SuperFood: Chia Seed

Chia seeds have a high nutritional value, lots of fiber and have a positive effect on health. They are mentioned as superfood everywhere.

What do people with allergies have to consider?

Any food can cause an allergic reaction – including plants, of course. The chia plant belongs to the labiate family, which also includes mint, thyme, rosemary and sage. So if you are allergic to any of these plants, you may be allergic to chia seeds. The same applies to mustard and mustard seeds: If you cannot tolerate them, you should avoid chia seeds.

How healthy are chia seeds? What side effects do they have?

Chia seeds are rich in healthy fiber.

However, some people are sensitive to it or are not used to eating many of them. Then there can be undesirable chia seed side effects such as gas, bloating and abdominal pain. In order to prevent these side effects, those who do not normally consume a lot of fiber should only slowly increase the dose. For people with a sensitive stomach, the daily amount should be divided into several meals. A specialty of the chia seeds is that they can easily absorb several times their own weight in liquid. Therefore, the following applies to the consumption of chia seeds – and a high-fiber diet in general: drink plenty of water! If you do not drink enough fluids, you may suffer from constipation, as this can lead to problems with further transport through the intestine. However, if the chia seeds are consumed with sufficient liquid, they promote digestion. In turn, in people with a sensitive stomach, this could lead to diarrhea and bloating.

Side effects can affect people taking blood-thinning medication. These people should first clarify the consumption of chia seeds with their doctor. The seeds lower blood pressure and act like a natural blood thinner, so when combined with blood-thinning medication, health risks can arise.

If you suffer from low blood pressure – especially older people – you should be careful when eating chia seeds.

Why are chia seeds so healthy?

Chia seeds strengthen the entire body, they:

– strengthen the performance of the brain,

– provide long-lasting energy,

– have a detoxifying effect,

– support digestion,

– fill you up in small quantities thanks to the high nutritional values,

– strengthen the heart and protect against skin aging,

– are helpful for heartburn,

– protect the body from free radicals.