What is chia seed? Is eating chia seeds good?

Australian chia seeds, American chia seeds are very popular with consumers who concern about health in Vietnam. So, what kind of food is chia seed? What is the effect of chia seed? How to use chia seeds and why this nut is so popular?

WHAT IS CHIA SEED? HOW NUTRITION IT IS?

Chia seeds are small, but have a great source of energy and good effects on the human body. Chia seeds contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which helps increase HDL cholesterol and protect against heart disease and stroke. Besides, chia seeds also contain a large amount of antioxidants, magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium and important fiber for the body.

1. Chia seeds are rich in fiber

Chia seeds are high-fiber food. A 2-tablespoon serving of chia seeds can provide 9.6g (about 38%) of the daily fiber content. Consuming adequate amounts of fiber will help reduce your risk of constipation, heart disease, obesity and help control blood sugar levels. The National Institutes of Health recommends that men under 50 should consume about 38 grams of fiber a day, while women younger than 50 should consume 25 grams. Therefore, this is an ideal source of fiber for the body.

According to a study, people who use chia seeds bread for a long time can reduce blood sugar and increase appetite.

2. Add Omega-3s

Chia seeds are also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, this food is very good for brain and heart health. In one study, participants who consumed 25 grams of chia seeds per day for a week could significantly increase their omega-3 content.

3. Chia seeds provide Vitamin B3 and vitamin B1

Every two tablespoons of chia seeds contains about 12% of the daily fundamental amount of vitamin B3 and vitamin B1. These two types of vitamins are essential for the body to easily convert food into energy, exchange fat, and help the brain and nervous system function to work well.

4. Selenium in chia seeds

The selenium mineral acts as an antioxidant that helps limit free radical cells from damaging normal cells. In addition, this substance helps the body absorb vitamin E better. Each tablespoon of chia seeds contains about 15.5 mcg of selenium (accounting for 22% of the daily amount of selenium).

In addition, chia seeds also contain good fats, protein, antioxidants and some other minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, ...

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHIA SEEDS

1. Chia seeds support weight loss

Fiber-rich foods like chia seeds can help you feel full longer. According to research, you can reduce the amount of food you eat by combining chia seeds with yogurt which increases the feeling of fullness when eating. So having a high-fiber diet will help you lose weight effectively.

Chia seeds support the rapid fat burning process so it is good for weight loss. In addition, this food is also rich in protein from vegetable. This is an extremely good source of protein for both health and weight because of its ability to help fill up quickly and reduce appetite effectively. For example: Australian chia seeds can absorb water up to 16 times its weight and contain lots of nutrients.

2. Sufficient supply of essential minerals

Chia seeds contain a variety of trace elements, mineral vitamins such as calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus ... which are necessary to provide energy for the body during tired working hours. Besides, the amount of iron is 3 times higher than spinach, potassium is 2 times higher than bananas. Especially, the amount of calcium in organic chia seeds (pure) is absorbed by the body more quickly than milk.

Besides, calcium and magnesium are the main constituents of bones and teeth. These are two essential elements for children and mothers who are breastfeeding. Lack of these elements, bones become porous, connective tissue is altered, leading to children’s ricket. Muscle of adults are prone to soreness, accompanied by symptoms of cardiac disorders and blood pressure disorders. In addition, calcium is also involved in regulating blood clotting and reducing nerve stimulation.

The amount of phosphorus in chia seeds also works to maintain a healthy digestive system. Promoting blood circulation nourishes eye nerve cells. Lack of phosphorus will cause disorders in the body, making bones brittle, teeth loose, aching muscles.

Another important component is the iron in chia seeds that helps create blood and transport it to cells throughout the body. Iron deficiency can cause hair breakage, brittle nails, lack of red blood cells, anemia.

3. Chia seeds detoxify the body

Chia seeds have the effect on improving the health of the digestive system, so this is also a source to naturally eliminate toxins in the body. The anti-inflammatory compound in chia seeds also helps to prevent and restore damaged cells. Therefore, the cells are less damaged while the amount of toxins from the body is excreted effectively, which will help your overall health be improved significantly.

4. Chia seed is an excellent antioxidant

Over time, the skin will gradually get old, becoming more and more wrinkled and worsened. Wrinkles, crow's feet appear due to lack of collagen and essential nutrients to extend the life of the skin.

