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Tiny Seed With a Powerful Health Punch

Valued for its prolific sprout-ability, chia may actually be a diabetes superfood.

By Rebecca Abma

Surprising fact number-one: The hair that sprouts on the cultishly famous Chia Pets comes from an ancient grain whose Latin name is Salvia hispanica. Surprising fact number-two: Eating the seeds that are packed onto those clay figurines may help with blood sugar control, reduce insulin resistance, and improve cardiovascular risk factors for people with type 2 diabetes.

Used as both food and medicine by the Aztecs and Mayans, chia is rich in the omega-3 oil known as alpha linolenic acid. In fact, the word chia means oily. The seeds are also an excellent source of fiber, with 10 grams per ounce, and they contain protein, calcium, antioxidants, and other nutrients. Chia is available in health food stores as seeds, oil, or oil capsules. It’s sold under the names of chia, Salvia hispanica, or Salba®, a brand name.

In one small study published in the November 2007 edition of Diabetes Care, Canadian researchers found that chia seeds reduce cardiovascular risk factors while maintaining glycemic control and cholesterol levels in people with well-controlled type 2 diabetes. Twenty patients were randomly assigned to receive 37g a day (about 2 1/2 tablespoons) of either Salba® or wheat bran. After 12 weeks, Salba® lowered A1C levels, blood pressure levels, and other markers of heart disease risk decreased as well.

Another report, published in the May 2008 British Journal of Nutrition, found chia seeds may help reduce insulin resistance, decrease abdominal fat, and lower triglycerides. Researchers in Argentina performed experiments using rats — to find out if chia could prevent and/or reverse the onset of cholesterol problems and insulin resistance.

In the first study, rats were fed a high-sugar diet with chia seeds as the main source of fat for three weeks. In the second study, the rats were fed a high-sugar diet for three months and then chia seeds were added to the diet of half of the subjects for two more months. At the end of the experiments, researchers concluded that chia not only prevented the onset on dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels) and insulin resistance, it helped to reverse the conditions as well. What's more, chia appeared to help decrease abdominal fat, a risk factor for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Although the research is scant — what is needed is a large, randomized trial to determine if, in fact, chia is an effective treatment for people with diabetes — the way chia may work its magic on after-meal blood sugar and insulin levels could have to do with "the viscosity of soluble fiber," explains Laura Shane-McWhorter, a professor of pharmacotherapy at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. In other words, the fiber in chia is gelatinous and coats the intestines in a way that affects the absorption of carbohydrates into the body. "While there are no known contraindications for taking chia with insulin or other medications, you should talk to your doctor before adding any dietary supplements to your diabetes treatment plan."

Adding chia to your diet

There's no reason not to incorporate these healthy seeds into your diet. Chia seeds look like a cross between sesame and poppy seeds and have almost no flavor. When mixed with liquid, they turn into a gel that can be used in smoothies or mixed into casseroles and other dishes. To make chia gel, Gloria Hoover, author of Cooking With Chia (Geomantha, 2007), recommends mixing one ounce of chia seeds into eight ounces of water in a sealable plastic or glass container. Stir with a fork or wire whisk, let sit for a 10 minutes, then stir again. The gel can be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

The seeds can also be toasted, which stops the gelling process, and can be used in baking or sprinkled on salads or yogurt. Hoover recommends toasting the seeds in a small skillet over high heat for two minutes. Store in an airtight container. Chia also is sold in oil form at health food stores, which can be used on salads or as a dietary supplement. Since it's high in omega-3 fatty acids, chia oil will oxidize when heated, so it should not be cooked or used in baking.

And, of course, chia can also be sprouted and eaten. Since it turns into a gel when mixed with liquid, it can only be sprouted on clay, such as a Chia Pet. However, Chia Pets are not FDA-approved as a food, so you might prefer to sprout seeds from the health food store. If you take insulin or any diabetes medication, be sure to carefully test your blood sugar as you begin adding chia to your diet. It could affect your blood glucose levels and require an adjustment in your prescription.

Check out these recipes using chia seeds!

Chia Breakfast Smoothie -- made with cereal, yogurt, and banana
Chia Quinoa Salad -- a tabouleh-like salad with green onions and lemon.
Salmon Cakes -- baked simply with an extra health punch.
Skillet Squash -- squash and cheddar cheese melty goodness!

SOURCES:

1 - Chicco, Adriana G., Maria E. D'Alessandro, Gustavo J. Hein, Maria E. Oliva and Yolanda B. Lombardo. 2008. Dietary chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) rich in α-linolenic acid improves adiposity and normalises hypertriacylglycerolaemia and insulin resistance in dyslipaemic rats. British Journal of Nutrition. Published online by Cambridge University Press 20 May 2008 doi:10.1017/S000711450899053X. http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?aid=1883068 (Accessed Aug. 26, 2008)
2 - Hoover, Gloria J. 2008. Chia For Health. Bonnie Lake/Buckley, Wash.: Geomantha.

3 - Hoover, Gloria. 2007. Cooking with Chia. Bonnie Lake/Buckley, Wash.: Geomantha.

4 - Laura Shane-McWhorter, e-mail message to author, Sept. 11, 2008.

5 - Shane-McWhorter, Laura. 2008. Dietary Supplements for Diabetes: The Intriguing Intricacies. Presented at the American Association for Diabetes Educators 35th Annual Meeting and Exhibition, Aug. 7, 2008 in Washington, DC.

6 - USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ (Accessed Sept. 16, 2008.)

7 - Vuksan, Vladimir, Dana Whitham, John L. Sievenpiper, Alexandra L. Jenkins, Alexander L. Rogovik, Richard P. Bazinet, Edward Vidgen, and Amir Hanna. 2007. Supplementation of Conventional Therapy With the Novel Grain Salba (Salvia hispanica L.) Improves Major and Emerging Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetes: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Care. 30(11):2804-10. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/30/11/2804 (Accessed Aug. 26, 2008)

Reviewed by Susan Weiner, R.D., M.S., C.D.E., C.D.N. 10/08