CHIA SEEDS have been around for hundreds of years – they are the highest vegetarian source of Omega 3.
I have written about chia before, quite a few years back, but the big news is now we can source them from an Irish company, based
in Tramore, Co Waterford.
The company began when founder Barrie Rogers suffered a back injury while in America. His pain was so extreme he couldn't face the journey home and was recommended chia seeds as a means of lowering the inflammation.
Within a few days of taking the seeds the pain had disappeared.
On returning home Barrie wanted to introduce these amazing seeds to a local market. The company was born in 2009 and began by marketing a range of chia seeds, on their own or blended with other health goodies like blueberries and cranberries.
Sadly, chia cannot grow in Europe, it is native to Mexico and Central America and we fall very short in meeting the warm, bright sunshine the plant needs to develop.
Chia seeds are either black or white when ripe, brown seeds are immature and do not have the desirably high levels of Omega 3 needed to improve health.
In September this year, Chia Bia launched Europe's first plant-based Omega 3 chia oil, only the second company in the world to introduce this sustainable and vegan Omega 3 oil capsule. We cannot make Omega 3 oils in our body but it is an essential component of every single cell membrane.
We also need Omega 3 to make all of our hormones, particularly those that regulate blood clotting, contraction and relaxation of the artery walls, which is why Omega 3 is so important for maintaining heart health.
It also helps to reduce inflammation so it is helpful in conditions like arthritis, joint pain, lupus, MS, skin conditions like eczema and may have a protective effect against cancer.
One other advantage of chia oil is that it gives consumers another vegetarian oil option, as some find flax seed oil too stimulating to the bowel.
The oil is tasteless so there is no unpleasant after taste or burping that drives some to taking fish oil at night.
Chia Bia is hydro phallic, meaning that the seeds can absorb up to 10 times their weight in water, making them an excellent food thickener, as it is gluten free, this can benefit those who are sensitive.
In the stomach this also helps as they can absorb excess acid, reducing heart-burn and indigestion.
Chia is very high in fibre, both soluble and insoluble, providing 5g in every two tablespoons. This extra fibre speeds up the excretion of waste and toxins from the body.
Many who suffer from IBS find chia seeds very helpful in easing their symptoms and may help on a longer term basis to establish good bowel health.
Brain function is also helped by Omega 3. People who add chia to their diets have reported noticing better memory and as rates of Alzheimer's disease worldwide increases, it has never been more important to make sure you have enough 'brain food' in your diet.
When Chia seeds are mixed with water they form a gel that provides a physical barrier and slows down the conversion of carbohydrates into sugars helping to diminish sugar peaks and troughs.
This is particularly useful to people who suffer type 2 diabetes as it provides a natural way of controlling their blood sugar levels.
Adding chia to your porridge then, is the perfect food for checking sugars and keeping you fuller for longer, helping too in the quest to lose weight.
Chia's soft shell means that the seeds don't need to be ground down like flax. Our bodies cannot break down flax's hard shell so it needs to be physically ground before eating.
This isn't the case with Chia as you can eat chia seeds whole and our bodies can readily absorb its nutrients. The whole seeds have an amazing long shelf life and don't easily oxidize.
Chia was used by the Aztecs as an energy food, in fact it was known as 'Indian running food' – it not only provides extra energy but because of its hydro phallic properties can keep you hydrated for longer.
Side effects of chia include, increased fingernail growth and shinier, softer hair.
I have taken the oil for a few weeks and I think my creaky knees are not just so noisy and my hair condition is definitely improved.
Chia has more antioxidants than blueberries, more Omega 3 than salmon, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach and more potassium than bananas.
Give it a try, not much to lose really. Small packs of seeds retail at about £4.99, the oil is £14.99 for 90 capsules, available in some pharmacies and health shops or on www.chiabia.com.
