The proper nutrition regimen helps you build muscle. Adding the nutritional powerhouse salba, a variety of chia seeds, to that regimen may help you achieve your muscle-growing goal. These seeds are so good for this purpose, in fact, that "Born To Run," author Christopher McDougall says you cannot pick a better food to get stranded on a desert island with, "at least if you were interested in building muscle." Part of reason is that salba is about 20-percent muscle-building protein, which is higher than eggs and almost as high as meat. However, this little seed has many other muscle-building benefits.
Qualities
Chia seeds used to be popular for growing "pets" in clay pots prior to their more recent popularity as a nutritional powerhouse. Salba, an heirloom variety of chia, is rich in protein, calcium, potassium, iron, manganese and antioxidants along with fiber and alpha linolenic acid, which your body is able to convert into omega-3 fatty acid. All of this makes salba an ideal post-workout recovery food, says Brendan Brazier, author of "Thrive Fitness." Your muscle growth actually occurs during your recovery period as opposed to during your actual workout.
Protein
The protein in salba is a complete protein, meaning it has all of the essential amino acids your body needs. In fact, the amino acid score for salba is 115, above the 100 that is considered a "perfect" protein score, says Raymond A. Schep, author of "Nutrition for Life." When you are building muscle, the American Dietetic Association guidelines call for consuming 0.7 to 0.8g protein per pound of body weight each day --- that's 105 to 120 g protein for a 150-lb. person. When you consume 1-oz. chia seeds you get 4.4g protein.
Calcium
Salba can help replenish the minerals lost in during exercise that are essential for muscle contractions, including calcium. A 1-oz. serving of salba has 179mg calcium, which is about 18 percent of the recommended daily amount. Lack of calcium contributes to muscle fatigue. In fact, when you begin to feel your muscles tire it means your muscles' calcium channels are leaking. When you recover from exercise your calcium channels repair themselves, according to the "New York Times." The old theory that lactic acid build-up is what causes muscle fatigue has been debunked, according to the "Times." Restoring your calcium balance is essential to gaining muscle because, if you don't, the force you are able to produce with your muscles during your next workout diminishes. This, in turn, reduces the effectiveness of your muscle-building efforts.
Inflammation Fighters
Alpha linolenic acid, or ALA, helps your body combat inflammation and promotes immune function, as do antioxidants. This is important because the muscle damage you create when you workout causes an immune system reaction as well as the release of inflammation-promoting free radicals. About 66 percent of the oil found in salba is made up of ALA, compared with about 56 percent in flaxseed. Unlike flaxseed, you do not have to grind chia to gain benefits from its ALA. Salba has three times more antioxidants than blueberries, another oft-touted nutritional powerhouse, note Lydia Wilen and Joan Wilen, authors of "Healing Remedies."
Fiber and Carbohydrate
When you are building muscle you need to consume 35g fiber daily, according to "Best Life" magazine. Just 1 oz. salba has almost 11g fiber. Fiber-rich foods help to regulate your blood-glucose levels instead of causing spikes and subsequent crashes, which affects your energy level. Endurance athletes often utilize chia because it travels through the digestive system slowly, providing a steady stream of energy to your body for a workout.
The carbohydrate in chia seeds also will help replenish your glycogen stores after you workout. Glycogen is the stored glucose your body uses for energy. A 1-oz. serving of chia has 12.4g carbohydrates. You need to 2g carbs per pound of body weight each day when you are working to build muscle, Maddalozzo says. For a 150-lb. person that's 300g carbs daily.
Adding It To Your Diet
It is easy to incorporate salba into your diet for muscle-building purposes. Add it to your bread or muffin recipes, stir it into soups or sprinkle it on salads. Alternately, you can swallow a tablespoon or two of this superfood daily as a supplement or you can make a salba gel, recommend "Superfoods for Dummies," authors Brent Agin and Shereen Jegtvig. Mix 1-oz. chia with 9-oz. water, let the mixture stand for 15 minutes at room temperature, and keep your gel in the fridge for up to a week. Add the gel to foods like smoothies or oatmeal, if desired. A 1-oz. serving chia has about 140 calories.
References
- "Thrive Fitness"; Brendan Brazier; 2009
- Best Life magazine: "Fight Age with Muscle"; John Brant; 2007
- "Eat Right For Life"; Raymond A. Schep; 2010
- "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide"; Roberta Larson Duyff; 2006
- "Superfoods for Dummies," Brent Agin and Shereen Jegtvig; 2009
- USDA Nutrient Database: Seeds, Chia Seeds, Dried
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