Are you looking for an easy way to boost your health through nutrition without a lot of planning and prepping required? If so, Chia seeds might be a great option for you. They require little effort to add to your regular diet, but provide plenty of health benefits.
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How Does Chia Seed Boost Health
If you’re looking to lose some weight, eating chia seed might aid you in the process. It’s high fiber and protein content helps control appetite. Protein and fiber are known to help you feel full longer than simple carbohydrates, so you won’t be hungry as often. Two tablespoons of chia seeds contains approximately five grams of protein, about ten percent of the average daily requirement of this nutrient.
The fiber will help your digestive system run more smoothly too. Chia contains carbohydrates that are mostly fiber, so it doesn’t raise blood sugar or require insulin. Because of this, it can help control cravings for sweets, reduce obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
If you already take insulin for blood sugar control, make sure you talk to your doctor about your plan to incorporate chia into your diet on a regular basis. It may require an adjustment to your insulin.
Besides aiding weight loss, chia also helps with other common health issues. They contain essential nutrients that are needed to maintain proper health.
They are a rich source of omega 3’s and 6’s. Your body cannot naturally create these nutrients, so you must consume these essential dietary components. These nutrients reduce inflammation. Chronic inflammation leads to a variety of health problems, including cancer and arthritis.
Omega 3’s and 6’s act as a blood thinner and therefore, decrease the chance of developing deep vein and arterial thrombosis or arrhythmia. They also help raise HDL, which if you know anything about cholesterol, you know that’s the good cholesterol.
Chia seeds are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants prevent the reproduction of free radicals and reduce their ratio to healthy cells. If left unchecked, free radicals can contribute to premature aging and cancerous growths.
As if that weren’t enough of a reason to start eating chia seeds, there’s also evidence that it can improve bone, liver and gut health as well
In a 2018 study, researchers fed rats a 10% chia seed diet for 13 months. At the end of the study, they found that the rats who had consumed a 10% chia seed diet had higher bone mineral content and improved structure of liver cells and gut tissue.
How It Can Boost Performance
Because of the slow digestion time of chia, it provides energy for longer periods. Which means it creates improved endurance. If you participate in any type of prolonged physical activity, you’ll want more of that, right?
Because they contain amino acids, it contributes to muscle repair and growth. Obviously that’s important when you’re trying to improve your physical performance
A spoonful of the seeds mixed with water and a splash of lemon can help sustain hydration and energy during exertion. Both of which are important when it comes to optimal performance.
Chia Seeds and Mental Health
Tryptophan, an amino acid in chia seeds, can help people feel more calm and sedated. So, if you frequently feel anxious or stressed, this might provide a good natural remedy.
Chia helps the brain increase production and reception of serotonin (the happy hormone) and regulates melatonin levels. You’ll be happier while you’re awake and sleep better at night. Sleeping better also contributes to a healthier life.
What’s in Chia Seeds?
A one-ounce serving of chia seeds contains fifteen to twenty percent of the recommended daily allowance of calcium. We need calcium for bone health. If you don’t do dairy, chia is a great way to get it.
The seeds also contain phosphorus and magnesium, both of which are necessary to build bones and make the best use of calcium.
Chia seeds contains 12% daily value of iron. Which we need for the production of red blood cells.
Vitamin A and zinc are two more beneficial nutrients in these little seeds. Vitamin A is important for normal vision, the immune system, reproduction, and growth and development. It also helps your heart, lungs, and other organs work properly. Zinc helps your immune system and metabolism function. It’s also important for wound healing and your sense of taste and smell.
What you don’t have to worry about being in it is pesticides. Chia seeds are naturally organic, non-GMO, and raw. They don’t need any pesticides or artificial supplements to grow, which means they’re always free of poisonous chemicals used in the cultivation of some other plants.
How to Add Chia to your Diet
There are lots of ways to add these seeds into stuff you already consume, so you don’t have to come up with special recipes, unless you want to. Adding chia seeds to smoothies, soups, or salads are some of the easiest ways and can increase the protein intake for people who don’t eat meat or dairy. They can also be added to oatmeal, baked goods, and homemade energy/protein bars. If you follow a vegan diet and don’t eat eggs, you can even use chia and water to create a gel like substance as a substitute for eggs.
In most cases, people should soak chia seeds in water before consuming them or drink water while eating them to allow for proper digestion and absorption of nutrients. Grinding chia seeds can improve digestion and absorption even further. Just buy them whole (they’ll stay fresher) and then use a coffee grinder to grind them right before you use them. Grinding them is a great alternative for people that don’t like the texture of the seeds when they’re whole.
If you don’t like chia seeds, but want their health benefits, you could try flaxseed. Flaxseed contains many of the same benefits as chia seeds, but it is also difficult to digest unless it’s ground.
I’d love to hear how you incorporate chia seeds into your diet and if you’ve noticed any change in your health after doing so. Just let me know in the comments below! And don’t forget to subscribe to get more healthy tips delivered to you.
