Chia Seeds

Below you will find top 10 uses, health benefits, and side effects of chia seeds. Losing weight and maintaining weight can be a hard and long process. There are many products on the market and many new fad diets. Chia seeds are not one of them, these magical seeds haven been used since the ancient times, and only now the scientists are starting to discover the amazing benefits they offer, not only for weight loss. In the article below, you will be able to find all the information you need about chia seeds, its uses, benefits, and side effects. If you enjoy reading the article below, please share it with your friends, there are many desperate people looking for a product like this!

Chia Seeds Introduction

Chia seeds are a great way to lose and maintain a healthy weight and a healthy lifestyle. Chia seeds are an ancient product that has been used for centuries. This simple seed was around way before they were used to decorate the heads of Chia pets! Aztec and Mayan warriors often used them as a staple of their diets and health. It is said that a simple two tablespoon serving provided enough nutrition for a full day of hard work. Native Americans often would take seeds and water with them on their journeys. When you add water to the seeds, the seed easily absorbs much of the water, making a gel. This gel helps keep your body hydrated. The gel is also mostly soluble fiber, which is beneficial for your digestive track.
This incredible, edible seed is a member of the mint family and grows abundantly in the wilds of southern Mexico. In addition to the sustaining benefits of eating the seeds, this plant was also used medically to encourage saliva flow and relieve pains in the joints and skin problems. Chia seeds are very beneficial as part of a weight loss program.
They have very little taste themselves and tend to take on the flavors of anything you put them in. By adding them to smoothies or other healthy and delicious foods, you can add an extra boost to your diet.
These magical seeds help you feel full for longer by fighting hunger cravings, so you can keep your diet in check. These seeds also help you maintain calorie burning energy throughout your day by balancing your blood sugar levels and helping to remove the side effects of diabetes.
Chia also is one of natures only complete proteins. The seeds are high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 oils as well and can be discretely added to any food. They pack a serving of minerals and vitamins as well!

Prefer to watch a video? Have a look what Dr. Oz has to say!

 

The Benefits of Chia Seeds

Chia is very rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and antioxidants, even more so than flax seeds. The seeds don’t deteriorate and can be stored for long periods without spoiling. And, unlike flax, they do not have to be ground to make their nutrients available to the body.
Chia seeds are extremely high in fiber aiding in digestive health. Chia also provides calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, niacin, and zinc.
These versatile seeds have a nutlike flavor making them an easy addition to cereals, yogurts and salads. You can also mix the seeds with water and add a little lime or lemon juice to make a drink known in Central America and Mexico as chia fresca. They are also easily ground up to add to flour while making baked goods. Chia seeds are also easier to digest than flax seeds.

Read More about Chia Seeds Health Benefits or check out the top 10 health benefits of chia seeds.

The Side Effects of Chia Seeds

Side effects from chia seeds are very few. People who are on a b-17 vitamin regiment should not take chia seeds to avoid an overload of phytonutrients. Also, people who take blood

thinners should be wary of chia in their diet as Chia seeds might increase the risk for bleeding.
As with any supplement you might experience an allergic side effect. If an allergic reaction occurs, simply discontinue use. Some users report of feeling of being water logged as the seeds absorb about fifty percent of their weight when introduced to water, of course this makes them ideal for hydration and helping the body stay hydrated during endurance activities.
The side effects of using Chia seeds for nutrition and weight loss are very minimal when compared with the benefits of using the seeds. Read more about the side effects of chia seeds.

Top 10 Uses of Chia Seeds

The wide repertoire of uses of the Chia seeds stretch way beyond ten uses, but these are the ones most people are familiar with. Notable mentions that did not make this top ten list are:

• Grinding the seeds and adding milk to make a delicious porridge
• Using them as a base for pancake batter
• Adding the seeds to stew and soup broths to improve consistency and texture

Now for the ten most popular uses of the incredible Chia seeds;

Cholesterol Lowering

Chia seeds are used as cholesterol lowering agents – this is in part due to the presence of two types of fiber in the seeds; insoluble fiber, which isn’t absorbed and won’t dissolve in water, and soluble fiber obtained from the inner seed coating. Studies have shown that soluble fiber has demonstrated a very solid link in reducing cholesterol levels. Coupled with the presence of omega-3 fatty acids to bolster clearance of cholesterol, it serves as a solid non-drug addition to your diet plan.

