Is this super food really super?
Media, research and studies shout out that chia seeds are amazing food to be included in your diet.
Chia seeds are full of alpha-linolenic (ALA) fatty acids. However, fairly recent research talks about the advantage of a diet containing omega-3-rich foods rather than on chia seeds alone.
Some foods like cereal grains, and legumes and chia seeds are full of anti-nutrients, like lectins.
“Lectins are defined as proteins that bind to carbohydrates. The same features that lectins use to defend plants in nature may cause problems during human digestion. They resist being broken down in the gut and are stable in acidic environments, features that protect lectin-containing plants in nature.” https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/anti-nutrients/lectins/
So lectins can deplete the nutritional value of chia seeds and other seeds like food.
Some studies show benefits of eating chia seed while dieting in order to lose weight. That is why so many people fall in love with them….
But despite that, more recent studies in humans have not shown a specific benefit of chia seeds on cardiovascular risk factors including body weight, blood pressure, lipid levels, blood sugar, and inflammation.
This means that chia seeds do not act alone to benefit your health but may contribute to disease prevention only when incorporated as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Next thing to consider, is the way people prepare chia seed meals, puddings etc.
They are soaked with some kind of liquid, either water, yogurt or plant-based milk. This makes them bigger, up to 10 times their original size. They become very sticky, which might lead to problems when the digestion of proteins takes a place.
Consumption of chia seeds excessively and their high fiber content may lead to the following health issues:
Abdominal discomfort
Gas
Bloating
Constipation
So maybe chia seeds are not as super as they are told to be.
There are some chia seed alternatives like;
Flaxseed
Sunflower seeds
Hemp seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Are you a fan of chia seeds? Did this information about the greatest, super duper seeds surprise you?
Are you going to leave them out or maybe stick to them anyway?