Super Food-Chia Seeds

Super Food-Chia Seeds

When you think of chia seeds, what comes to mind? Superfoods? Netflix food? An imported product? Or is it a "slimming" product? In recent years, chia seeds have often appeared on the menus of light restaurants and in the photos of food bloggers, and have even been called the "number one seed of the 21st century". In the United States, many chia seeds or products with chia seeds directly labeled as "SUPERFOOD". Today, let's take a deep dive into this "magic" seed - chia seeds.

1..What are the nutritional values of chia seeds?

Dietary fiber

One of the more significant features of chia seeds is their high dietary fiber content. 28g of chia seeds contains approximately 11g of dietary fiber, and one spoonful of chia seeds provides 20% of the dietary fiber needed for a day.

This is mainly insoluble dietary fiber, but there is also a certain amount of soluble dietary fiber. Considering that our national daily intake of dietary fiber is often inadequate, it is still very meaningful.

Protein

The protein contains in chia seeds is also outstanding. According to the USDA, chia seeds have a protein content of 16.5g per 100g, which is higher than "star grains" such as oats (15% protein) and quinoa (14% protein).

Not only is the protein content high, but the quality of protein in chia seeds is also better. According to the amino acid score analysis, chia seed protein is rich in amino acids and has a balanced composition, which basically meets the needs of the human body and is a high-quality protein with high digestive and absorption rates, comparable to soybeans and even animal food proteins.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids

Chia seeds are also an oil-rich cereal, with a fat content of 30.7%, which far exceeds that of ordinary grains. About 70% of the fatty acid composition is Omega-3 fatty acids (mainly alpha-linolenic acid), and about 20% is Omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of fatty acids that are relatively easy to be deficient in our dietary fatty acids.

Minerals

Chia seeds are high in the minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium, with calcium being particularly prominent. The calcium content of chia seeds is 631mg per 100g, which is about the same as that of white sesame seeds (620mg /100g for white sesame seeds and 780mg/100g for black sesame seeds according to the Chinese food composition table).

Antioxidant substances

Chia seeds contain a wide variety of antioxidant substances, including vitamins C and E and rich phenolic and flavonoid compounds such as gallic acid, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, ethyl protocatechuate, isoflavones, poppins, quercetin and kaempferol, making them good antioxidants.

2.Are Chia seeds really worth eating?

Regardless of the controversy, there is no doubt that chia seeds are a good thing.

a)        first of all, chia seeds are rich in nutrients. 30g of chia seeds are rich in a variety of nutrients, making it easier to meet nutritional goals with daily consumption. They can be added to different foods to increase the nutritional intake of a particular meal.

b)        Secondly, chia seeds are low in calories. 30g of chia seeds are rich in nutrients, but contain only 137g of calories. In addition, it contains only one gram of carbohydrates. In this case, your body will consume a lot of essential nutrients without consuming a lot of calories or unhealthy carbohydrates.

c)        Furthermore, chia seeds contain high amounts of antioxidants, and one of the many positive effects of consuming antioxidants on the body is that they are the sworn enemy of free radicals, which are a factor in aging and can cause cancer.

d)       Chia seeds also have a high content of soluble fiber and protein, which can help you lose weight quickly. They absorb water and then expand, which will make you feel full. This protein can reduce your appetite and also reduce your food intake.

e)        Because chia seeds contain high amounts of fiber, protein and omega-3 fatty acids, they may reduce the risk of heart disease. Also, it is believed that chia seeds may help regulate blood sugar levels by improving the body's insulin sensitivity. This helps keep blood sugar at healthy levels.

In conclusion: As an emerging food, the health benefits of chia seeds need time and experience to verify, but there is no doubt that chia seeds are highly nutritious, easy to eat, satiating, light and malleable, and definitely the best of the healthy foods.

4.What is the best way to eat chia seeds?

By analyzing the nutritional composition of chia seeds, it can be considered a whole grain, and it is still good to use as a substitute for ordinary grains. The first thing to note is that chia seeds absorb water easily, and if you eat a large amount of chia seeds in dry form at one time, it can cause obstruction in the esophagus after swelling. So it's best to add chia seeds to some food that has moisture in it.

However, in reality, we wouldn't just eat chia seeds, because apart from its nutritional characteristics, it has little taste and forms a layer of mucus on the surface when soaked in water, which gives it a somewhat silky texture when eaten, and that's about it. This predestines it to often appear in a supporting role, such as mixing with other liquid foods. Nowadays,many drinks on the market that use chia seeds as a health symbol, chia seed yogurt, chia seed cereal oatmeal, chia seed shakes, etc.

In terms of serving size, it is reasonable to eat 25 grams per day. However, note that if you have food allergies or are taking some anti-coagulant medication or medication for high blood pressure, it is best to ask the relevant doctor if you can take them.

All in all, we still recommend chia seeds as part of a healthy diet. Chia seeds have a mild flavor and can be added to a variety of foods. It also has some gel-forming ability and can be used as a thickening ingredient in sauces and as a substitute for eggs.

5. How to choose high-quality chia seeds?

Are black chia seeds superior to white chia seeds? Are South American chia seeds the only ones that are the best?

Actually, chia seeds are available in colors ranging from beige and yellow to gray and black, only that they are mostly divided into black and white at retail or sold in mixed colors, but the nutrition of black or white chia seeds is actually more or less the same as long as you don't choose the small red-brown dried out seeds.

Most of the chia seeds on the market today come from Mexico, Argentina, or Australia, which has been promoted as a major producer - the quality of chia seeds produced in these places is generally considered excellent. In the past two years, some emerging areas such as Southeast Asia, Central Europe also began to try to plant, but the quality often falls short of the dominant production areas.

Chia seeds have long been allowed to be imported as "new resource foods" by the state, but only after biological inactivation and legal import qualifications and labels.