28 Nov The health benefits of chia seeds
No one can say that chia seeds are not a trend today. However, apart from the chia seeds consumption and use in social media by celebrities and healthy food lovers, chia seeds have many properties and benefits that would make you think about adding them to your diet.
Though Chia seeds were an important part of the Mayan and Aztec diet, today chia seeds have expanded worldwide and are mainly chosen by athletes.
Besides being nutritious and a super food, the good news is that they do not alter the taste of your food. You can combine them with sweet or salty things!
Your day to day breakfast, lunch or dinner, or your favorite dessert can be combined perfectly with these small dark or white seeds which are gluten-free and a great contribution of fiber and antioxidants.
Interesting facts of chia seeds
Some interesting facts of this superfood according to the American Society for nutrition are:
- It has five times more calcium than milk (ideal for vegans or lactose intolerant).
- It provides three times more antioxidants than blueberries.
- It is three times richer in iron than spinach (perfect for anemic).
- It has more protein than vegetables.
- It contains twice more fiber that oats (recommended for people with constipation).
- It provides two times more potassium to a banana (avoiding cramps).
Benefits of chia seeds
Now, you already know several facts of the amazing ancient seed. However, the nutritious chia seeds can provide more benefits to our life:
- Reduce cravings
Try taking a tablespoon of these chia seeds whenever you crave for something sweets or fast food.
The feeling of satiety that chia seeds provide is incredible and the good news is that, they are also very easy to digest.
We recommend you consume chia seeds at breakfast to keep the stomach “happy” for several hours. You can mix them with yogurt, milk or orange juice.
- Hydrate
Are you one of those people who do not normally consume too many liquids during the day? In that case, try to eat chia seeds, since they are also useful to keep up with body hydration.
Chia seeds are the perfect supplement before exercise or a busy day.
- Reduce joint pain
The omega 3 that chia seeds contain acts as a natural anti-inflammatory. Therefore, chia seeds are ideal if you suffer from joint pain.
Aztec warriors used this cereal to heal, such us, knee injuries.
If you have arthritis or arthrosis we recommend you to add them to your breakfast.
- Protect from pollution
Living in big and pollute cities causes many problems to our health. In addition to stress, pollution is a factor that we cannot ignore. If you also smoke or take UVA rays, the consequences are even worse.
Chia seeds can protect us from these harmful agents. How? Chia seeds improve the health of the skin, create a protective layer against the Sun’s rays and strengthen the lungs.
- Provide lots of energy
Are you tired, with no strength? Do you have any concentration problems? Then it’s time to consider adding chia seeds to your diet. This superfood will help you be more active from early hours in the morning.
In addition, since they contain more protein and potassium than many fruits and vegetables, chia seeds will give you the dose of energy that you need. Ideal for Mondays!
- Help to lose weight
One of the main properties of chia seeds is that they will help you to lose weight. This is because the fibers that this ancient food has and the ability to control appetite.
When chia seeds come into contact with the liquids in the stomach they increase 10 times its size. Try chia seeds and you would not feel the hunger for some hours.
A few more benefits of chia seeds
If all those benefits were not enough, there are still more properties that we would like to share with you:
- Increase muscle mass
- Regulate intestinal flora
- Eliminate liquids and toxins
- Reduce anxiety
- Combat cellulitis
- Accelerate metabolism and burn fats
- Regulate insulin levels
Know you know why chia seeds are the caviar of seeds!
