fan Yi, Zhang Haixi, Zhang Chuanjie. A new type of oil crop - chia seeds[J]. China Oils and Fats, 2022, 47(10): 83-88117

[2]https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170554/nutrients

[3] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

[4] Xu Ningning, Wu Tian, ​​Huang Qing. Research progress on active ingredients, physiological effects and development and utilization of chia seeds[J]. Food Industry Science and Technology, 2023, 44(7): 448-454

[5]TeohSL,LaiNM,VanichkulpitakP,etal.Clinicalevidenceondietarysupplementationwithchiaseed(SalviahispanicaL.):asystematicreviewandmeta-analysis[J].NutritionReviews,2018,76(4):219.

Planning and production

Author: Xue Qingxin, registered nutritionist

Review丨Zhang Yu, researcher/PhD, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, national health science expert