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Table of Contents
History of Chia Seeds
Chia seeds have been around for many years. They date back before 2600 B.C. The seeds come from areas in Central America, some countries in South America, Mexico, and some other countries. The original name for chia seeds is Salvia Hispanics. The seed is a member of the herb, mint family. Chia seeds have been used as human food for many years. The Mexicans, in ancient times, used the chia seeds as a staple food. It was used by the Indians in the Southwestern part of the United States and also by the Aztec Warriors to help with endurance and energy during their time of battle. The energy boosting staple benefitted them greatly during times of war.
There are documents which date back to the time of the founding of the New World which list the important foods of the Mayan and Aztec Indians. When Christopher Columbus founded the New World, chia seeds were on the documents. The importance of chia seeds as part of the diet is not something new. As you can see, the chia and its nutritional value to the human body are very important. Chia seeds are rich with many nutrients. The nutrients that are necessary for the human body to intake daily can be found in them. Their nutritional value is a huge benefit of the seeds. They are rich in protein, oil and dietary fiber. The seeds have a very high level of oil which is necessary for the body to absorb essential vitamins. Another finding from ancient history of the chia seeds is the fact that they do not have any cholesterol in them. This alone is beneficial to people with coronary disease. Maintaining a lower level of cholesterol is very important for fighting the disease. Chia seeds contain the Omega-3 fatty acids that are needed to maintain good health. They are better for your intake than fish products because the fish contains cholesterol. Through the years chia seeds have been very beneficial for human intake. The amount of increased energy and endurance alone would be enough for a person to want to eat them. The added benefits of nutritional value they have is a very important feature of the seeds. The ability to maintain good health can be very challenging. Adding chia seeds to your daily menu takes very little effort on your part. Quality health should be the main priority.
Chia Seeds Nutrition Profile
Chia seeds have great nutritional value. If you are longing to maintain a healthier lifestyle, you should include Chia seeds as part of your daily intake. The seeds have a light nutty taste and they are they have no smell. The recommended dosage of Chia seeds is at least 1200 mg ALA Omega-3 for a diet that would be considered healthy. To maintain a well balance between Omega-3 and Omega-6, it is recommended that your intake be 2 tablespoons a day. Chia seeds help in removing toxins from the body because they are a great source of fiber. The seeds have a great water retention capacity. They are also good about exchanging out calories. Fiber is extremely vital to have in your body for properly breaking down foods. Chia seeds help with digestion and the break down as well.
Many people use Chia seeds in recipes. Chia contains Mucilage and can be used as a thickener. It has a gel like texture and has been used by many to add a thickening quality to recipes. The seeds will add great nutrition to the recipe as well. When Whole bread is made with Chia seeds, it contains large amounts of Omega-3 and fiber in it. This is a great way to get all of the recommended dosage of the two essentials. The bread also contains antioxidants, calcium, and phosphorus. All of these are necessary for the human body.
Protein is a very valuable to the human body. Chia seeds contain 20% protein in them. This is another reason they should be a part of your daily intake. Chia seeds contain vegetable protein and come with all the essential amino acids that are necessary for the human body. The seeds are a great source of nutrition in all areas of essentials. With all the great characteristics of Chia Seeds given above, each person should strongly consider adding them to their diet. Their important nutritional value should be carefully reviewed so that you will have knowledge of just how beneficial the seeds are. The dosage that is recommended should be carefully and consistently followed. The seeds will be an added benefit to maintaining a healthier body. There are so many wonderful benefits of eating Chia seeds. The nutritional profile is excellent and highly recommended by medical professionals and also health coaches. When you eat healthier foods, you look and feel healthy.
Benefits of Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are proven to have been a staple in Ancient Indian lifestyle many years ago. Today, many have chosen to implement the seeds into lifestyle because of the nutritional benefits that they provide. Many also choose to cook with Chia seeds because of their many uses and nutrients added to recipes. Chia seeds are very rich in Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats. The human body requires a certain amount of the Omega-3 fatty acids daily. Chia seeds are composed of 60% and help to improve inflammation, performance of cognitive body function, and reduce cholesterol levels.
Fiber also is very important in digestion, reduction of inflamed tissue, and regulating the function of the bowel. Chia seeds are very beneficial in helping to improve all of these. The seeds are a great source of fiber and when you take two tablespoons of them you are getting at least one third of the dosage you need. Every human being needs at least some protection against toxins which we breathe in each day. The toxins enter the body through food we take in as well. Chia seeds are beneficial in providing the body with antioxidants which protect the body from these dangerous toxins.
Minerals are needed for proper daily performance. Taking two tablespoons daily will give you much of the required minerals needed for your body. Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and manganese are included in Chia seeds. All of these minerals are necessary for different parts of the body to perform properly. Chia seeds do not contain cholesterol, gluten, or grains. All of the benefits that the seeds provide can be included in gluten free diets, low cholesterol diets, and grain free diets. This is a wonderful benefit of the seeds because heart healthy diets must be low in cholesterol and diabetics must keep careful watch on their sugar levels.
With all of the benefits that eating Chia seeds offer to the human body, it is difficult to imagine leaving them out of your daily diet. The importance of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, minerals, and all the other great features of Chia seed intake should make each and every individual include them in their daily intake.
Growing Chia Seeds
Down through the ages, the benefits of Chia seed intake have been proven to improve human health. Chia seeds have been included by health experts in many medicinal fields. Some of the fields would include cardiovascular, muscular, intestinal, diabetes, and more. The benefits of including the Chia seeds into the daily diet have proven to improve medical conditions in these particular fields. The wonderful news about Chia seeds is that it is very easy to grow them. The following information will enable you to grow your own Chia seeds so that you can have a healthier lifestyle.
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