How Nutritious are Chia Seeds?
Chia seed is an excellent source of fiber, fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and antioxidants. They may be small in size but a single serving of this super-food will give your daily diet the nutritional boost it needs for only 82.5 calories.
As the richest source of Omega-3 fatty acids among non-marine whole food items, it is certainly the most versatile supplement known to man. They are almost tasteless yet slightly sweet so they can easily complement the flavor of your favorite meals, making them easier to consume on a daily basis than other super-foods such as flax, fish, and algae.
A 25-gram serving of Chia already contains 64% of the omega-3 fatty acids you need in your daily diet, with 5.2 grams of them being ALA-type Omega 3.
Chia Seeds and Your Daily Fiber Intake
Organic Chia Seed also stands out because a single serving of it already contains 41% of the recommended daily fiber intake.
Two tablespoons of Chia contain 2.3 grams of high-quality fiber, which is equivalent to 41% of your suggested daily fiber intake. By taking two tablespoons of Chia twice a day, you can easily consume 82% of the recommended fiber intake with less than 90 calories for every serving.
According to nutritionists and dieticians, the ideal ration of insoluble to soluble fiber should be approximately 5:1. When compared to other good sources of fiber, Chia reigns supreme because it comes with 5.3 grams of soluble fiber and 35.9 grams of insoluble fiber. This is equivalent to a ratio of 6:1, so the proportion between its insoluble and soluble fiber is almost perfect.
Chia Seeds are a Great Source of Complete Protein
Chia Seed also offers a great source of complete protein with an impressive biological value. It includes all essential amino acids such as leucine, lysine, isoleucine, methionine, threonine, valine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine. The powerful combination of these amino acids will allow you to perform better during your training sessions and help you build more muscles faster.
Every serving of Chia includes 19.23% of complete protein. This is significantly higher than the amount of protein found in corn, oatmeal, rice, wheat, or even barley. It is also a great source of gluten-free protein so it is suitable for people who are suffering from Coeliac Disease.
Chia Seed is also packed with amino acids, with every 100 grams of protein containing nearly 80.81 grams of amino acids.
Chia Seed: A Source of Supreme Vitamins and Minerals
Organic Chia Seed does not only offer six times more calcium than regular milk does. It also has eleven times more phosphorus and four times more potassium than dairy milk. With higher levels of Vitamin B and more niacin than soy, rice, or corn, it beats any other nutritional supplement that you will find in the market.
Two tablespoons of organic Chia seeds can satisfy 22.25% of your daily calcium needs as well as 32.5% of your recommended magnesium intake. With over six times more iron than spinach, it can also make up for 29.25% of your daily iron intake. Finally, it contains 6% of zinc and 33.25% of the ideal amount of phosphorus that you need to consume in a daily basis. Chia Seed makes nutrition simpler by making sure that you are getting all the nutrients, minerals, and amino acids you need in every serving.
Chia Seeds and Powerful Antioxidants
Organic Chia Seed is not only rich in vitamins and minerals, it also comes with a high antioxidant value, which is expressed through an ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) unit of 82 micromoles TE per gram. The average ORAC value of most vegetables, fruits, and nuts is approximately 1.4 to 95 micromoles TE per gram so Chia seeds seem to be one of the best sources of antioxidants known to man.
With 82 micromoles TE per gram, Chia falls on the higher end of the ORAC scale. This makes it a superior source of free radical-fighting antioxidants. Aside from its impressive ORAC value, Chia Seed also comes with a high content of chlorogenic and caffeic acids. Both of these substances are proven more powerful than other antioxidants such as Vitamin E and Vitamin C.
