Chia seeds were once in the public eye due to the popularity of Chia Pet products. Now chia, which comes from the plant salvia hispanica, is renowned as a nutritional source. The seeds are often compared to flax seeds, offering many of the same benefits. But ground chia does not have the disadvantages of short shelf life that ground flax has. Chia can be consumed whole or ground up and stores well in either form.
Essential Fatty Acids
Dr. Andrew Weil considers chia to be an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, even better than flax seed. According to a study published in 2005 in the journal "Nutrition Research," chia seed is the highest plant-based source of a-linolenic fatty acid. The researchers concluded that chia shows promise as an alternative to fish-based sources for vegetarians. According to researcher Dr. Wayne Coates, chia offers balanced omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Weil also reports that feeding chickens chia increases the omega-3 content of their eggs and meat, and feeding cows chia increases the omega-3 content of milk.
Fiber
Chia is a rich source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. According to Weil, a 25-gram portion of chia contains about 7 g of fiber. The fiber not only adds nutritional value, but also causes the chia to form a gel when wet. This adds to its versatility for cooking and food preparation, and also assists with digestion as it slows the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar. Coates puts the fiber content of chia at about 30 percent.
Antioxidants
Chia is a natural source of antioxidants that add to both its nutritional profile and its shelf life. Unlike flax, chia can be ground and stored without spoiling or even needing refrigeration. The seeds themselves also have a long shelf life.
Minerals
Chia offers a variety of minerals, including iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, molybdenum and magnesium. Chia also contains niacin and folic acid.
Protein
The protein content of chia exceeds that of other grains and seeds. Coates says chia is about 20 percent protein or more, compared with 14 percent for wheat. In addition, the protein is of higher quality, as determined by its amino acid composition. Both wheat and chia are limited in lysine, which is often the case for vegetarian protein sources. But the overall amino acid score for chia is 91 (based on a target of 100 for a full amino acid profile) vs. only 55 for wheat. The only essential amino acid that chia lacks is taurine.
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