Chia (Salvia Hispanica L.) is a summer annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Labiatae family. Chia seeds were a core element of the diet of pre-Columbian civilizations like the Aztecs. Chia was a major food crop of the Aztecs and was grown in the mountainous areas from west Central Mexico to Northern Guatemala and was surpassed only by corn and beans in terms of significance in their diet. Chia was used as a raw material in making several medicinal and nutritional compounds. The Aztecs were obviously aware of the beneficial effects of chia seeds, as its name comes from the Mayan word meaning ‘something that makes you strong’.

Modern science has been able to explain why ancient meso-American civilization considered chia a basic component of their diet and why is should be re-introduced into modern society.

Historically, chia seeds were roasted and ground to form a meal called ‘pinole’, then mixed with water to form porridge or made into cakes. The Aztecs viewed chia as such an important grain that it was offered to their gods during religious ceremonies. Although grown only on a very small scale, and with rudimentary technological methods, Mexican Indian descendants are still producing this ancient grain. Although not an anticipated use, it is interesting to note that chia is still used in the preparation of a popular beverage called “chia fresca”, where the seeds are soaked in water and then flavored with fruit juice and consumed as a cooling drink.

Chia seeds can be consumed whole and do not need to be ground. You can eat chia by itself, or you can mix them with foods such as smoothies, yogurt, juices, soups, salads, omelets, breakfast cereals, etc. It can also be mixed (whole or ground) with flour and used for making breads, pastries, pizza, etc. Chia’s neutral flavor allows it to be easily mixed in most of your favorite foods and beverages.

Chia seeds contain 21 percent protein which is greater than other nutritional grains such as wheat (14%), corn (14%), rice (8.5%), oats (15.3%), barley (9.2%) and amaranth (14.8%). Unlike most other grains chia seeds are not limited in the amino acids necessary in the human diet. Other grains are limiting in terms of two or more amino acids and must be mixed in order to satisfy human needs. Chia seeds are a rich source of B vitamins, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, iron, magnesium, zinc and copper. One serving of chia seeds (2 tablespoons) gives a large amount of the recommended daily allowance of fiber, molybdenum, chromium, selenium and biotin. Chia is gluten free.

Due to the highly unsaturated nature of the oil, chia seeds contain natural antioxidants to protect against lipid oxidation, which leads to off-flavors and rancidity. Water and methanol extracts of degreased chia seeds have demonstrated a strong antioxidizing activity, with the most important antioxidants obtained being chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and flavanol glycosides. Since oxidation is delayed, chia shows a great potential within the food industry compared to other a-linolenic acid sources such as flax which exhibit rapid decomposition due to a lack of natural antioxidants. Flavor quality and product stability are issues that greatly influence potential acceptability of products enriched with omega-3 fatty acids making this a key property of chia. Once the oil has been extracted from the seed, the material that remains contains 50 to 60 percent fiber. The seed alone possesses 5 percent soluble fiber, which appears as mucilage when it is wet.

Black is the original color of chia seeds and is approximately 85% black and 15% white, gray, and/or brown. A variety known as the white chia is the opposite: 85% white, 15% other colors. To get this variety, the white ones are isolated from the original black variety and then planted. This process is repeated until the desired color ratio is achieved. This variety is less common and usually more expensive than the black.

Some companies, familiar with the rarity of the white chia, decide to capitalize on it. The “myth” stating that the white chia is nutritionally superior over the black is false. Generally speaking, the two varieties are identical in terms of nutrition. However, recent studies point that the darker variety MAY contain slightly higher levels of antioxidants. The only real advantage of the white chia seeds over the black is that it has better visual appeal in certain food preparations.

Hidalgo Foods carries both black chia and white chia products. To check out our retail size packages, click here.

If you put chia in water it will absorb the liquid and form a gel around it that is equivalent to 9 to 10 times its dry weight. This (including the seed inside the gelatinous layer) is called chia gel.

