6 Amazing Benefits of Chia Seeds
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When it comes to buzzy superfoods and so-called miracle supplements, we’ve heard it all: Bee panacea, clay, apple cider vinegar, even ice cream. While many fad diets come and go though, there are some lesser-known foods that aren’t quite as flashy, but provide some serious health benefits, like Chia seeds.
The tiny, black seeds come from a plant that’s grown in South American called Salvia Hispanica. Back in the day, the seed was a key ingredient in diets of the Aztecs and Mayans thanks to their ability to provide sustainable energy. In recent years, the little guys have gotten a reputation for that doing just that, and quite a bit more.
Believe it or not, just one serving of chia seeds has:
3 times the iron than spinach
5 times the calcium of milk
2 times the potassium of bananas
2 times the protein of any other seed or grain
3 times the antioxidant strength of blueberries
If that wasn’t enough, read on for 6 other benefits of chia seeds!
1. Improve blood sugar levels.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, diabetics have benefitted from chia seeds because thanks to their ability to improve blood pressure levels. This may also increase all the healthy cholesterol while lowering the bad cholesterol. However, if you are diabetic, talk to your doctor before incorporating the seeds into your diet, to make sure they don’t interact with nay medications you’re taking.
2. Chia seeds may regulate appetite, sleep patterns, mood.
One ingredient that can be found in chia seeds is tryptophan (yes, the stuff that makes you sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner). Technically, this is an amino acid that helps regulate appetite, sleep patterns and improves your mood.
3. They contribute to healthier teeth and bones.
Since one small serving of chia seeds provides 18 percent of the total amount of calcium recommended for an adult, these bad boys are an easy way to promote bone and oral health, which we can’t get enough of.
4. They may help you lose weight.
Chia seeds have a stabilizing effect on blood sugar which in turn fights insulin resistance (which is tied to an increase in those extra pounds), according to Live Strong. Also, because of the tryptophan in the chia seeds, you’ll get fuller, faster causing you to eat less. While there is no clinical evidence to back up the claim that chia seeds promote weight loss, they’re an abundant source of soluble fiber. As such, they possess hydrophilic properties, meaning they readily absorb water, so adding the seeds to cooked food, they add bulk without adding additional calories or fats.
5. Chia seeds are loaded with antioxidants.
Antioxidants in chia seeds help protect the sensitive fats in the seeds from going rancid. They also help prevent your body from producing free radicals which can damage molecules in cells, and contribute to some diseases like cancer.
6. They improve exercise performance as well as sugary sports drinks.
In an experiment where runners replaced half their sports drink with chia seeds and drank it versus the runners who drank only the sports drink, there was no difference in the performance—meaning the chia seeds had the same amount of energy-boosting properties that sugary sports drinks had.
So, how should you eat chia seeds? Many fans swear by mini packets that can be eaten on their own as a snack, or sprinkled into salads, yogurt, dinner dishes, smoothies, and desserts. Other ways are to purchase pre-packaged bowls like Chia Pods, which contain a full serve of chia seeds mixed with fruit and coconut milk.Read more at:red prom dresses