Chia Seeds Black Organic 500g - Boost Nutrients

Make Easy Healthy Smoothie Shakes with Chia Seeds Organic from Boost Nutrients. Great for smoothie bowl ingredients also for Acai bowl or granola bowl toppings.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF CHIA SEEDS

Chia seeds are one of the best natural health foods known to man. They are high in nutrition and provide great benefits for your health. One of the most nutritious foods known to man, they are loaded with fibre, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and several micro-nutrients.

Chia seeds are tiny black and grayish seeds from South America. They were an important food for the Aztecs and Mayans civilization's, who prized them for sustained energy. Chia used by the Aztec Indians for long distance runs and endurance. And actually "chia" is the ancient Mayan word for "strength." More recently they have been widely recognised as a one of the great superfoods.

LOW GLYCAEMIC INDEX - SUSTAINED ENERGY

Chia seeds have an extremely low glycaemic index of 1, (below 55 is considered low) and actually helps to lower the rate at which other carbohydrates are converted to sugars. The gel that forms around Chia Seeds is due to soluble fibre in the chia seeds. In your digestive system, this gel slows down the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar. In that way it helps to stabilise blood sugar. By eliminating the peaks and troughs in your blood sugar level, you get a more consistent energy level and so reduces cravings. This is why it was known as the ancient Aztec runners’ diet.

HYDRATION & ABSORPTION

Chia seeds can soak in up to ten times their weight in water. This helps in maintaining the proper level of hydration and electrolytes in your stomach and actually optimize your body’s ability to effectively absorb other nutrients. This makes it a great food for endurance athletes. The absorption and swelling of the Chia Seeds also help fills you up and so helps you stop eating earlier, so it can help to stop you from overeating.

GLUTEN FREE – NON GMO & ORGANIC

Chia seeds are a whole grain seed, naturally free of gluten. The Boost Nutrients brand is both non-GMO and grown organically.

HIGH NUTRIENTS WITH FEW CALORIES

Despite their tiny size Chia seeds have a powerful impact. Chia Seeds give off a large volume of nutrients yet only a few calories. A small 28 gram serve (about 2 tablespoons) of chia seeds contains the following: - Fibre: 11 grams. Protein: 4 grams. Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are omega-3s). Calcium: 18% of the RDI. Manganese: 30% of the RDI. Magnesium: 30% of the RDI. Phosphorus: 27% of the RDI. They also contain a good serve of zinc, vitamins B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3 and potassium.

This is rather impressive considering that this small amount supplies only 137 calories and 1 gram of digestible carbs. When you subtract the fibre since it doesn’t end up as usable calories, they contain just 101 calories per ounce (28g). Making them one of the greatest sources for several important nutrients, with low calories.

Chia seeds are around 40% fibre by weight. So they are one of the better sources of fibre in foods. This high fibre content is important. Fibre feeds the friendly bacteria in your intestine. Thus, keeping your gut flora well fed which is absolutely crucial for better health.

CHIA SEEDS ARE VERY HIGH IN ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants fight the production of free radicals, which can damage cell molecules and contribute to aging and diseases like cancer.

Here is a extract from Chia UK explaining the remarkable amount of and value of Antioxidants found in Chia Seeds: -

• "In 2008, a study by the Department of Foods and Nutrition, Indiana, USA reported that Chia contained, among other things, a remarkable amount of antioxidants, the most abundant of which are quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, flavanol glycosides, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid. These antioxidants have significant value to human health particularly in the area of cell protection, repair and regeneration. (Due to the abundant number of antioxidants in Chia seeds they can remain shelf stable for up to 3 years).

• QUERCETIN, KAEMPFEROL AND MYRICETIN

• Quercetin is considered one of Chia’s most powerful antioxidants and has been proven to significantly boost energy and increase the supply of energy to our brain and muscle cells. Quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin are antioxidants that have been shown to protect against a host of chronic diseases like ischemic heart disease, strokes, lung cancer, prostate cancer, asthma, and type II diabetes.

• CHLOROGENIC ACID

• Chlorogenic Acid has been found to possess anti-cancer properties and could be used to prevent growth of certain brain tumours. It is also understood to slow the release of glucose into bloodstream after a meal and is a compound of particular interest when looking to reduce the risk of developing Type II Diabetes.

• CAFFEIC ACID

• Caffeic acid may be used as a component to contribute to the prevention of colitis (a condition that could lead to colon cancer), cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, mitosis (cell division) and inflammation. It also helps maintenance a healthy immune system."

VEGAN FOOD - HIGH IN PROTEIN

Most Chia seeds contain between 17-20% protein. This is similar to other seeds but is higher than most cereals and grains. So, Chia is a good source of protein which helps build lean muscle mass. Protein should be a weight loss friendly dietary nutrient. A high protein intake is believed to lower appetite. Their protein content makes them an important food or vegans and those who do not each animal proteins.

HEALTHY NAILS, SKIN, AND HAIR

The tiny chia seed is loaded with over 60% essential fatty acids. So, they are great for concentration and other brain functions. But those same essential fatty acids help skin, nails, and hair grow strong & healthy. The proteins in Chia seeds also help with healthy nails, skin & hair.

HOW TO EAT CHIA SEEDS

Chia Seeds are quite easy to incorporate into your diet. They don’t need to be ground and given their bland taste, you can add them to almost any dish. Chia can be eaten raw, soaked in water or juice, added to your porridge, pudding, Acai bowl or smoothies or added to your baking efforts.

You can also sprinkle them onto cereal, yogurt, vegetables or rice meals. Due to their high water and fat absorption, they can also be used to thicken sauces or used as an egg substitute in your recipes. When mixed with water or other juice Chia seeds will make a gel formation.

So, sprinkle some Chia by Boost Nutrients onto those foods you enjoy to dramatically boost their nutritional value.