Add 1/3 cup chia seeds to 2 cups of water (make sure it’s water first, chia seeds second). Stir and wait for at least 15 minutes for the seeds to gel up. If you wait long enough (2-3 hours), you can get as much gel as you can from the seeds and the lumps will break up on their own.

Given the waiting period, it is recommended to make chia gel ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for future use. Simply put it in a sealed container and it can last in refrigeration for up to two weeks.

In baking, you can reduce fat by using ½ cup of chia gel in place of 2 eggs as a binder. Chia gel can be mixed in drinks. You can get the chia gel by soaking it in water first then adding it to the beverage. You can also just soak the seeds in the beverage itself. Chia gel may benefit runners and other endurance sport athletes. It keeps the body hydrated and energized for a longer period of time compared to drinking only the fluid.

Chia has been called by some a “dieter's dream food” because when added to foods, it bulks them up displacing calories and fat without diluting the flavor. You can eat a typical serving yet only consume about half the calories you might have eaten because the food has been bulked up with chia. Chia is known to be a complete source of protein providing all the essential amino acids in a nice and neat little package (seed), between 19 to 23 percent protein by weight.

Chia seeds produce a thick gelatinous substance in water. This gelatinous substance (fiber) helps to clean the intestines by transporting debris from the intestinal walls so that it can be eliminated efficiently and regularly. Chia is an excellent source of fiber - one serving can provide 30% of the daily requirement.

The gel can be used in smoothies, dressings, meatloaf, breads, sauces or cakes. Since chia has such a mild flavor it does not change the taste in the recipes made with the chia. You have kept the basic recipe the same, the taste is relatively the same but the nutritional value has been super charged. Chia is packed with 2 times the protein of any other seed or grain, 5 times the calcium of milk with boron that helps transfer calcium to the bones, 2 times the potassium as bananas, 3 times the reported antioxidant strength of blueberries, and 3 times more iron than spinach. Chia seed contains large amounts of B vitamins and calcium. By volume, one ounce of chia contains two percent B-2 (riboflavin), 13 percent niacin, and 29 percent thiamin, and trace amounts of all B vitamins. In roughly two ounces of chia (100 grams), there are 600 milligrams of calcium.

Chia slows the impact of sugars on the system if eaten together. The gel creates a physical barrier between carbohydrates and the digestive enzymes that break them down helping to slow the conversion of carbs into sugar. This means the energy from the food is released steadily resulting in more endurance. You can combine chia with super-sweet tastes like apple juice and not get a huge spike in your blood sugar. This is clearly of great benefit to people with blood sugar issues.

Chia seed protein contains no gluten. This makes it ideal for anyone with gluten sensitivities or someone simply wanting to find a replacement for gluten-containing grains like wheat, barley, rye and oats.

Chia is the perfect, all-natural survival food. Dry chia can last up to 5 years from the date of harvest without the need for any special storage. It is extremely nutritious. A small amount of chia can sustain most of the body’s daily nutrition requirements. In times when it is necessary a serving of chia gel (2-3 tablespoons of chia mixed in 16 ounces of water or a high nutrient beverage) can keep you satiated enough to skip a meal or more depending on your body’s metabolism rate.

Cold-milled chia is whole chia that went through a special method of milling that turns it into a robust, dry meal while retaining all of its valuable oil (Omega 3’s) and other nutrients. The grain is not heated in the process.

The whole seeds are cut up into quarters, increasing the bio-availability approximately four times. Bio-availability refers to how much nutrients from the food that your body is able to process, absorb, and utilize.

Cold-milled chia can be added to your morning cereal, blend in smoothies, used as an egg-replacer in baking (by making chia gel), or use as a topping on ice cream, and cakes. It can be used the same way as ground flax.

Storage:
Shelf life is 2 years. Store in a cool dry place, away from direct sunlight. Do not refrigerate or freeze.