Benefits of Chia – Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Chia seed has many health benefits, and making chia a part of your daily diet can help with many health issues. I will repeat this over and over, chia alone is not going to cure anything. By itself, it won’t make you lose 50 pounds. However, using chia can aid in this and many other health issues.

Arguably, the most nutritious component of chia is it’s high amount of Omega-3 fatty acid content. Chia has about 2000 mg of Omega-3 per serving. That is the highest source of Omega-3’s of any plant-based food, and by volume has more than even salmon.

It is important to understand why Omega-3 fatty acids are so important to our health. Recent studies have shown that inflammation may be the biggest single cause of diseases, including heart disease and cancers. Omega-3 fatty acids are critical in decreasing and controlling inflammation throughout the body.

Here are some of the health benefits of a diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids:

Helps to reduce inflammation
Decreases excessive blood clotting
Aids cell membranes to maintain fluidity
Helps to lower the amount of lipids in the blood stream (fats like cholesterol)
Possibly helps to prevent cancer cell growth

If you suffer from cardiovascular disease, depression, type-2 diabetes, fatigue or joint pain, it is possible that you have an imbalance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Both -3 and -6 fatty acids are critical building blocks for our bodies, but our western diet has caused a huge shift in the balance between these two essential nutrients.

In the past, the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids was about 2:1. An optimally healthy body can deal with approximately a 4:1 ratio. Unfortunately, the average person today has a huge imbalance, averaging closer to 25:1. This increased amount of Omega-6 fatty acids has led to many diseases due to the increase in pro-imflammatory chemicals. This imbalance is a critical factor in our health and bringing back a balance is important to improving our health.

The importance of Omega-3 intake cannot be overstated. Fish oils, including salmon and cod liver oils, have been a common way to increase Omega-3 intake. Those are still great ways to increase your intake. Chia, however, offers an even better source of natural Omega-3’s while at the same time providing many other essential nutrients.

Having a balanced diet that is high in Omega-3’s is important to providing the body the critical building blocks to reaching optimal health and fighting off the damaging effects of inflammation. Get some chia seed today and start feeling the benefits of this amazing natural, whole food.

Where Do I Get The Best Chia?

I have been getting a few email questions about buying chia, where to buy it, and if some of these companies are selling quality chia. One of the biggest questions I get is why some companies, including multi-level marketing companies, are selling chia at a much higher price.

In the next few posts I will talk about the different chia suppliers, what makes their product different (or not) and the true costs of buying chia. Understand that chia is creating a revolution in the health food industry. It is just getting started and it will get much, much bigger. I expect that in the next year it will be making headlines on the news and much of the world will know about this amazing product. This will probably also result in a price hike, an unfortunate side-effect of popularity.

But, that also means there will be many companies and individuals looking to make a buck from this revolution. It is definitely buyer beware out there. In an attempt to help you, my readers, I will cover as many of the suppliers out there, present their pros and cons, and help you fight through the minutia that is being thrown about by marketing companies. I will give you my opinion of what they offer and if it is a good idea. You can then make a more informed decision about how and where you will buy and use chia.

Hopefully this will help you avoid bad suppliers and overpaying for chia. I fear that many people will be turned off from the marketing companies that are pushing their supposedly “superior” chia product, and the result will be that people will not use chia. That would be a shame. My goal is to help you see the benefits of chia and get you to incorporate this healthy, nutrient-dense food into your life.

Stay tuned for my reviews of the many current suppliers, but understand that new ones are popping up all the time. If you have a question about a specific supplier, let me know and I will do my best to get you the information available.

Can Chia Help You Lose Weight?

Chia is being promoted by many as a weight-loss enhancer.  Although it has many benefits in relation to weight loss, like I’ve said before, there is no one magic bullet.  Chia alone won’t make you lose weight, but in combination with healthy eating and exercise it can increase weight loss in addition to it’s many other benefits.

