Hailing from Mexico, they are the tiny black seeds extracted from the chia plant.
These seeds are full of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. They are excellent for getting your protein levels up, which you will need to build muscle.
But what about the energy-boosting properties that come with carbs?
Can you get plenty of carbs from chia seeds? Will these seeds give you the energy boost that you need for your training?
What is the best method of ingesting chia seeds for optimum carb intake? Well, if you want to know the answers to these questions and more, then we would suggest that you keep reading.
Chia Seeds – The Basics
Chia seeds are full of fiber, which means that they can be easily digested and they are also very good for the intestinal tract.
They also come very high in antioxidants, which are great for helping the body fight off illnesses. It can also help you reduce heart disease and diabetes.
These seeds can usually be identified by their fat and black shape. They are very small and you might find that they get wedged in the gap of your teeth after you have eaten them.
These seeds are very versatile and they can be used in many different baked goods. You can also sprinkle them in your porridge every morning and they will give you a fairly decent protein boost.
They also have a great ability to absorb any excess liquid, so you can use them in gels and pastes.
This is a great substitute for eggs, as they can be used as a very effective binding agent.
Nutritional Content Of Chia Seeds
When it comes to nutrition, chia seeds are very good for you, giving you everything that you need for a balanced diet.
28 grams of chia seeds contain around 138 calories, which means they are a great snack if you need to fill your stomach quickly.
Around 46% of a chia seed is made up of carbs, so they are a great source of energy for you.
83% of these carbs can be found in fiber. They also contain 34% fat and 19% protein. They have only 6% water.
Here are the stats for 100 grams of chia seeds:
Calories: 486
Water: 6%
Protein: 16.5 grams
Carbs: 42.1 grams
Sugar: 0 grams
Fiber: 34.4 grams
Fat: 30.7 grams
One of the better things about chia seeds is that they contain zero gluten, which makes them great for anyone who is gluten intolerant.
Now that we’ve looked at some of the basics when it comes to chia seeds and the nutrition that they contain, let’s have a look at the carb content more in-depth.
Chia Seeds And Carbs
As we have seen, there are a lot of carbs in chia seeds, in fact, they are made up primarily of carbs.
However, the form that these carbs take is fiber, containing 11 grams of fiber per 28 grams of chia seeds.
This makes up a large portion of the Reference Daily Intake for both women and men. Men need around 38 grams of fiber, whereas women need only 25 grams.
Chia seeds also ferment in the gut, which will prevent the formation of short-chain fatty acids.
This will also improve the general condition of your colon, which is very important for preventing things like colon cancer.
Chia Seed And Fats
If you are looking to incorporate omega-3 fatty acids into your diet, then introducing chia seeds is a great way to do this, as it contains a lot of this.
If you are looking to maintain a healthy heart, then increasing the level of chia seeds in your diet is definitely the way to go.
75% of the fats that you’ll find in chia seeds are omega-3, while 20% are omega-6 fatty acids.
When it comes to getting omegas into your diet, chia seeds are one of the best non-animal sources.
They are even richer in omega-3 and omega-6 than flaxseed.
Omega-3 and omega-6 are also great methods of reducing inflammation.
If you have swelling around the knee and elbow joints, then one method of rectifying this is by increasing the intake of chia seeds.
Overall, introducing chia seeds into your diet is a great method of reducing heart disease, cancer and inflammatory illnesses such as arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
However, chia seeds do not rival the amount of healthy omega-3 or omega-6 oils that you might find in fish. We would only recommend chia seeds as a substitute for fish if you are a strict vegetarian or vegan.
Chia Seeds And Protein
If you want to lose weight or build muscle, then it can’t hurt to add chia seeds to your diet.
These seeds come with less protein than other seeds, but they are much higher in protein than grains and most mainstream cereals.
These seeds also come with essential amino acids that will help with the production of muscle and muscle tissue.
If you are looking to lose weight, then chia seeds are also a great addition to your diet, as they will help to reduce your appetite, which will stop you from snacking on a regular basis.
What Vitamins And Minerals Do Chia Seeds Contain?
There are many minerals that you can find in chia seeds, although they are not really known for their high vitamin count. Here are a few micro-nutrients that you can find in chia seeds:
Copper – this is a very important mineral for maintaining a healthy heart.
Phosphorus – this is great for maintaining a great bone health and muscle tissue growth.
Manganese – this is the perfect mineral for metabolism and development.
Iron – this will help your body to transport oxygen. However, chia seeds might not be great for helping this process.
Calcium – this is a very important mineral, forming the building blocks of bones, muscle and nerve tissue.
Conclusion
We hope that our guide to the carb content of chia seeds has helped you decide whether or not you want this seed in your diet.
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