By Corina • 14 Comments
I’m sure there are a lot of amazing facts about chia seeds you don’t know yet. I guarantee you that you will be very impressed by what you will learn from this article and you might even consider adding chia seeds to your diet. Even though chia seeds are native to Latin America (they can be found mostly in Mexico and Guatemala) and they come from a flowering plant in the mint family, and despite the fact that they have been a staple in the Mayan and Aztec diets for centuries, they’ve only gained popularity in the Western world in the last few years. They are so rich in all kinds of nutrients and antioxidants and they have a lot of wonderful benefits since they can be used in cooking in numerous ways. So, here are a few amazing facts about chia seeds you probably don’t know which will give you a few solid reasons to eat them every day:
One of the most important facts about chia seeds is that it will help you have stronger bones and teeth since they are so rich in calcium. Apparently, a single serving of chia seeds can provide you approximately 18% of your recommended daily intake of calcium. It contains five times more calcium than milk and I believe that this should definitely convince you to add them to your diet.
Another extremely important fact about chia seeds is that it helps regulate your blood sugar, making them a true diabetes combatant. There are lots of studies which have shown that chia seeds can be a very effective natural treatment for type-2 diabetes, due to their ability to slow down digestion. Also, if they are exposed to liquid, they form a gelatinous coat that prevents your blood sugar from spiking, thus “having a positive impact balancing blood glucose levels”.
Chia seeds are really high in fiber and this makes them extremely useful for your digestion and for healing digestion issues. It’s actually one of the best natural remedies for constipation, it helps reduce inflammation and it helps you keep your cholesterol levels low. So apparently, “A mere 28 grams of chia seeds will provide you with roughly a third of the required daily intake of fiber for adults.”. Just give it a try and I’m sure you won’t regret it!
As I said, if chia seeds are exposed to liquid, their outer layer swells and forms a gelatinous mixture which can be used instead of eggs, especially in baking recipes. It lowers cholesterol and it increases the nutrient content of foods. In order to make that egg replacement, just mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water and let it sit for 15 minutes and that’s it, the perfect egg replacement!
If you didn’t know already, chia seeds are gluten free yet they still provide the texture and benefits of grains. This is pretty amazing, especially since nowadays gluten intolerance is becoming an increasing problem in the entire world.
The fact that they contain pretty high levels of protein and fiber will give you a sense of satiety, meaning that you will feel full and satisfied long after your meals and they will also lower your cravings between the important meals of the day. Proteins help your body maintain tissue and create new cells, so it’s pretty important to add them to your diet. Apparently, one serving of chia seeds contains approximately 10% of your daily protein requirements and this is really impressive, since most of the foods that are rich in protein are usually meat-based products.
Chia seeds are quite high in antioxidants, those wonderful chemicals that will protect your body from free radicals. They also have long shelf life and can last almost two years without refrigeration. Also, they are extremely rich in all sorts of minerals and apparently “Two tablespoons of chia seeds contain 18 percent of the DRI for calcium, 35 percent for phosphorus, 24 percent for magnesium and about 50 percent for manganese.”. Actually they contain three times more iron than spinach, twice the potassium content of banana; three times more iron than spinach and seven times more vitamin C than oranges. This is quite impressive right? Well, now you must definitely add them to your diet!
Chia seeds have plenty of amazing benefits and I’m sure I haven’t mentioned all of them here. Can you give me a hand and tell me what other facts about chia seeds do you know that will make us add them to our diet? Please tell us about them in the comments section!
Sources:
lifehack.org
thewellnesswarrior.com.au
healthyeating.sfgate.com
huffingtonpost.ca