You can incorporate chia seeds into your daily diet by adding them to desserts, soups, water, and even your drinks
Chia seeds are a powerhouse of fibre and omeand are incredibly rich in various nutrients. A staple in the ancient Aztec and Maya diets, these seeds have been touted for their health benefits for centuries. Chia seeds help promote heart health, support strong bones, and improve blood sugar management.
According to Harvard-educated gastroenterologist Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a teaspoon of chia seeds daily could be one of the healthiest habits to adopt. Apart from being rich in protein, healthy fats, and micronutrients, chia seeds are packed with antioxidants, which protect from oxidative stress and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Why should you eat chia seeds daily?
You can incorporate chia seeds into your daily diet by adding them to desserts, soups, water, and even your drinks. A few benefits include:
Weight loss
According to Dr. Sethi, chia seeds benefit those trying to lose weight. A teaspoon of chia has around 10 grams of dietary fibre, which helps prevent being overweight and obese. Additionally, the protein in chia seeds also reduces appetite and food intake.
You can mix chia seeds with yogurt for breakfast to increase feelings of fullness and reduce food intake in the short term.
Lowers the risk of heart disease
Being rich in omega-3s, consuming chia seeds daily can reduce your risk of heart disease in the long term. Soluble fibre - the kind primarily found in chia seeds—lowers total and bad cholesterol in your blood. It also has ALA, the omega-3 fatty acid, which reduces high triglyceride and oxidative stress levels.
Strengthens your bones
Chia seeds are loaded with nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium—all of which are important for maintaining your bone and joint health. Many observational studies suggest that getting enough of these nutrients is important for high bone mineral density, an indicator of bone strength.
How many chia seeds should you eat in a day?
A common serving size is one ounce or 28 grams, which makes for 2-3 tablespoons of chia seeds. Remember to drink plenty of water to reduce the risk of any digestive side effects.
However, according to experts, eating too much fibre, which is plenty in chia seeds, can lead to problems like abdominal pain, constipation, diarrohea, bloating, and gas. This can also occur when a high fibre intake gets paired with inadequate hydration, since water is essential to helping fibre pass through the digestive system.
Chia seeds can be a choking risk
According to experts, while chia seeds are mostly safe, they may cause an increased risk of choking. So, make sure you consume them carefully, especially if you have difficulty swallowing. This increased risk is because dry chia seeds swell up and absorb about 10–12 times their weight in liquid when they are exposed to water.
However, these gelling properties are useful when it comes to cooking or baking, but they have the potential to be unsafe, as chia seeds can easily swell up and become lodged in the throat.
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