While no one wants to think back far enough to date ourselves, if you're over the age of thirty you probably remember the advent of Christmas commercials with the Chia Pet. A clay design was plastered with a chia seed paste and voila! It had “hair.” Since then, no one has ever wanted a Chia pet, but bad taste in gifts aside there are plenty of benefits to these tiny seeds in the sage family. The Aztecs and Mayans knew the value of chia seeds long before they became a popular superfood. The word chia is actually from Mayan and means strength. These tiny, black seeds were prized for their ability to provide sustainable energy. That’s not their only use.

Fiber, vitamins and minerals: We know a high fiber diet is needed but not always what might fit into that category. With eleven grams of fiber per serving these seeds do fit in. On top of that they are full of Omega-3 fatty acids. They also have six minerals and three B vitamins.

Weight loss: Because Chia seeds are high in fiber and in protein they can help with weight loss. The protein along with the healthy fats will help with the dieter’s bane of not getting enough of those valuable nutrients. The fiber will give a feeling of satiety, thus reducing hunger.

Bone health: Three of the six minerals in the seeds are calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Most of us know that the first one on the list is important to bone health but calcium alone won’t do the job. Phosphorus and magnesium are needed. The calcium involved is, per serving, higherthan dairy. This helps those people who either can’t or won’t eat dairy.

Inflammation reduction: Most of us think of inflammation in terms of injuries or diseases like arthritis. However studies are now finding that inflammation plays a key role in other, internal health problems including heart disease. Chia seeds can help reduce this inflammation and may play a role in preventing these diseases.Chia seeds are easy to add into your food. Throw a pinch on your yogurt, hydrate it to get an interesting new texture, or blend it up in a smoothie.

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Health benefits of chia seeds