Chia seeds, tiny yet mighty

Chia seeds, tiny yet mighty

Salvia hispanica, commonly known as chia, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala.The 16th century Codex Mendoza provides evidence that it was cultivated by the Aztec in pre-Columbian times; economic historians have suggested that it was as important as maize as a food crop.It is still used in Mexico and Guatemala, with the seeds sometimes ground, while whole seeds are used for nutritious drinks and as a food source.
There’s more to this salubrious seed than a pop culture reference Prized for centuries as a superfood by the ancient Aztecs of Mexico, chia was nearly wiped out by the Spanish conquis-tadors, only to be hawked in recent memory as a novelty product, to the tune of Ch-ch-ch-chia! 

Word is spreading of chia seeds’ copious amounts of heart-healthy omega-3 fats.
How It Heals 
Lately, the seeds of the Salvia hispanica plant are experiencing something of a renaissance as a functional food. Word is spreading of chia seeds’ copious amounts of heart-healthy omega-3 fats—“higher than many other foods,” says Wayne Coates, PhD, coauthor of Chia: Rediscovering a Forgotten Crop of the Aztecs. Research published in Diabetes Care suggests chia can help lower blood pressure and combat potentially heart-damaging infl ammation. Chia seeds are also chock-full of fiber, which has been credited with preventing weight gain and reducing diabetes risk. “Chia’s abundant soluble fi ber forms a gel in the stomach, which slows food digestion, helping decrease blood sugar levels and promote satiety,” says Coates. Add to chia’s benefi ts impressive amounts of chronic-disease-fi ghting antioxidants and the bone-building trio of calcium (about six times the amount in milk), magnesium, and phosphorus.

Eat It Up 

Make a habit of adding at least 1 to 2 tablespoons of chia daily to your diet. According to Coates, there are no real restrictions on chia intake. “Most people can eat a cup a day without a problem,” he says. If you’re not used to eating a lot of dietary fi ber, you may want to build up slowly to limit gastrointestinal distress. The best evidence suggests black and white varieties of chia are equally nutritious. And unlike fl ax, the seeds don’t need to be ground up to access their healing benefi ts. “Chia also has a longer shelf life than flax, because the higher levels of antioxidants prevent the volatile oils from going rancid,”says Coates. Still, it’s best to refrigerate whole chia seeds. Mix the seeds into yogurt, salads, smoothies, quick bread batters, veggie burger patties, and your favorite cereal to add satisfying crunch without altering flavor.