I recently received this question via email:
A week ago I started eating chia seeds because I had seen it in a news article on the top 10 super foods. When I read up on it I can’t help but wonder why everyone in the world is not eating it. What do you know about it? Is it as good as this article says it is?
On the scale of optimistic to pessimistic I am usually faulted for being overly optimistic but I have to admit that my pessimistic side clambers to attention when I see a media article on “super foods.” Our society and media tend to hype up The New Latest Thing, whether that’s in fashion, electronics, or whatever. The New Latest Thing grabs our collective attention by the throat and promises a quick and easy fix to our problems, the latest miracle that most people don’t know about or have yet. You know the allure this holds, having an inside scoop about something that’s unknown to the masses, which will miraculously improve your life. The field of nutrition is no less vulnerable to The New Latest Thing, offering new “super foods” that will help you lose weight, cure cancer, prevent disease, fill you with energy, etc.
Often there’s nothing false about the claims made about such foods, but there’s a sneaky side to this: these foods usually offer nothing better than the nutritional powerhouses of everyday foods. Your latest super food is probably no better for you than, let’s say, an apple. But super foods are marketed as miracle foods, and they are priced accordingly. Despite the fact that an apple is much cheaper, super foods still often draw our grocery dollars, especially because they appeal to our inner nutritional hipsters. That inner hipster, after all, does not always make the best decisions when it comes to overpaying for products by ridiculous amounts. You know what I’m talking about, fellow Mac users.
(disclaimer: my husband put that last line in, I love my Mac!)
So what about chia seeds? Well, nutritionally they are great. Flax seeds are also great, for similar reasons. However, chia seeds are six times the price of flax seeds. Do they offer good value for that price? The answer, based purely on nutrition, is no. The following info from www.nutrientdata.self.com shows that flax and chia seeds each have their strengths and weaknesses, but are essentially very similar.
Flax Seeds Chia Seeds
7 g omega 3 5g omega 3
71 mg calcium 177 mg calcium
110 mg magnesium Negligible magnesium
7.6 g fibre 10.6 g fibre
But chia seeds’ real claim to fame, which sets them apart from flax seeds, is their ability to bind nine times their weight in water. “OK,” you’re thinking, “Whoop-de-do! Tell me about the vitamins, the minerals, the antioxidants, the healthy fats… or whatever it is that’s going to cure me of every ailment!”
Here’s the benefit of the water binding: While in your digestive system, the seeds form a gel with the water and other foods you’ve eaten. Your body first has to break down this gel matrix before it can digest and absorb any food. The end result is a slow, sustained digestion. You feel fuller for longer and your blood sugar doesn’t spike as high.
I tested this water binding capacity by placing flax seeds and chia seeds in water in separate dishes. Within 15 minutes, the chia seeds had already started to form a gel, while the flax seeds were still just flax seeds sitting in water. After 10 hours, all the water in the chia seed dish was bound up in a gel. The flax seeds did form a gel, but half the water was still free.
My verdict: if you are focusing strongly on weight loss and you believe you’re overeating, chia seeds could really be a great addition to your diet. They have a lot of nutritional benefits and they really will keep you feeling full for longer. Additionally, if you have diabetes and would like to slow the rate of glucose absorption, this will help you achieve that goal. However, if you are using chia seeds solely for their nutritional super food power, or because they are The New Latest Thing, you’d be better off going with boring old flax seeds. Nutritionally there is no major difference between the two. Flax seeds are way cheaper, and they are also grown locally, so they really are an equally amazing super food that doesn’t have to break the bank, or your conscience.
This post has 7 chia recipes to inspire you and this sourdough cracker recipe incorporates chia seeds too!
Deepali says
How do we incorporate chia seeds into our daily food.
Can we soak it in water overnight and have it in the morning on an empty stomach.
Is it advisable..I would also like to know it’s affects
Jessica Penner says
I wouldn’t soak it ahead of time (unless you’re using it as an egg replacer!) I like to add chia seeds to yogurt, cereal, smoothies, etc.
Tina says
About how much would you add to your cereal?
Vickey says
Im wondering if chia would help with lowering cholesterol.
I have been trying to lower mine for over a year.
Would love to get more info on chia from you, if you have a Web site that would be great!!!
Jessica Penner says
Soluble fibre is associated with a reduction in fibre. Chia seeds are a good source of soluble fibre!
Amy says
Excellent post Jessica 🙂 Are chia higher in iron by chance? I love ground flaxseed as an egg replacer (1 tbsp flaxseed+3 tbsp warm water and let it sit for a few minutes)! I wonder if chia would work as an egg replacer too…
Have you explored the cultural history of chia for Aztec’s and particularly the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico? It’s facinating. I read about chia for the first time while reading the book Born to Run by Christopher McGougall. The Tarahumara are ultramarathon runners that will sustain themselves solely on chia during runs!
Jessica Penner says
Thanks Amy. I haven’t read too much on the cultural history of chia, although now I’m intrigued!
Yes, I like using flax as a replacer for eggs. I thought of it after I shot the video but I should have mentioned that the ground flax seeds became a whisked egg like texture! The chia seeds were definitely more viscous so, if they were used as an egg replacer, I think it would have to be in a much greater water to chia ratio.
Corinna says
Does it make a difference if the flax seeds are ground? I would imagine they would create that gel more easily. I’ve heard people use them instead of eggs in recipes.
Jessica Penner says
Good question! I’m not sure and now I want to go repeat my experiment 🙂
Jessica Penner says
I’d love to see your recipe! I’m planning a follow up post on a chia seed recipe round-up. If you post yours, I’ll link to it!
Recipe disasters… you have to take them along with the genius recipe ideas too, right? Although I’m tempted to see what yogurt cement looks/tastes like….
Nita Sharda says
I love making a beautiful chia seed pudding here and there! I’ll share the recipe soon! I use just a few ingredients: chia seed, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon and sometimes a bit of vanilla! I soon realized adding it to Greek Yogurt was a bit of an epic fail–if you leave it for a few minutes, the already thick Greek Yogurt turns into sludge! I swear, it was like my yogurt morphed into cement. Oops!