Do you remember those adorable chia pets that were popular in the
80's? It was fun growing the animals, Teddy bear, puppy, kitten, ram,
bull, and tree. The amazing thing is that this 'fad' is still around,
only now it's SpongeBob, Garfield, Scooby and Homer. But that's not why
I'm writing this article. I'm going to give you some very good
information about Chia seeds, not the kind that they used for the pets,
but the kind that will in fact improve your health.
There are many good reasons to eat chia seeds. The health benefits are incredible and the seeds are a good addition to a variety of foods, without changing the taste of the dish. These little seeds are the richest plant source of Omega-3 fatty acids. These vital fats give us protection against inflammation, e.g. arthritis and heart disease. Omega-3 is important for us to have a healthy nervous system, good cholesterol levels and aids brain function. Amazingly enough Chia seeds contain more Omega-3 than salmon!
One of the factors in a healthy diet is the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3. Unfortunately the majority of Americans modern diet has a ratio of 15:2; however research shows that having a ratio of 2:1 to 4:1 has reduced mortality from cardiovascular disease, suppressed inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and decreased the risk of breast cancer. So looking for a food with good Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratios is vitally important to our health. Fact is one ounce of chia seeds has 4929mg of Omega-3 and 1620mg of Omega-6, which is approximately a 3:1 ratio. This makes the tiny seed a powerful source of balanced Omega's in one small package.
Foods with high antioxidant activity are very important to controlling free radicals. Blueberries have been given the 'crown' of achievement in this area, but here comes the tiny chia seed that has more antioxidant activity than the blueberry.
Antioxidants help keep blood pressure and blood sugar under control. A quick rundown of the nutrition goes like this: chia seeds contain the important nutrients calcium, boron (which helps transfer the calcium to your bones), phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, niacin and zinc. Each seed is 20% protein, 34% oil (remember these are the essential fatty acids, the ones that your body cannot produce), 25% dietary fiber, both soluble and unsoluable, antioxidants, chlorogenic and caffeic acids, myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol falvonols. And for those interested no gluten. In ordinary terms, they have twice the protein of any other seed or grain, 5 times the calcium of milk, and 2 tablespoons provide about 7 grams of fiber. It is recommended that we have around 25 grams of fiber a day.
Adding chia seeds to your daily diet is actually very easy. Because they don't change the taste of the foods, but add nutrition, fiber and reduce hunger and cravings, you can easily incorporate them every day. Put them in your yogurt, morning cereal, muffins, pancakes, soup, pb & j sandwiches, salsa, dips, oatmeal, smoothies, the list could go on and on.
Chia seeds are an incredibly healthy addition to your healthy lifestyle and are easy to use. They can be stored for a long period of time without becoming rancid and don't require grinding like flax seeds.
There are many good reasons to eat chia seeds. The health benefits are incredible and the seeds are a good addition to a variety of foods, without changing the taste of the dish. These little seeds are the richest plant source of Omega-3 fatty acids. These vital fats give us protection against inflammation, e.g. arthritis and heart disease. Omega-3 is important for us to have a healthy nervous system, good cholesterol levels and aids brain function. Amazingly enough Chia seeds contain more Omega-3 than salmon!
One of the factors in a healthy diet is the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3. Unfortunately the majority of Americans modern diet has a ratio of 15:2; however research shows that having a ratio of 2:1 to 4:1 has reduced mortality from cardiovascular disease, suppressed inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and decreased the risk of breast cancer. So looking for a food with good Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratios is vitally important to our health. Fact is one ounce of chia seeds has 4929mg of Omega-3 and 1620mg of Omega-6, which is approximately a 3:1 ratio. This makes the tiny seed a powerful source of balanced Omega's in one small package.
Foods with high antioxidant activity are very important to controlling free radicals. Blueberries have been given the 'crown' of achievement in this area, but here comes the tiny chia seed that has more antioxidant activity than the blueberry.
Antioxidants help keep blood pressure and blood sugar under control. A quick rundown of the nutrition goes like this: chia seeds contain the important nutrients calcium, boron (which helps transfer the calcium to your bones), phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, niacin and zinc. Each seed is 20% protein, 34% oil (remember these are the essential fatty acids, the ones that your body cannot produce), 25% dietary fiber, both soluble and unsoluable, antioxidants, chlorogenic and caffeic acids, myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol falvonols. And for those interested no gluten. In ordinary terms, they have twice the protein of any other seed or grain, 5 times the calcium of milk, and 2 tablespoons provide about 7 grams of fiber. It is recommended that we have around 25 grams of fiber a day.
Adding chia seeds to your daily diet is actually very easy. Because they don't change the taste of the foods, but add nutrition, fiber and reduce hunger and cravings, you can easily incorporate them every day. Put them in your yogurt, morning cereal, muffins, pancakes, soup, pb & j sandwiches, salsa, dips, oatmeal, smoothies, the list could go on and on.
Chia seeds are an incredibly healthy addition to your healthy lifestyle and are easy to use. They can be stored for a long period of time without becoming rancid and don't require grinding like flax seeds.
So take an adventurous step and find more information about chia seeds at Healthy-Shakes Blog. You'll be glad you did.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcia_C_Brandt
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