Omega 3 ALA combines with antioxidants and proteins in chia seeds help slow down the aging process; filter out harmful substances in the body, which help you have a healthy and beautiful skin.

The amount of the antioxidants in chia seeds, in particular, helps prevent the formation of free radicals that cause damage to cells. The amount of antioxidants in 100g of chia seeds provides 7 times as much ORAC as the daily requirement, which helps rejuvenate cells, prevent aging effectively. Once harmful free radicals are blocked, the aging process will be limited and prevent many dangerous diseases, including cancer.

In particular, high protein content also helps prevent signs of aging such as wrinkles or darkening of the skin; Helps keep hair healthy and smooth naturally.

5. The effect of chia seeds on the digestive system

Natural chia seeds contain 37% of fiber, 80% of which is insoluble fiber, the rest is soluble fiber, which helps support healthy digestive system.

Thanks to its high fiber content, chia seeds help stimulate the production of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract, from which the digestive system will be much healthier. Therefore, it helps body to absorb and digest food effectively. Besides, it also eliminates cholesterol stucked on the intestinal wall, helping to naturally remove toxins from the body. Every day, you need to supplement the body with the necessary amount of fiber through vegetables and many different foods to ensure a healthy digestive system.

Chia seeds also help the intestines to work effectively, reduce the risk of intestinal and digestive diseases, prevent constipation and colon cancer. One of the uses of chia seeds is to help prevent constipation and promote stability of the intestinal system.

6. Chia seeds reduce the risk of diabetes

Chia seeds also help reduce the risk of diabetes as well as stabilize blood sugar.

Australian chia seeds, when exposed to water, they will create a soft gel. When entering the body, this gel will help the stomach to absorb more slowly and more evenly, which reduces the Glycemic Index.

High fiber content is a very good source of nutrition for people with type 2 diabetes, which helps reduce blood sugar after eating. High-fiber diets not only prevent diabetes but also help treat this disease.

7. Chia seeds are very good for the development of the fetus and pregnant women

Chia seeds are rich in Folat (49.0 µg in 100g of chia seeds) and Omega-3 (DHA; EPA; Linoleic Acid), which are important nutrients involved in the development of fetal neural tube and brain.

• Omega-3, a compound that plays an important role in fetal development, especially, for the brain

• Folate is recommended to sufficiently be added before pregnancy and in the first 3 months of pregnancy, which prevents fetal neural tube defects.

There is very little foods like chia seeds that have high levels of both important micronutrients at the same time.

Australian chia seeds are also rich in important micronutrients that are needed for the very high daily demand of pregnant women such as iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium ...

8. The effect of chia seeds on helping to strengthen bones

Osteoporosis is a common phenomenon of elderly people due to the lack of estrogen, leading to an imbalance in the amount of calcium in the blood. The body needs to add a certain amount of calcium, which is enough to balance the deficiency of calcium as well as adding essential nutrients to support strong bones.

The amount of calcium in chia seeds is as much as milk. Using this food daily is a great way to improve bone health. In 100g, chia seeds contain 631mg of calcium, which accounts for 63% of the body's daily calcium requirement.

In particular, in this tiny seed also contains many compounds that help the body absorb vitamin D better. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for the body to synthesize calcium. In addition, chia seeds also contain boron that helps metabolize calcium, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus to develop the bones and muscles; reduce the risk of arthritis and other complications that may stem from weak bones.

9. Reduce the amount of bad cholesterol

Reducing cholesterol with chia seeds is considered an effective natural remedy for people who experience high blood cholesterol. Chia seeds contain large amount of fiber and omega-3 that help increase good cholesterol (HDL) and reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) in the body. In addition, high cholesterol in blood is one of the causes of cardiovascular disease and dangerous complications. This is a healthy food recommended by many nutritionists without causing side effects to health for a long time.

10. Use chia seeds for the cardiovascular system

Many studies show that the omega-3 found in chia seeds can reduce the risk of thrombosis and arrhythmia that can lead to heart attack, heart failure and stroke.

Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation, prevent cancer and support general health but your diet sometimes doesn't provide enough omega-3s. Therefore, regularly use chia seeds in meals to supplement the amount of omega-3 to the body. These omega-3 compounds also help stabilize blood pressure and prevent atherosclerosis.

In addition, omega-3 is also found in flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, hemp seeds, hemp seed oil and walnuts.

Source: Internet.