The Top 10 Benefits of Eating Chia Seeds

While the list is in no particular order, the top reason many people turn to the chia seed, is to fight hunger. The Chia Seed is a dieter’s dream come true. The tiny, healthy seeds can be made to taste like whatever you want, and their unique gelling action keeps you feeling full for hours. The seeds themselves have no flavor. Hunger is a main enemy of real weight loss, and you don’t want to fight it with jittery expensive pills, so sprinkling chia onto or into what you already like to eat is an easy alternative. How does it work? When a chia seed is exposed to water, it forms a coating of gel, increasing its size and weight. Since the gel is made of water and soluble fiber (which you cannot digest), it has no calories. The gel also difficult to remove from the seed, meaning that it helps your body think it is full, without adding calories! As it moves through the digestive system, the gel is removed slowly, hydrating the colon as it goes along.
The chia seed also has insoluble fiber, which is great for taking up space in the digestive system which also helps you feel full & moves food more efficiently. Feeding beneficial bacteria (probiotics) with fiber called "prebiotic" is another way to stay satisfied. These beneficial bacteria break down food giving you even more nutrients when they're well-fed and in good shape thanks to prebiotic fiber. Stop hunger naturally and safely with a seed that actually adds nutrition.

Keeping balanced levels of blood sugar is important for both health and energy. Blood sugar may spike after meals, especially if you eat high-starchy foods or sweets. This can lead to ‘slumps’ in your day where you feel tired and out of energy. By balancing your blood sugar, you not only lower your risk for type 2 diabetes, but you also ensure steady, constant energy throughout your day.
But how does the Chia Seed help with this? Both the gelling action of the seed, and it’s unique combination of soluble and insoluble fiber combine to slow down your body’s conversion of starches into sugars. If you eat chia with a meal, it will help you turn your food into constant, steady energy rather than a series of ups and downs that wear you out. It works though the fact that neither its insoluble nor soluble fiber is digestible. Many processed foods, fast foods, and snack foods today are low on fiber. The ability to add a flavor-free seed to something you know is low fiber and turn it into a higher fiber item without altering the taste is convenient.
Most people see the benefits of more fiber at about 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day. (Benefits of fiber include lower cholesterol, less incidence of digestive distress, lowered heart disease risk and much more) However, most people only get about 17 grams of fiber per day. Chia is the only flavorless tiny seed with fiber you can really see. The photo above shows 'chia gel'. See how the seeds sit apart from each other? That's clear soluble fiber.

With the abundance of over-processed foods and white flour on the market today, rich sources of fiber are harder to come by. These foods of convenience have contributed to the rise of diverticulitis. Irregularity is a big factor in this risky condition. To help ensure regularity, you need plenty of soluble and insoluble fiber in your diet. If you don’t want to eat celery, and whole-grain everything…or piles of bran flakes, the Chia Seed is here to help. Each seed is coated with soluble fibers which aid its gelling action. The exterior of the seed is protected by insoluble fiber. The insoluble fiber is unable to be digested (it does not contribute any calories, or break down) so instead, it helps keep food moving smoothly through the digestive process. Soluble fiber, and the gel coating of the seed keeps the colon hydrated and ensures the easy movement of food.
Chia is as easy to use as sprinkling onto any food that it won't bounce off of. You can stir it into oatmeal, add to a smoothie, sprinkle over salad, spread it into a sandwich, or spoon it into yogurt. It's also good in cold drinks. Replace a soda with a "chia fresca"! (Chia Fresca is shown in the photo here, it's lightly stevia sweetened lime water with chia gel mixed in. It's an actual high fiber drink) Turn something low in fiber like an omelet, into a higher fiber food with the addition of tiny seeds without flavor. Getting enough fiber at each meal is a key in keeping diverticulitis from happening to you. Let chia seeds be your secret to fiber at every meal.

Omega-3 oil is usually thought of as “that healthy stuff in fish”.
But, what if you don’t want to eat fish every day? What if you’re a vegetarian, or simply worried about pollution adding harmful substances to your fish dinner? (Nobody wants fish for breakfast every day...this colorful photo shows our Omega 3 Oatmeal!)