 

So how can chia help with weight loss?  Chia has incredibly high absorption qualities.  Studies vary, but these seeds have the ability to absorb between 9-15 times their weight in water.  This gives a satiated feeling when eaten.  In other words, when you eat (or drink) chia, it makes you feel full and can help control appetite.  If you are looking to lose weight, this “full” feeling can help reduce food intake.

 

Although chia can be beneficial to weight loss, I don’t believe this is chia’s biggest strength.  The high omega-3 content, the abundant fiber, both soluble and insoluble, and the wide variety of other nutrients makes chia a superfood that you should incorporate into your diet. 

The bottom line, chia can help with weight loss and weight control, but by itself it probably isn’t going to help you.  If you are looking for a weight-loss aid that also provides essential nutrients, get some chia today and try it for yourself.

What is chia!

For those of you new to the chia revolution, let me explain what chia is, and just as importantly, what it isn’t.

Chia, or more accurately, chia seed, is from the plant Salvia Hispanica L., which is a member of the mint family.  It has been used by humans as a food source for over 10,000 years.  The Aztecs were some of the first humans to utilize this amazing seed.

Native to southern Mexico, Central and South America, this edible seed is a superior source of many nutrients compared to other seeds and grains.  Since it is a whole food, not a supplement, it is safe for virtually everyone to eat.  It also doesn’t have any known allergies.

So why is chia just now coming on the scene? Simple, once the Spanish conquered the Aztecs, they forced societal changes on the natives which included what they ate and what they farmed.  As such, the cultivation of chia ended in most areas.  Chia continued to grow wild, and many isolated tribes continued to utilize this amazing source of protein, vitamins and minerals.

In the 1980’s health-conscious individuals, looking for natural, healthy food, rediscovered chia.  It has taken time for the use of chia to reach the mainstream, but with recent research studies that show the amazing benefits of this tiny seed, chia is now making it’s mark on the natural, whole food market.

Chia was known as the “Indian Running Food” by the Aztec Warriors due to its ability to provide beneficial nutrients and energy.  The Aztec culture so prized this seed that it was used as a currency at times.  It was also utilized for other medicinal purposes, such as a poultice for wounds, treatment for colds, constipation and even stomach aches.

The bottom line is that chia is a great source of essential nutrients.  It is cost-effective and provides a great source of vitamins and minerals with no known side-effects.  It isn’t a supplement.  It is a whole food that is very versatile, making it easy to incorporate into your daily diet.

Chia isn’t a cure-all.  It won’t cure any disease by itself, but it is a great way to increase essential nutrient intake in an easy, cost-effective way.  If you haven’t tried chia yet, give it a shot and let me know what you think.

Chia The “Superfood”?

Chia is making a run at being the newest “big” thing in the health and wellness market.  Although chia is a great whole food with many benefits, people seem to forget that there just isn’t a magic bullet when it comes to health.

That being said, chia is a great source of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients.  Just remember, no one food or supplement or pill will cure you from any disease, make you skinny or give you optimal health.  It takes much more to achieve those goals.  However, chia just might be a natural, whole food that could help you reach those goals.

This blog will cover all of the benefits of chia and report all of the scientific results from studies that show how exceptional chia can be for your health.  We will cover recipes as well as sources for chia. 

If you haven’t heard much about chia, you certainly will in the next year.  Don’t get caught up in the hype from marketing and multi-level companies.  Chia won’t cure diabetes or make you lose 50 pounds.  Although using chia might actually help you lose wait, and can help control diabetes.  The point I am trying to make is that as great as chia is for us, it isn’t the be-all end-all.  

I personally use chia and like it very much.  It has so many health benefits I find it silly not to utilize it.  It is inexpensive, easy to use, and the best thing about it is that it is a whole food.

Stay tuned for the truth about chia and how it can benefit you, how to use chia and where to get it.  We will explore everything about chia, from it’s history to it’s current use and the way some companies are taking advantage of the uninformed.