What are the Health Benefits of Chia Seeds?

When you love fresh fruit smoothies like I do, you’ll soon run into the problem of finding more natural ingredients to use. I have tried many fruits, vegetables, and seeds, and was recently introduced to the nutritional value of Chia seeds.

In this Chia Seeds Reviews, I will bring you the known health benefits, the differences between white and black Chia seeds, and some of the best brand of Chia seeds one can purchase online. Before I get to the Chia seeds benefits and side effects, let’s examine the origin and nature of this small sized seed.

What are Chia Seeds?

Before exploring if Chia seed is good for you, let’s look at the natural health beneficial seed in detail. Chia seed are derived from the Chia plant. The plant is sometimes called Salvia Hispanic. True original Chia seeds can be found in Mexico and Guatemala.

When you look back at history, Chia seeds constituted one of the most popular staple food for the ancient Mayans and Aztecs. Nowadays, the Chia plant is mostly grown commercially for the many health benefits offered by its seeds.

It is one of the best food sources for omega 3 fatty acids. Healthy and mature Chia seeds are small and oval in shape. While you can find gray and brown colored Chia seeds, the majority of the harvested Chia seeds are either black or white in color.

The seeds are also beloved because they’re hydrophilic by nature, meaning they can absorb at least 12 times their weight when soaked in a liquid. Soaked Chia seeds will develop a gel-like coating, which provides a distinctive texture for Chia-based beverages.

While Chia seeds are mostly consumed in Mexico and parts of the United States, the discovery of the health benefits by this natural product is contributing to the changing landscape of the Chia plants.

Today, Chia plants are commercially grown in Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and some parts of Australia. Do not let the small size of the seeds fool you, for they do pack a powerful nutritional punch if utilized the right way.

Within the health conscious community, the word superfood is been used to describe nutritional value derived from using the natural seeds of the Chia plant. Within the past few years, Chia seeds are now widely consumed all over the world by health conscious consumers.

Nutritional Value of Chia Seeds

You’ll be making a big mistake if you judge this seed from the Chia plant by its size. While tiny in size, each Chia seed packs a hefty dose of minerals and vitamins. Regardless of the color of the Chia seeds you choose to consume, the nutritional value will remain the same.

Daily consumption of Chia seeds adds significantly to the nutrients in your diet. It is a good source of natural omega 3 fatty acids, which is a good healthy fat that’s good for your body.

Chia seeds deliver the most stable dietary fiber, which helps your digestive system function optimally. As you know, a good digestive system is needed for timely elimination of waste and toxins from within your internal organs.

Based on the most recent studies from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one ounce of good Chia seeds will give you 5 milligrams of sodium, 9 grams of fat, 4 grams of protein and 11 grams of dietary fiber. The seeds will also deliver a good dose of calcium, manganese, and phosphorus.

If you’re seeking a natural protein that’s plant based, you should know that Chia seeds contain all known eight essential amino acids. The good nutrition in Chia seeds is now fully established, which has contributed to the addition of this natural product to many fruit based drinks and food staples.

What are the Benefits of Chia Seeds?

I know it is hard to imagine the health benefits of Chia seeds since it is tiny and oval shaped. Is it true that the tiny seeds deliver the healthiest nutrients found in plant-based foods on the planet?

Yes after eating my fair share of Chia seeds, I can tell you that it is good for you, and will deliver healthy nutrients to you brain and body. Here are some of the most popular health benefits of Chia seeds, based on many human studies that can be found online.

Good Antioxidants can be found in Chia seeds

Chia seeds are so popular because they deliver significant amounts of antioxidants. It is the power of the antioxidants that prevents the sensitive fats contained in the seed from going stale.

While the debate about the effectiveness of antioxidants gotten from supplements continues, the ones derived from natural foods do deliver well-known health benefits.

You do need good antioxidants in your system because they help to destroy free radicals before they can do damage to your internal organ cells.

Does it contain more antioxidants than natural blueberries? Probably the same amount, but the health benefits cannot be denied.

You can get high-quality protein from Chia seeds

It is a good source of good proteins for a healthy growing body. The seeds deliver a good balance of amino acids which guarantees that proper use of the protein by the internal organs.

The many weight loss benefits attributed to Chia seeds can be traced to the good protein delivered. As you know, a plant-based protein can help reduce your appetite, thus leading to interesting weight loss stories.

As with other popular natural fruits and seeds, many health benefits are now been assigned to Chia seeds, and some of them need further proof to make them solid.