Chia is the richest plant-source of this healthy oil. By weight, chia contains more omega 3 than salmon, and it still tastes like whatever you want! Omega 3 oil is important in heart and cholesterol health. It’s also recently been targeted as a weight-loss helper. USA Weekend magazine also reports on a study where overweight dieters who included omega 3s in their eating plan lost 2 more pounds monthly than the control group, who did not.
Using chia to add omega 3 without flavor is important, but nuts as shown here as a topping for this oatmeal recipe add even more. Want to really pile it on? Add almond butter for a swirl of flavor & healthy plant oil. With chia, you can get your omega 3s at any meal, and not get tired of it.
MySeeds has the chia recipes to get you started!

Don’t want to feel like taking an afternoon nap?
Your energy levels through your day have a lot to do with what you eat. Chia is one of nature’s highest plant-based sources of complete protein. Usually protein from items like peanut butter and some beans are incomplete, meaning you have to combine them with other foods to get the full benefit (all the amino acids).
Not Chia though, it’s protein is complete to raise your energy levels. The combination of complete protein, vitamins, minerals and blood-sugar balancing gel all work together to make sure you have steady, never jittery energy. Protein also helps fight hunger and is an important component of staying healthy if you have added an exercise to your routine.
Using Fun Chia Seed Recipes that combine the seeds with other high protein foods like Greek yogurt (super in creamy avocado chia soup) oats (the tasty & easy chia fruity oatmeal breakfast bars!) & quinoa (in the refreshing strawberry watermelon chia quinoa salad) lets you really pile on the protein & the flavor at the same time.
*The protein in chia doesn't come with any plant estrogens, (unlike soy) and that's great news for men's health! (Men don't need additional estrogen in their diet)

Do you enjoy making baked goods at home, but hate all the butter and oil that has to go into them?
Chia gel can substitute for half the butter or oil in most recipes! The food will bake the same, look the same and taste the same (or better) from the addition of the chia gel. The basic rule is divide the amount of butter or oil in half, and then use the same amount of chia gel to fill in.
So, for example if the cookies need 1 stick of butter, you could add 4 tablespoons butter & 4 tablespoons chia gel. Not every recipe is the same.

Chia gel is so good at replacing butter and oil because it still brings moisture (trapped in the fibers) and it has natural healthy omega-3 oils. This way, the food still gets some oil, and stays nice & moist while it bakes. The seeds are so small, and have no flavor that you won't even notice them. Remember! You're still getting all the good stuff (those b vitamins, the fiber, the protein, the calcium, etc) in chia seeds when you bake with them.

Butter & oil replacement with chia gel is worth learning about! All the items shown in the photo for this list item have half the fat of their normal recipe counterparts. Everything from cookies to cakes to muffins, pancakes and dessert bars can be made with chia gel as your butter replacement. Which recipe will become your new favorite?

Anti-oxidants have been in the news lately due to their super healthy benefits.
You know that blueberries and several exotic fruits (that aren’t always in season) have them, but did you know that chia is extremely high in anti-oxidants too? These helpful substances are what makes the Chia Seed stay fresh for so long. At room temperature, they’ll stay fresh and ready to eat for over two whole years! And that’s all without a single chemical or preservative. This amazing ability is not found in other seeds like flax or sesame, because those seeds don’t have the same rich anti-oxidant content to keep their healthy oils fresh.

Anti-oxidants help prevent free-radical damage in your body. Free radicals lead to problematic conditions such as premature aging of the skin and inflammation of various tissues. Fight free radical damage by staying fresh and healthy with nature’s anti-oxidant powerhouse, the chia seed. It's fantastic when mixed with bright, colorful nutrient rich fruits & vegetables as shown here in the max-antiox-salad.

Hydration, is a big factor in your digestive success, as well as keeping your skin healthy looking. When skin cells have enough of the right kind of natural oils they can stay healthy & vibrant. When you're well hydrated with pure water, so many body functions benefit. Use chia gel to keep your digestive tract hydrated with soluble fiber. Then, when you're having an easier time digesting foods you can absorb more of the nutrients that the foods provide. Chia is great in your favorite fruit waters, teas, and stevia-sweetened pure juices to make hydration fun. There's way too many benefits & facts for just 1 list item so there's a little further reading on the antioxidant benefits of chia seeds.

Now that you know how nutritious chia seeds are, and even that they can replace butter or oil in some baked recipes...wouldn't it be great if they could help around the kitchen in other savory ways as well? They can!

