Chia Seeds Benefits

Chia seeds benefits cannot be understated and as they grow in popularity, as they surely will, then many more people will come to recognize their qualities and uses.

Many people are most familiar with chia seeds through the commercialized Chia Pets, as the chia seeds are what are used for sprouting the green hair on these products.

Yet, chia seeds are a complete raw food that can be used as a meal replacement or simply added to our diet for nutritional value.

Chia Seeds Benefits – What Makes Them So Special?

Chia seeds are a gluten-free, vegetarian whole food naturally rich in omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids, dietary fiber, antioxidants, calcium, protein, amino acids, as well as a comprehensive range of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

A huge chia seeds benefits is that they have a high oil content and are the greatest vegetable source for the Omega 3 fatty acid. In fact when comparing chia seeds to salmon, you’ll find chia has eight times more Omega 3s to salmon and can be ingested every day!

Chia has the highest-known percentage of Omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid among plants, and Omega-3 fatty acids are required by your body as a primary building block of every cell in your body. You need these omega-3s for proper cell membrane formation and function.

Antioxidants Slow the Aging Process

The large amounts of omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants in chia seeds enhance the benefits of chia seeds. The antioxidant properties protect and boost the immune system.

By increasing our consumption of antioxidant-rich foods like chia, we thereby increase antioxidant activity in our bodies, and slow the aging process.

Consuming chia seeds energizes, stablizes blood sugar, cleanses the digestive system, helps a person lose weight, plus a host of other health benefits.

Helping Diabetics Control Blood Sugar

Chia is one of those super foods that the more we learn about it the more we learn its benefit. Chia can help diabetics control normal blood sugar because it is easily digestible and also is slow to metabolize.

Chia seeds benefits include their ability to stablize blood sugar by slowing down the rate that complex carbohydrates digest and then distribute to the body.

When you eat food that has had chia added to it, (such as cereal, salad dressing, oatmeal, puddings, yogurt, etc. it will give you a sense of fullness for a longer period of time.

 

Chia Seeds Benefits – Lots of Fiber

Chia seeds have a high fiber content to help you detoxify by promoting regular elimination and flushing toxins out of your body. Fiber helps to cleanse the colon and intestines more easily.

Chia is an ideal food for individuals with gluten sensitivity, carbohydrate intolerance, hypoglycemia, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, or anyone who wants to avoid common gluten-containing grains like corn, barley, and wheat.

Chia is also excellent source of certain minerals, notably calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, and copper.

Chia Seeds Benefits For Athletes

Chia seeds can retain more than 9 times its own weight in liquid and holds it there.

When added to water and allowed to sit for 30 minutes, chia forms a gel. Athletes can consume this gel in water 5 to 10 minutes before they workout and the “chia gel” will help hydrate their bodies.

The chia seeds will prolong hydration and help retain electrolytes which makes them a great help to athletes, especially runners or participants involved in endurance sports.

As you can see, chia seeds benefits are numerous and you shouldn’t hesitate to make the superfood a part of your regular diet.

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