Basic Chia Seeds Nutritional Info

All of the chia seed that you will find at AZChia is packed full of nutrients including protein, fiber, omega 3 and antioxidants. For many people who are considering buying chia for the first time, distinguishing between whole black, whole white and milled black seed can be confusing. While these three types, or forms, of chia seed are essentially the same, some people prefer one over the other. For example, if children object to seeds, it is easier to “hide” the milled form from their eyes.  In actuality, the location where the seeds are grown makes a greater difference in seed nutritional composition, due to climatic differences, than does the color. If anything, black seeds as with dark fruits, contain slightly more antioxidants.

AZChia offers a chart that shows chia seeds nutritional info for the black and white seeds grown in various locations, and in different countries. As for the milled black seeds, these are often used in baking recipes and smoothies if one does not like the crunch of the whole seeds. All three forms of chia available from AZChia offer similar health benefits and are quality products that will provide the optimum nutritional benefits that can be obtained from this nutritious food.

Whole Chia Seed or Milled Chia Seed?

There is increasing discussion about the benefits of whole chia seed, compared to milled chia seed.

Some argue that whole chia seed will simply pass through the body leaving you with little to no benefit with all the components simply excreted.

This is definitely the case for flaxseed since it has a very hard seed coat. Unless the seed is opened, sprouted, cooked etc. and the coat opened, it will pass through the body.

Chia seed, on the other hand, has a soft seed coat. The omega3 fatty acid in the seed being protected by the natural antioxidants it contains, rather than being protected by a hard seed coat, as in the case of flaxseed.

Now some people have said I looked in the toilet and saw the seeds.  No that is not what they are seeing, rather it is the seed coat which is the insoluble part of the seed.  If one were to carefully examine the remains it would be a hollow incomplete shell.

In theory it would make sense that opening the seed would expose more of the inside of the seed to the stomach so that the benefits could be gained.  It may be true that it might act a bit faster, but that is about it.

Why do I say the seeds do not need to be milled to be taken advantage of? 

There are just way too many people that have consumed only whole chia seeds and have seen remarkable changes in cholesterol, weight loss, less joint pain, lessened glycemic spikes, more energy, etc.  I doubt these people are making up their unsolicited stories to please the world.  They are simply telling the world how well whole chia seed has helped them.

Wayne

Chia, Endurance and Leucine

A study recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (94:809-18) reported that increasing the leucine concentration (an essential amino acid) in an amino acid supplement during endurance events, elicited a greater muscle protein synthesis response during recovery.

We already knew that the protein in chia is high quality, with a rating over 100.

Given that chia is quite high in leucine, this may be another reason that consumption of chia, which has been classified as a food by the FDA, during endurance events may be beneficial to athletes.

 Have you had your chia today?®

Chia’s potential health benefits.

Omega-3 fatty acid and fiber have both been shown to serve as heart healthy components in food, while omega-3 fatty acid and antioxidants are both anti-inflammatory so they can lessen joint pain associated with many ailments.

As the seed is very hydrophilic (absorbs 7 to 10 times its weight in water) it helps slow digestion and can result in more energy later in the day and in some cases provide a “full” sensation, which tends to help with weight loss

My New Chia Book

Chia Friends

My new book CHIA: The Complete Guide to the Ultimate Superfood just came out and is available from Barnes & Noble, Amazon or DrCoatesChia

We are very pleased with the book as not only does the book have a lot of information on chia, it talks about some of the myths and misconceptions about chia, contains over 75 recipes as well as exercise plans to help you get and stay healthy.

Some chapters are: Staying Healthy with Chia, Cooking Eating and Healing with Chia.

It was written so as to help everyone better understand chia and its potential health benefits.

Wayne

Ways to add CHIA to your diet

5 easy ways to add CHIA to your daily diet

• Mix in with your morning juice or milk 

• Add to your smoothie 

• Sprinkle on your salad 

• Add to your yogurt 

• Sprinkle on peanut butter and banana sandwich 

Have you had your CHIA today?®

Why you need to consume Omega3

5 reasons for Omega-3 in your daily diet:

* improve cardiovascular health
* lower cholesterol
* reduce inflammation
* boost your immune system
* improve your mood

Chia is the highest known plant source of Omega-3.

Have you had your CHIA today? ®

Chia - seed or grain?

Is chia (Salvia hispanica L.) a grain or a seed?

People have been calling chia a grain, but that simply is not correct. It is a seed. Here is an explanation of the difference between a grain and a seed from a botanical standpoint.

A grain has its fruit wall and seed coat fused, so you cannot separate them. So each grain is technically an individual fruit (called a caryopsis) containing a single seed. When processed, the fused ovary wall (fruit coat) and seed coat are the "bran," the embryo is the "germ," and the endosperm is the part full of carbohydrates that we eat. Of course, if you eat whole grains you get the bran, germ and endosperm together. So on an ear of corn or the head of a grain, each grain is an individual ovary with a seed inside.

Seeds are fertilized/ripened/mature ovules (that are found within ovaries), and the seed coat is made of the maternal tissue called integuments. The ovary is part of the flower that contains the ovules. So in fruits, like watermelon, the rind and what we eat is all ovary, and the "seeds" are the black things inside (to confuse matters, the little white things are ovules that did not get fertilized). Most plants have true seeds, but in some plants, like wheat, rice, and corn what we see and use is really the fruit and seed combined. Interestingly what have often been called ancient grains (amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat) are actually seeds!

Chia grows multiple seed heads on a single plant, within each head the seeds are singular within a capsule or husk, which is formed at each flower. If you hand strip the head from the plant, the capsules come off, rubbing them in your hand the seed comes out. The husk is what is left of the ovary (fruit) coat. You have just a single seed per ovary in chia, which is not uncommon in plants. The capsule or husk is the ovary, with the individual seeds coming from ovules in the ovary.

So in summary: Seeds just have a seed coat, embryo and endosperm/cotyledons, whereas grains also include the ovary.

Hence chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is technically a seed, and because if the high oil content, is an oilseed.

AZChia on Facebook

Chia friends

I have not posted here for some time, just pretty busy trying to help people understand the many benefits of chia.

Please go to AZChia for information on chia, or to purchase our chia and/or chia products. I do not want to use this blog as a commercial selling tool, but do want people to be aware of the products we offer.

Another way to keep up with our activities is to go to our Facebook page which can be found at Facebook/AZChia.

Regards,

Wayne

Chia - History, Research, Composition, Uses - the story

The University of Arizona recently published a presentation I made as part of the invited Faculty Fellows Speaker Series in the Fall of 2005.

The presentation covers the history, composition, benefits of chia and cites some of my chia research work, etc. In essence it is a summary of the book entitled CHIA: Rediscovering a Forgotten Crop of the Aztecs published by the University of Arizona Press of which I am a co-author.

The presentation consists of a video and the slides I used at that time to tell the chia story.

In the past five years many more papers have been published on chia which document its benefits, properties, uses, etc. As a result of increased press, blogs, etc. people are becoming more and more aware of this amazing food, and how it can help improve the health of the world. For updated chia information go to www.azchia.com and click on the My Chia Research link in the left hand column.

I hope you enjoy this presentation and will learn a bit more about this great, healthy food. To view the presentation click here.

How does chia compare to other foods?

Chia Friends

Thought I would let you know that I added information to the website showing how the four main components of chia (fiber, protein, antioxidants and omega3) compare to a number of common foods, and to a number of common seeds, including flax seed. To go to this page directly click here

I hope you find this of interest.

Regards,

Wayne