Chia Seeds: More Than Just a Fad

Did you know that chia seeds can do some beneficial and essential things for your health? Read on, pardner!

At our clinics, we take pride in offering the most up-to-date, effective, and safe hormone replacement therapies available. Our medical professionals have decades in the fields of Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) and Human Growth Hormone  (HGH) Replacement Therapy. By restoring our client's hormones to a more youthful level, we have given them an entirely new lease on life!

And we don't stop with hormone replacement. Our approach is holistic and includes detailed and sp[ecific recommendations on all aspects of health, including the crucial topic of nutrition. And here is an example of one of our nutritional recommendations.

When you hear the word “chia,” you might just think of “Chia Pets,” those silly red clay pots that look like llamas or presidents who grow green “fur” after you water them for a while. Well, those joke presents (admit it, you’ve bought several) use chia seeds to grow green hair.

Chia seeds are the seeds of a Central American desert plant called Salvia hispanica (the green and more common) or a North American variety called Salvia columbariae (the golden chia). The first time we hear of chia seeds in history is in records of European explorers who recorded that they were a staple of the diet of the Aztecs. The plant is related to mint.

Chia Seeds are a Great Source of Omega-3s!

In recent years, we’ve discovered that chia seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acid, which plays a vital role in our body’s metabolism – and studies have also shown that omega-3 has beneficial effects on our mental health, too. Chia seeds are a great source of dietary fiber, with some 10 grams of fiber for every ounce of seeds. They also contain significant amounts of zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iron.

Chia seeds are rich in antioxidants, which many anti-aging researchers credit with helping to prevent the damage caused by free radicals in our bodies, which many believe are a significant factor in aging. There’s also evidence that a diet that includes chia seeds can reduce chronic inflammation in some sufferers without harming the body’s ability to produce inflammation when it is essential to fight off microbial invaders.

You might be surprised to learn, too, that a one-ounce serving of chia seeds contains almost 6 grams of protein. That makes them around 14% protein, making them one of the most protein-rich plant foods.

Seeds Have Tons of Vitamins and Minerals

That one-ounce serving has zero sugar, more than 13 grams of complex carbohydrates, 8.5 grams of fat (more than half of which are omega-3s), and gives your body over 130 calories of energy. Trace elements abound in an ounce of chia seeds, as well: 27% of the recommended daily intake of phosphorus; 30% of the recommended daily intake of manganese; 30% of the recommended daily intake of magnesium; 18% of the recommended daily intake of calcium.

That calcium number is really impressive – gram for gram, chia seeds contain more calcium than dairy products! And each zippy little chia seed ounce also delivers significant amounts of vitamin B3 (niacin), potassium, vitamin B1 (thiamine), and vitamin B2. Here’s the message: Chia seeds give you a massive helping of nutrition with a proportionately small helping of calories, a very hard-to-beat combination!

Some research suggests that chia seeds, when added to a healthy diet, can reduce some factors for cardiovascular disease: lowering blood pressure, triglycerides, and bad cholesterol (while at the same time increasing your good cholesterol).

Chia seeds are also known to feed the “friendly bacteria” in your intestines, and maintaining healthy digestive flora is, as doctors increasingly acknowledge, very important for human health.

And get this – studies have found that seeds improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control for some diabetics, tending to stabilize their blood sugar levels after eating; in addition, several studies report that eating bread with chia seeds added to or baked in lowers the rise in blood sugar after meals that many people, including diabetics experience.

Diversify Your Diet With Both Chia Seeds AND Sprouts

And you don’t have to restrict yourself to eating the seeds alone, either: chia sprouts are edible and texture-rich additions to many dishes, including sandwiches, soups, salads, and as a garnish to almost anything. They have essentially the same benefits and nutrients as the seeds.

Chia seeds and sprouts have a subtle flavor that many people like. But if you’re the kind of person who likes bold tastes, you might want to add a few spices in chia dishes so that the flavor better harmonizes with the already-rich texture of your palate.

Chia seeds can be popped into your mouth raw, just like candy, and a lot better for you! Or try spreading the raw seeds on vegetable dishes, cereal, or oatmeal. Or mix a few in with your smoothies for an extra flavor and texture boost. The seeds absorb water and other liquids easily, and so can be made slightly – or vastly – softer, depending on how long they’re exposed to liquid and the thickness of the liquid itself. So experiment and find out what texture you prefer.

Unless the seeds are certified organic, it’s a good idea to soak or rinse them before eating to remove any traces of chemicals, fertilizers, or other non-chia material.

Chia Seeds: An Egg Replacement for Vegans

And here’s a great cooking tip for vegans: Soak the seeds in water, then mix until the resultant solution is semi-solid and gelatinous-looking – then use the result as an egg substitute in almost any recipe. Yum! (In fact, the seeds – with their high protein and calcium levels – are perfect for folks on a plant-based diet or health-conscious people who just want to re-balance their diets to decrease animal-based foods.)

The seeds do tend to absorb liquids quickly, soaking up to 12 times their weight, and will increase in size dramatically when they do so. So, if you have difficulty swallowing or a narrow throat opening, avoid swallowing a lot of dry seeds and then drinking afterward. Pre-soaking the seeds for five or ten minutes avoids this risk.

The seeds are widely available in local grocery stores and online, and they are very easy to prepare – if you decide to prepare them at all! With their high nutrient profile, and low-calorie/low-fat footprint, Chia seeds are indeed a superfood, and they’re one that most of us would benefit from having in our diet if we’re not eating them already.

Contact us for a FREE, no-obligation discussion about the incredible benefits of hormone replacement therapy.

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