Chia seeds: how to use, useful properties. Chia seeds: benefit and harm

Chia or Spanish sage is a plant brought from South America, inherited from the Indian civilization. The exact time of appearance is unknown, but for the first time it was used for food by the ancient Aztecs, who highly valued its nutritional properties. It used to be believed that this is a religious plant that gives strength to anyone who eats it. Seeds are popular today among lovers of healthy food and those who want to lose weight.

Pierre Duccan is a modern chia popularizer

The first nutritionist who recommended chia for weight loss was the well-known Pierre Ducan, the author of the diet of the same name. Seeds are on the list of allowed menu products, beginning with the "Alternating" stage (as is known, the diet of Pierre Ducane consists of several different stages in which certain products are allowed and forbidden). In the US, chia are so popular that they are added to flour products: bread, sweets, and energy bars.

What is the use of chia seeds?

1. They contain substances similar to medical antibiotics. But the advantage is that, unlike chemical analogs, the seeds do not have destructive effects on the liver, improving health, destroying the pathogenic flora and activating healing processes.

2. Strengthen immunity, contribute to the prevention of colds and flu. People who eat them regularly, are less sick and almost not prone to seasonal diseases.

3. Useful properties of chia seeds consist in the improvement of intestinal microflora - they revive useful bacteria, destroying harmful bacteria. If you take them, the probability of infections in the digestive tract decreases.

4. This is a reliable preventive agent that prevents the increase of cholesterol. It can also stop the development of atherosclerosis.

5. They can remove allergic reactions due to the presence of antioxidants and help strengthen the body. Their rejuvenating properties are known.

6. Often, vegetarian food is included as a source of omega-3 and omega-6 acids.

Thus, chia seeds, the benefits of which are confirmed by the experience of many people, can improve your health, improve your health and correct your figure. But only in the event that they are taken in accordance with certain rules.

Chia is a rich source of omega-3 acids

The plant contains about 40% of useful fats, most of which are omega-3. In chia, these substances retain 100% of useful qualities and are absorbed by the body unlike other sources. Omega-3 acids remain even after heat treatment, which is very good for those who can not eat the seeds in their raw form. Partly they are protected by a thick shell, which is covered with chia seeds. How to use them - raw or cooked? The question is purely individual, it all depends on your taste.

Recall that omega-3 acids play an important role in the process of digestion: using them, the process of getting rid of unnecessary fat is accelerating, so you lose weight much faster. In addition, these substances contribute to improving brain activity, enhance immunity and are especially useful for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases.

Useful properties of chia seeds, their harm

You can eat a handful of "seeds" and stock up energy for the whole day - there will be no feeling of hunger! This is an excellent tool for those who suffer from cravings for food. In South America, the plant was appreciated for its high nutritional properties: the Indians took chia seeds with them for long trips. How to use them, they knew almost from birth, and the question of what to take on the road, did not arise. Since weighed a little seed, it was just a great food option.

One grown man could only eat a handful. This is quite normal, because, like all seeds, chia is quite nutritious. They contain vegetable protein, fiber, many vitamins and minerals. Before consuming chia, consider that their caloric intake is 486 kcal, this is almost a third of the daily diet of a slimming woman, so it is appropriate to use them not only as a snack, but also as a full-fledged meal.

Anti-inflammatory Theory

There is an opinion that seeds can facilitate the course of inflammatory processes occurring in the human body. There is an assumption that diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cancer and many other diseases arise precisely because of the latent inflammatory processes that slowly suppress the immune system.

Theorists are sure that various pathologies arise from malnutrition, or rather, because people switch to food rich in sugar, gluten of wheat, lactose. This top three modern nutritionists are blamed for most diseases.

The anti-inflammatory theory has not yet been proven by scientists. But she has plenty of supporters. That is why anti-inflammatory products, one of which are chia seeds, are widely used in diets and when making a healthy diet menu.

Facts About Chia Seeds

• Contain 20% protein and 34% of different fats, including useful omega-3 and omega-6.

• Rich in calcium. In chia this substance is 5 times more than in milk.

• Contains potassium, in seeds it is 2 times more than in bananas.

• The amount of magnesium is 15 times more than in broccoli.

• The iron content is 3 times more than in spinach.

• Rich in fiber, which helps digest food better.

• Many antioxidants, so chi in winter can replace blueberries and blueberries.

• Useful properties are equated to several fruits.

