Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are becoming increasingly well known as a superfood. Superfoods are those natural plant foods that have a very high nutritional content, certain nutrients being very well represented in the food as it occurs naturally.
Chia seed comes from a plant by the name of Salvia Hispanica and you'll usually find the seed marketed simply as Chia. Salvia Hispanica is a flowering plant, an annual herb which grows in height to around one meter and is native to the central and southern parts of Mexico and Guatemala. Historical evidence shows that it was cultivated by the Aztec people. In fact, Aztec legend has it that one small mouthful of Chia seeds could sustain a warrior in battle for twenty four hours!
Salvia hispanica seeds are part of a category of naturally occurring omega 3 foods, the seeds themselves actually yielding around 30% good fats. Getting your omega 3 fats directly from plant sources is not as efficient from the perspective of how well your body is able to utilize the fats as opposed to getting omega 3 directly from a fish source as fish oil. However, your body can convert (at a lower efficiency) the ALA (Alpha Linolenic Acicd) in these healthy seeds into DHA and EPA which are the beneficial fats that have been identified in fish oil and shown to be so important for optimal health and heart health.
Chia is usually grey in colour, but can also be black or white. Aside from the beneficial fats that are contained in the seeds, there are also many other important nutrients such as…
Protein; around 20grams per 100grams of seed
Carbohydrates; 30-40grams per100grams in the form of slow burn, low glycemic index (GI index) food. A fantastic diabetic food
Fiber; 30-40 grams per 100 grams
Calcium; a great source of plant based calcium, 800mg per 100 grams
Vitamin A; 4300iu per 100grams
Additionally, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Iron , Zinc, Niacin and Vitamin B1 are also well represented.
Chia are easy to incorporate into your diet everyday. I sprinkle a couple of table spoons on my breakfast cereal every morning and add them to smoothies, homemade bread, summer and winter salads, soups or simply a small handful for when I'm busy and on the go….as per Aztec warrior style! They do sustain you and will help stop you getting hungry between meals.
I recommend Chia as a superfood for your optimal health everyday, Get hold of some as soon as you can, you'll love them.
