Have you heard of chia seeds? In Psychology and Mind We like to promote healthy lifestyle habits, and this area is not only reduced to the strictly psychological. Proper nutrition It is also a great source of health and well-being
Today we discover one of those foods with extraordinary properties: chia seeds It is a product with a flavor that many people associate with nuts, and It has a huge amount of vitamins and minerals that can help us combat those extra kilos, control the habit of snacking between meals, and in short, feel better about our body and mind.
But the thing doesn’t end here. The benefits of eating chia seeds are many and in the following lines you will see them compiled in these ten healthy reasons so that you are encouraged to try this seed originating from America.
It’s fashionable… and rightly so.
There is a real fever for chia seeds. We can say that they are very fashionable, and this fame is not completely unjustified, although it is clear that marketing has had a lot of influence. Many nutrition experts have reported on its qualities, but there is still a great lack of knowledge about what benefits this food brings us.
More and more people have chia seeds in their pantry. What are these qualities and properties that make chia seeds such a popular food lately? Next we are going to explain some of its most relevant properties and We will update you on the psychological and physical benefits it can bring you
In fact, before delving into its benefits, we must clarify that it is a very tasty food that allows great versatility in the kitchen. Many chefs They use chia seeds to complement many dishes: from the most exotic to the most traditional.
There has to be something about this food for all nutritionists to highly recommend it. “Chia”is a term of Mayan origin, whose meaning is force For millennia, chia has been the favorite food of the Mayan and Aztec societies. Not in vain does it have a multitude of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids that help our body fight bad fats, in addition to providing us with different benefits.
It is a widely consumed food among athletes, but even if you do not practice much physical activity, you can benefit from its daily consumption to feel better. Besides. Like we have already said, It is a nutritious food that can have its place in almost any dish you can imagine There are people who include chia in yogurt, soups, breakfast cereals, purees, stews, salads… It goes with practically anything! The most daring have even started experimenting with chia, including it in muffins or cakes.
Gluten-free and with Omega 3
English nutritionist Maddie Shaw indicates that chia seeds they do not contain gluten (and therefore it is a food suitable for celiacs), and They contain Omega 3, as well as fiber and antioxidants
Some more information about its nutritional contribution:
10 benefits for our health that chia seeds provide us
So, What are the benefits of consuming this seed ? What nutritional contributions does it satisfy and how does it help improve our physical health? In the following lines you will find a summary of the health benefits of chia seeds, and the advantages of incorporating this ingredient into your regular diet.
1. They manage your desire to snack between meals
Chia contains a high amount of fiber, so it is a great idea to curb our craving for snacking between meals The seeds are easily digestible but they create a feeling of satiety that discourages us from snacking, and therefore makes it easier for us to control our body weight.
Experts advise eating chia for breakfast to take advantage of its long-range energy boost, which It will keep us active for many hours
2. They are tasty
Some people point out that they don’t find much flavor in it, while others indicate that it reminds them of the flavor of walnut. They are still seeds, therefore we cannot expect an explosion of flavor and freshness on our palate, but The truth is that most people love it
They are permeable seeds that can reach up to 10 times their weight in water. Consume them It also helps us hydrate our body This is one of the keys to understanding why athletes and people who do very physical or stressful jobs are signing up to eat chia seeds.
Also It is highly recommended to ingest them before going to train at the gym or do some running
4. They protect you from the harmful effects of the environment
Let’s delve into an important point: chia improves our immune system Therefore, it protects us when facing inclement environmental conditions and diseases. It makes us more resistant to catching colds and flu, for example. However, this is an indirect effect produced by strengthening the immune system, which means that it does not make existing diseases disappear or the risk of suffering from them disappear.
5. They give you a good dose of Omega 3
Omega 3 is a fatty acid whose properties help us in several processes:strengthens the central nervous system and cells, keeps our skin well hydrated and shiny enhances our cognitive abilities, our immune system…
Chia seeds provide us with more Omega 3 than fish like salmon, so if you are not very fond of eating fish, it can be a very healthy alternative.
6. Energy for (almost) all day
If you feel tired for most of the day, one of the problems may be your diet. Not all foods provide us with a quantity of sugars that give us energy to face everyday life. In this case, chia seeds are optimal to help us endure at work or in the gym
They contain a lot of potassium and more protein than almost any vegetable. And its sugars are slow absorption.
7. A little help to control overweight
Chia is a very suitable food for those people who have problems losing weight. They have a lot of fiber that They will help your digestive system and regulate the feeling of hunger It is a very satiating food, especially when taken hydrated.
There are also some recipes to eat chia along with juices. A perfect combination to eat healthy and control excess weight.
8. A good food for your muscles
Chia seeds, as we have already mentioned, provide us with great energy, as well as fiber. But our muscles are built thanks to protein, and chia is also a food rich in it. So, It will help us increase muscle mass and regenerate those muscle tissues that need it
A much healthier and cheaper option than the classic protein shakes that many athletes drink after training. And even if you don’t practice sports, it can also help you have a healthier body.
9. Healthy joints
Many people suffer from pain in their joints. For this condition, chia seeds can be a healthy and effective solution. We have already seen the contributions of Omega 3 acids from chia, but what we have not said is that it has anti-inflammatory properties
Consuming chia can significantly relieve the pain that your joints cause over the years, although it will not make the wear and tear of these disappear, since this would require repairing these parts of the body in a more structural way.
10. Purify your body and prevent oxidation
chia seeds They make it easier for our body to eliminate excess fluids and toxins, in addition to regulating the intestinal flora and slowing down the cellular oxidation process In short, chia is responsible for regulating many bodily processes and functions that will make us feel healthy both inside and out.
Some conclusions about this food
Nature provides us with several foods that really have magnificent properties for our body. One of these foods is chia. It is recommended that you try them for a few days and see for yourself the beneficial effects of this seed.
Obviously, It is not enough to just eat chia seeds, but our physical and psychological health is based on many variables, And we also need a much higher amount of macronutrients than what this product will offer us.
If we talk about eating habits, chia is a great complement, but the basis of our health must be a balanced and varied diet, in addition to practicing physical exercise and good healthy habits (no smoking, drinking alcohol, etc.). On the other hand, it is necessary to eat foods with macronutrients that are not available in chia seeds; Being seeds, they do not contain much energy, carbohydrates or the healthy fats that we need to function well.
From now on, you have another nutritious and exotic ally to improve your health.
