When a reader brought this point up we originally thought he was talking about Chai tea. But No! He asked about the benefits of chia seed and its use in improving cholesterol levels.
As I looked into it, I found an enormous amount of research (and a ton of it was credible) to indicate this little seed is quite miraculous.
This seed was made popular by the Chia Pet people who sold it as a fun past-time for kids and adults, as it was used to grow a little garden on the outside of a clay animal, head, or other shape.
But this seed actually has quite a lot of nutritive benefits, and one of them is to improve cholesterol. The ways in which this occurs are quite interesting.
First, this seed helps a person to lose weight, which almost always leads to an improvement in cholesterol numbers.
The way it works is this: this entirely safe and edible seed develops a gel coating around it when combined with water. This gel, similar to psyllium in fiber drinks, helps to make one feel full, thus reducing the amount of food consumed.
People sprinkle it on salads and over a slice of pizza. It is tossed over casseroles with breadcrumbs and mixed in with granola and honey for snacks. The magic occurs when you chase whatever you eat that has the seeds with water. The gel forms and then you’re on your way to a fuller stomach without needing pills.
The next benefit for cholesterol that this process provides is with the dramatic increase of soluble and insoluble fiber. As we have read in past articles, you HAVE to get that fiber up if you are going to get your cholesterol down. The combination of these fibers helps to rid the body of LDL cholesterol.
Another benefit is that this beautiful little seed has higher Omega-3 content than a comparable slice of salmon fillet. Don’t like fish? Concerned about mercury? Grab some of these little seeds and you really increase your Omega-3 consumption.
Omega-3 fatty acids are critical in normalizing cholesterol levels because it forces triglyceride levels down and also reduces the buildup of plaque. There is even evidence that Omega-3 helps to keep arteries from hardening, which is an added benefit for those battling high blood pressure.
I would caution, though, that if you are already taking a fish oil supplement that you talk to your doctor before adding chia seed to your diet. Too much Omega-3 can set you up for increase risk of bleeding. If you are on aspirin or other blood-thinning therapy this becomes more important.
Aside from that, there is no evidence that I could find to suggest that eating chia seeds (with plenty of water) is anything but healthy.
Normal food safety guidelines would apply, such as not eating old or contaminated seeds, so make sure that when you go shopping for seeds you are getting good product.
If you have a local health food store or organic market in your area, you should be able to find quality seeds and even some recipes.
Another place to find the seeds would be on the Internet. There are several credible and inexpensive sources on the net and a quick search in Google turns up thousands of matching responses.
If you have a great recipe for using chia seed, let us know. We’ll be glad to share it with others.
For other Cholesterol-lowering methods that are natural and safe, look at our Cholesterol guide today.
El331005
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chia and kefir
i have two soup spoons of chia seedswith a cup of kefir for breakfast tasts yumm keeps me going for whole morning
I appreciate the way and manner you are trying to help people expecially in the health sector Amighty Father will continue to bless you. Talking about the Chia seed in Africa, is not comon somebody like me did not now it, at list you could have done us a favour to show us how it look like. anyway dont worry I would soon have my domisilary account in which I can do business with you. Thanks once again.
I would like to try it.
I shall try this seed first I have to find it
it is a marvelous. I like it.
Arora
This chia seed did not do any good for me,i took it for 6 montsand still take it Cholosterol has not come down at all.
I have taken chia for more than a year, I have it with veg juice, cayon pepper and italian herbs. Make it into a mix in a ltr or larger bottle and drink it about 200 mls daily usually about lunch early afternoon. This coupled with a breakfast based on wheat germ, nuts, Psyllium husks, flax seeds and other selected good food stuff AND honey/ginger/apple cider vinegar hot drink. This plus chinese discipline exercises for internal organs and body tensile strenght is how I am fighting high blood pressure, diabeties.
Thanks Christian
Some more good advice.
Regards
John
Good advice about drinking water with it! Chia was cultivated by Aztec and Mays Indians, and has the reputation as a survival type super food. They claimed they could maintain good energy over long trips across desserts etc with a small amouint of CHIA.
I read about Chia seeds almost two years ago and started useing them on Breakfast Cerial, topping for Muffins and by just putting a teaspoon into a glass of water which I would drink every other day after it jellied up. I also take 6grams of Omega 3 Oil daily as well as 6 grams of non acidic Vitamin C, this was advised to me by my GP who is a Chinese doctor who looks at the whole person rather than just the symptom of any heaalth problem. I do get the occasional nose bleed when I have a head cold but I have also had my noe broken seveeral times during my lifetime because as a younger man I used to fight. The nose bleeding isn’t a problem and it usually stops within minutes of starting. I can say without fear of contadiction Chuia seeds are good as far as all that Christian has written and the health benifits are great, they are better than using Psyllium Husks as a fibre boost because psyllium if overused can become abrasive to the intestinal wall !
After you open Chia seeds keep them in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator, it will help stop them going rancid, fresh is best. !