Wednesday, 20 April 2011

Chia Seeds

Chia (chee-uh)

a plant (Salvia hispanica) of the mint family, native to the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, having mostly basal, oblong leaves and small blue flowers; the seeds are primarily used as food.

Aztec Seed of Strength

A long, long time ago – long before the era of terracotta “chia pets” -- the chia seed was cultivated and eaten by the ancient Aztecs, Incans, and Mayans and was considered a staple food alongside corn and beans. “Chia” is the Mayan word for “strength”, and though these cultures may not have had the medical research to back up their health claims, chia is enjoying an escalating renaissance by today’s medical community as well as everyday consumers. Also full of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals (especially calcium and iron), chia has much in common with flaxseed, with the distinct advantage that its natural antioxidants make its delicate healthy fats more nutritionally stable. Navitas Naturals offers the wonderful chia seed in its whole organic state as well as in a sprouted powder form.

The Power of Chia

Chia seeds are an excellent source of dense nutrition with their healthy omega oils, easily digestible protein, and antioxidants. In fact, chia is so high in essential fatty acids that it contains eight times more omega-3s than salmon, gram for gram. Also full of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals (especially calcium and iron), chia has much in common with flaxseed, with the distinct advantage that its natural antioxidants make it’s delicate healthy fats more nutritionally stable. Research has linked this valuable food as a being beneficial for many health issues, including diabetes, hypoglycemia, celiac disease, and lowering cholesterol.

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