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Chia Seeds – Benefits for Type 2 Diabetes, Weight loss, Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Chia (Salvia hispanica) is a species of flowering plant that belongs to the mint family, and it is also the name of the seeds that it produces. The chia plant is native of Guatemala and Mexico, where it is still widely used for food and in beverages. The seeds have a nutlike flavor, and they can be consumed whole or ground and mixed with flour.
Chia seeds are similar to flax in that they are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids (especially alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA), antioxidants, and fiber, but they are superior to flax for these nutrients. Chia seeds have other advantages over flax: they do not need to be ground to make their nutrients bioavailable to the body, and they are so high in antioxidants that the seeds can be stored for long periods without going rancid. Chia seeds are also a good source of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, niacin, phosphorus, and zinc. (Weil)
Health Benefits of Chia
An animal study published in the British Journal of Nutrition reported that dietary chia seeds prevented the onset of high lipid levels and insulin resistance in rats fed a sucrose-rich diet, and that chia seeds reduced visceral fat present in the rats fed the sucrose-rich diet. (Chicco 2009) In a subsequent study, 11 health individuals participated in a randomized, double-blind, controlled design in which participants received 0, 7, 15, or 24 grams of chia baked into white bread. Researchers noted a dose-related reduction in blood glucose and appetite during the two-hour period after consumption of the bread at all three doses. The study authors concluded that the “decrease in postprandial glycemia provides a potential explanation for improvements in blood pressure, coagulation and inflammatory markers previously observed after 12-week Salba [Salvia] supplementation in type II diabetes.” (Vuksan 2010)
A Canadian study set out to determine whether adding chia seed to the diet of people who have type 2 diabetes would improve cardiovascular risk factors. The single-blind, crossover trial involved 20 adults (average age, 64 years) who were randomly assigned to take either about 37 grams per day of chia or wheat bran (controls) for 12 weeks while continuing with their conventional diabetes therapies.
Compared with study participants who consumed wheat bran, those who received chia seed experienced a reduction in systolic blood pressure, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and von Willebrand factor. Those who received chia also showed decreases in hemoglobin A1c and fibrinogen when compared to baseline levels, but not with controls. The study’s authors concluded that supplementation with chia reduced one major cardiovascular risk factor (systolic blood pressure) and two emerging factors (C-reactive protein and von Willebrand factor) beyond conventional diabetes therapy, “while maintaining good glycemic and lipid control in people with well-controlled type 2 diabetes.” (Vuksan 2010)
Despite anecdotal reports that chia seeds can help with weight loss, a recent study published in Nutrition Research found otherwise. Researchers from Appalachian State University conducted a randomized, single-blind trial in which 76 disease-free, overweight or obese adults consumed either placebo or 25 grams of chia seeds mixed in water twice daily before the first and last meal for 12 weeks. Measurements of body mass and composition, inflammation markers (e.g., C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 6), oxidative stress markers, blood pressure, and lipid levels were conducted before and after the 12-week trial. The only change seen after 12 weeks was an increase in the level of alpha-linolenic acid in the chia seed group compared with a decrease in the placebo group. Therefore, 50 grams per day of chia seed for 12 weeks in overweight or obese individuals “had no influence on body mass or composition, or various disease risk factor measures.” (Nieman 2009)
How to Use Chia
Chia is a food and not a supplement, so there is no dose amount. However, generally 10 grams per day (about a dessert spoonful) added to or mixed with food is a typical starting amount. Consult a knowledgeable healthcare professional before taking chia seeds, especially if you have intestinal problems.
See also
Diabetes and Erectile Dysfunction
Chia Video
References
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA365093/Chia-for-Health.html
Chicco AG et al. Dietary chia seed (Salvia hispanica L) rich in alpha-linolenic acid improves adiposity and normalizes hypertriacylglcerolaemia and insulin resistance in dyslipaemic rats. Br J Nutr 2009 Jan; 101(1): 41-50
Nieman DC et al. Chia seed does not promote weight loss or alter disease risk factors in overweight adults. Nutr Res 2009 Jun; 29(6): 414-18
Vuksan V et al. Reduction in postprandial glucose excursion and prolongation of satiety: possible explanation of the long-term effects of whole grain Salva (Salvia hispanica L) Eur J Clin Nutr 2010 Apr; 64(4): 436-38
Vuksan V et al. Supplementation of conventional therapy with the novel grain Salba (Salvia hispanica L) improves major and emerging cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes: results of a randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Care 2007 Nov; 30(11): 2804-10