Control Unstable Blood Sugar Levels

Chia seeds help control unstable blood sugar levels – although it is incorrect to state that Chia seeds WILL control your blood sugar levels, it has been proven to at least aid in normalizing excess blood glucose levels by slowing down the release of carbohydrates into the blood. This is thanks to the presence of complex carbohydrates in the seeds, which take longer to convert to the monosaccharide our body uses (glucose), and simultaneously slowing down the absorption of extra simple carbohydrate consumption. So theoretically, you could consume Chia seeds along with a glass of fruit juice and not have that significant spike in glucose levels associated with the use of the fruit juice alone.

Improve Digestion

Chia seeds improve digestion – the insoluble fiber content in Chia seeds traverse the length of the intestines, propelling food and waste materials to their final destination. This property of fiber aids in the prevention of constipation, and can lead to improved absorption of nutrients. In addition Chia seeds have been studied for their use as agents in treatment of hyperacidity states, with so far promising results.

Pre-Workout Supplements

Chia seeds are used as pre-workout supplements - the ability of Chia seeds to absorb water proves a handy tool for improving athletic performance during high intensity, or prolonged bout training. It is well known that athletic performance suffers with as little as 2% dehydration, so consuming two tablespoons prior to a workout, in addition to providing subtle carbohydrates; they will ensure your maintained performance throughout your workout.

Thyroid Stimulators

Chia seeds are used as thyroid stimulators - Chia seeds are regarded to be able to increase the metabolic rate; this comes about as a result of up regulation of T4( stored or inactivated form of thyroid hormone), and receptors on the thyroid gland. The thyroid is responsible for signalling the mitochondria in cells to produce energy, in addition to many other functions.

Weight Loss

Chia seeds are useful for weight loss - Chia seeds along with the fact that they help to improve metabolism, can also decrease your appetite, as a result of improved blood sugar levels and presence of fiber. There is simply no reason why you should not include Chia seeds in a weight loss program, not doing so you risk making yourself a statistic of failure

Reduce Food/Supplement Bills

Chia seeds are great for reducing monthly food/supplement bills - because of the amazing ability of Chia seeds to decrease appetite; you will be eating less and less, resulting in a very decent saving on your grocery bill. In addition, the high nutritive value of Chia seeds ensure that you can safely exclude some of your regular supplementation; even by reducing just one item the savings add up big time.

Improving Flavour

Chia seeds are useful for improving flavour - this is strange, considering that Chia seeds themselves have no real flavour. The theory behind this is that they have the ability to absorb the flavour of the food they are about to complement, acting as an enhancer. Also postulated is the belief that the hydrating/ dehydrating nature of Chia seeds help to regulate excess/ scarce salt addition. Check out the popular recipes.

Anti-ageing

Useful for the anti-ageing, health fanatics- the unreal levels of antioxidants in Chia seeds are known to be helpful for a variety of issues, the major one today being the anti-aging rage. It is believed that the presence and actions of free radicals is what leads to structural damage of cells, which after frequent repair leads to aging. Antioxidants are believed to prevent the action of these free radicals, hence the belief that they can slow down ageing.

Useful for Vegetarians

Chia seeds are especially useful for vegetarians - being a vegetarian isn’t easy, especially when it comes to ensuring adequate protein intake. Sure, soya chunks and products are a good option, but they taste like sponge quite often. Chia seeds supplement the protein dilemma quite sufficiently, along with providing hard to get vitamins and nutrients that are commonly found in meats.