Here are some health benefits attributed to Chia seeds and are heavily promoted by leading health blogs, but we found scant medical prove to back up the claims.

Some claim the seeds can help lower you risk of developing heart diseases or type two diabetes because it can help improve blood markers.

Since the seed does contain good amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium, it is assumed it will be beneficial for maintaining good bone health. While that might sound like a reasonable assumption, further studies are required to proof the direct correlation.

Difference between White and Black Chia Seeds

Some have asked me, black or white Chia seeds which are better? From what I have gathered, the nutritional value is the same regardless of the color of the Chia seeds.

Sorry to disappoint you, but all the available studies regarding white vs dark Chia seeds, shows no major difference in nutritional value based on the color of the Chia seed consumed.

On the other hand, some manufacturers might give preference for certain Chia seeds color, but that does not make them better, or having higher nutritional value. The calories in Chia seeds will be the same irrespective of the colors you choose to cook with.

Chia Seed Side Effects

One must also include known side effects of Chia seeds for this review to be complete. If you have prior allergic reaction to mustard or sesame seeds, it might be prudent to avoid eating Chia seeds.

While no allergic reaction can be verified, Chia seeds contain phytic acid. If you’re on blood-thinning medications, please ask your doctor before consuming this natural seed from the Chia plant.

Regardless of how you’re consuming Chia seeds, drinking plenty of water seems to add to its health benefits. This is especially true if you’re eating the seeds raw or uncooked.

Chia Seeds Reviews

Here are the 5 brands of Chia seed we thought delivers the best value for the money.

1 – Healthworks Chia Seeds Review

One of the bestselling brands is from a company called Healthworks Chia. The Chia seeds nutrition is not diluted as the product comes to you in its raw natural state.

Healthworks Chia seeds are derived from chemically free plants and guaranteed to be free of pesticides.

Since these are raw organic Chia seeds, the way you can use them is only limited by your imagination.

The regular packaging comes in a two pounds bag, but the best value can be found with purchase of the five pounds bag.

You’re free to sample and try out the Chia seed from Healthworks, as you’re able to get a full refund or replacement within 30 days of your original purchase.

2 – Viva Labs Organic Raw Chia Seeds

If you’re seeking the best nutritional value of Chia seeds, the brand from Viva Labs should deliver excellent results.

The organic Chia seeds from this company come to you in its true-raw form and delivers neutral taste.

Viva Labs raw organic Chia seeds come fully certified by Quality Assurance International (QAI), which is the leading organization for certifying good organic integrity all the way from the farmer’s field to retail shelf.

This organic Chia seed brand is free of gluten and completely free of genetically modified organisms.

This ancient superfood is one of the best sources of dietary fiber, vegetarian protein and ample supply of omega 3 fatty acids.

3 – Nutiva Organic Black Chia Seeds

Nutiva is a well-established and fast growing company, with many durable products under its belts.

Nutiva organic black Chia seeds are well packaged and certified by the US department of agriculture.

The Chia seed Nutiva contains no genetically modified organisms, and completely gluten free.

Nutiva Chia seeds are delivered to you raw, thus making it a true vegan food source.

Nutiva organic Chia seeds for weight loss come with two stamped dates, one for the production date and the other for the best by date.

4 – Navitas Naturals Organic Raw Chia Seeds

Navitas natural’s organic raw Chia seeds are another great brand with excellent customer feedbacks.

Navitas Chia seeds are 100% certified organic. This is a true kosher product and contains no-GMO ingredients.

Navitas naturals Chia seeds is not only raw and vegan but also completely gluten free.

Chia seeds Navitas is the best source natural omega fatty acids for vegetarians.

5 – Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds

If you’re looking for the best brand of Chia seeds, we might have saved it for the last review.

Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds is derived from Chia plants grown in South America.

The packaging does not say if it is organic or not, so one can assume it is not.

Another astounding fact about this product, over 97% of existing customers love it, with awesome feedbacks about it good nutritional contents.

Here a good and funny video from the manufacturer

Is Chia Seeds Good For You?

From the info gathered for this Chia seeds reviews, I will say absolutely yes. You can look through some of the health benefits of Chia seeds, to see what eating some can do for your body.

It is a good source of excellent antioxidants, and the delivered omega fatty acids will help you lose weight if combined with other good lifestyle choices.

Feel free to select from the 5 Chia seed brands reviewed above, or you can click the link below for wider selections through the largest online store.