Chia has no flavor of it's own, so it won't cover up or add to the taste of your sweet or savory foods.
However, when chia seeds are allowed to hydrate, they take on the taste of whatever you added them to. (so long as it is not too acidic, for example, chia won't hydrate in lemon juice or vinegar) This works for dressings, dips, salsas, sauces and more.

Replace an egg: Want to make a recipe vegetarian, but it requires 1 egg? You can usually replace an egg in baked goods with a chia gel egg. (Add 2 tablespoons chia gel for 1 egg) This is called a chia egg. However, you must choose to replace the fat in the recipe, or the egg with chia. You can't replace both at once, or the recipe will fail.

Binding & thickening: You can thicken sauces with chia by stirring in dry seeds and allowing them to hydrate for 15 minutes. Chia's liquid gathering ability is also great for binding burgers together. (Veggie or meat) When you use chia, it's easier to mix in seasonings & extras, while still having an evenly textured, juicy burger that doesn't fall apart. When it's as easy as sprinkle & mix, you'll be glad to have chia seeds as your secret cooking helper!
*The burger in the photo here is a Thai spice burger with fresh lime topping- a chia recipe winner!

Being deficient in minerals or vitamins can create a craving for food.
For example, if you’re low on calcium, you may feel compelled to eat lots of cheese and ice cream. This happens because your body knows that cheese has been a source of calcium in the past, and it hasn’t been getting enough right now.
But what if dairy and whole milk are a “Diet don’t”? You can always add calcium to your food by sprinkling on the chia. By weight, chia has more calcium than whole milk. It also has magnesium and boron, essential trace minerals used in the absorption of calcium and other vitamins. By balancing your vitamins and minerals with chia, you can curb cravings that might tempt you.

Eating a colorful variety of foods is also important for fighting cravings. "A rainbow on the plate" is a good look to strive for. The various colors in fruits & veggies indicate different nutrients. Eating a variety of healthy foods will help ensure you don't encounter many cravings, since deficiency is more difficult when you're eating balanced meals.

Probiotics are the helpful bacteria in your digestive system. You hear about these beneficial bacteria in yogurt commercials. They help you by defending against invading bad bacteria, and by helping break down your food so you get more nutrients out of what you eat. (Getting all the nutrients out of something is important for cutting cravings) However, probiotic bacteria also get nourishment from something you can't: soluble fiber. You can't break down this fiber for food, but the good bacteria can. By feeding them soluble fiber, you keep them in top shape & working for you. Chia is the seed with soluble fiber you can really see! It's got so much, you can view it with the naked eye. (When chia is exposed to water)

Why should eating less cost you more?
You already know diet pills are expensive, and ‘box meal plans’ can run up to $500.00 a month. If you’re buying ‘calorie counting packs’ or other individual portions in the store, you can also end up paying more because more preparation and materials go into these foods.

If you want to save money, start at home. By making your own foods with fresh ingredients and chia, you'll know exactly what goes into each bite. You're also not paying for packaging & marketing. All it takes is some exploration of recipes to see what appeals to you. And...fortunately the internet is a font of fabulous recipes for free! Plus, recipes aren't how they used to be, new, modern cooks are setting up dishes without the old time long prep times. After all, if something's too long or difficult to make, no one's got time with today's busy schedules.

Using chia seeds to help feel full, fight cravings & add nutrition to every day foods is easy, and less expensive than many 'diet' type options. Drinking water with chia gel in it 15 to 20 minutes before a meal is a great way to sabotage hunger. Adding chia to food helps keep you feeling full longer. Plus, keep in mind that 1 tablespoon of dry chia seeds makes 9 tablespoons of chia gel. A little goes a longer way, with chia.

More than enough chia for 1 month costs less than a dollar a day. You can use as much or as little as you want to achieve your own desired results. There are no preparations required for these simple seeds, if you can sprinkle & stir, you can use chia to fight hunger. A measuring spoon is all you’ll need when you’re ready to take advantage of chia for yourself. It doesn’t get any easier or more inexpensive.

*Look at the pancake stack in this list item's photo. The pancakes are fluffy, the topping is pure & fruity peach and they're easy to make. Would you believe every single ingredient that goes into making these is good for you? With chia seeds deliciousness and healthiness go hand in hand.