Chia seeds - the right way to lose weight

In shape, they are similar to sesame - just as small and oval, however, their color is dark. Smooth, pleasant to the touch, the smell reminds flaxseed oil - all this about chia seeds. How to use them? Eat them both in raw form, and as an additive to cooked food. They have a rather pleasant, slightly piquant taste.

If you try the product for the first time and do not yet know how to take chia seeds for weight loss, then the most important thing to consider: when added to food they swell and become like a jelly-like mass. In addition, they increase in size up to 12 times. It is important to note that the same thing happens in the stomach if you eat them raw.

It is the ability to absorb a large amount of fluid and explains their usefulness for losing weight. Seeds give a feeling of satiety - you no longer want to have a snack. The presence of antioxidants guarantees getting rid of excess calories, and the abundance of fiber is the proper work of the digestive system.

Chia - spicy additive to food

Feel free to spice up any porridge, yoghurts, salads from vegetables, dishes with meat, juices, cocktails - in general, anything. Baking is especially good with them. No dish will be spoiled if you add chia seeds there. How to use them, if you do not like the taste? It's simple - eat them separately from the rest of the food.

The dosage can be different and determined by your chosen diet. In any case, do not overdo and eat more than 2 teaspoons. For example, Pierre Ducan recommended eating 1 tsp. in a day. Receiving the same over the diet can cause the opposite effect - slowing down weight loss.

So, how to properly use chia seeds? There is no definite answer. It is important to remember that Spanish sage is not a medicinal product, but an additive to food, so there are no strict limitations and instructions. We recommend following Pierre Ducane's instructions.

Chia seeds: benefits, use, contraindications

1. Refuse to take seeds for any abnormalities in the work of the digestive tract. If you have diarrhea - immediately eliminate them from the diet.

2. Contraindicated in food poisoning, allergic reactions, during pregnancy and during lactation.

3. Consult the doctor before introducing the product into your diet. Perhaps there are restrictions that only your doctor knows.

4. Use should begin with small doses, gradually increasing to normal. Admission can last 12 weeks, because their effect has not yet been studied for prolonged use.

5. If you are at risk of developing prostate cancer or if you have this disease, it is also not recommended to eat seeds. This is due to the content of alpha-linolenic acid, which can provoke an ailment or complicate its course.

6. In the composition of many triglycerides, so if their high content in the blood should stop taking or not at all start it. In this case, it is recommended that chia salba (salba) be taken into the food of the seeds. They do not increase the level of triglycerides.

Thus, chia seeds, the benefits of which, of course, are proven, should be taken with caution, and then everything will be in order.

Recipes with chia seeds

It may be that the food you eat will not only be nutritious, but will also help to lose weight. Many people ask the question: "How to consume chia seeds every day without harm to the body?" We offer several recipes that will help you to get enough without gaining weight.

1. Raw cured crackers . By taste, they are like bread, but with a rich taste of basil and tomatoes. Ingredients : chia seeds - 1 cup, basil - 20 g, tomatoes (they must be dried first) - ½ cup, lime juice - 2 tbsp. L., Honey - 1 tbsp. L., Salt - a pinch. Preparation : leave chia in large quantities of water (at least 2 times more than seeds) at night. After you see that they are very swollen, proceed directly to the preparation. Place the seeds in a mixer and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Put the mixture on a tray and dry it for about a day. To soften the crackers, add olive oil.

2. Lemon cocktail . It will take 2 tbsp. L. Chia, as much lemon juice, 4 tbsp. L. Honey, 2 cups of water. Fill the chia with a large amount of water (minimum proportions of 1 to 2), leave for 8-10 hours. Mix all the ingredients in the blender, adding additional ingredients to taste (well suited dried fruits, berries).

3. Pudding with chocolate . Mix half a glass of almonds, 1 glass of water, a third of a glass of raspberries, 3 tbsp. L. Honey, cocoa - 1 tbsp. L., Pinch of vanilla. Grind in a blender until smooth. Seeds enter only after the remaining ingredients are mixed. When adding them, vigorously stir the mass with a spoon.

How to choose a quality product?

• Before consuming chia seeds, pay attention to the country of origin. Chia from China is not recommended to purchase, as the level of ecology there is low, so the food coming from there is not always of high quality. And on this depends on your health.

• Good seeds should have appropriate certificates. For chia, this is a certificate of quality and organic control.

• Pay attention to the cost. Before you purchase chia, compare prices on several sites or in several companies. In view of the rush demand for the product, the cost can be inflated by several times. If the price is very low, then this should also be cause for concern.