What are the harms of Chia seeds and how to use them properly?

What are the harms of Chia seeds and how to use them properly? Welcome to our dear visitors, Chia seeds are a powerhouse of nutrition as they are a great source of fiber, protein, and minerals (including Ca, Mn, Mg, P), and Omega-3.

However, as with everything, Chia seeds can have drawbacks, and you may want to reduce your intake of them due to these side effects of Chia seeds. What are the harms of Chia seeds and how to use them properly? We wish you enjoyable and useful reading!

Nutritional elements of Chia seeds

The demand for these seeds has become extremely high and for good reason; When properly prepared, they are easy to digest, loaded with a host of nutrients, and carry a boost of energy.

In fact, these seeds were known in ancient times as 'runner's food' because runners and warriors used to eat them as fuel for running long distances or when fighting a battle.

Its benefits have been extensively researched and it was found that they include:

Improve the health of your digestive system.

Promote the health of your heart.

Show off energy and metabolism.

It can enhance diabetes treatment.

Before delving into the most important benefits that come from eating them, let's take a look at the nutrients available from their seeds, as they are characterized by:

High in antioxidants.

Rich in vitamins and minerals (including Mg, K, Ca)

It contains 37% dietary fiber.

It contains 20% protein.

High in Omega-3 fats (about 20% Omega-3 ALA).

But these are only the main points, as these seeds also contain vitamins D, H, B, A; Minerals, including S, I, Fe.

It also contains thiamin, niacin, essential fatty acids, alpha-linolenic acid, and linoleic acid.

Benefits of Chia seeds

It is rich in antioxidants, as it helps fight damage to body cells; So, you don't need much to give yourself the full set of benefits.

Just two tablespoons of these seeds contain five grams of the 25-38 grams of the recommended daily fiber. So you don't feel the need to download.

Here are 7 strong reasons to eat Chia seeds:

• Increase your metabolism and lose weight
• Believe it or not, these seeds are one of the most powerful sources of plant protein on the planet.
• This vegetable protein is essential for building muscle, balancing blood sugar and burning fats.
• Not only that, their seeds contain high amounts of zinc.
• It helps the body produce leptin, the hormone that regulates appetite.
• If you are on a fun diet, it can thwart your body's attempt to curb these cravings and manage appetite.
• In addition, studies have shown that when consumed, these seeds reduce visceral adipose tissue (also known as 'belly fat').
• This gives you another great reason to include these seeds in your daily diet.

Promotes heart health

By eating these seeds regularly, you may be less likely to develop atherosclerosis.

This is due to the ability of these seeds to reverse oxidative stress; In addition to.

Higher amounts of Omega-3 (the good fats) in them have been shown to reverse inflammation.

It lowers blood pressure and regulates cholesterol.

Improves digestion

Since they are rich in fiber, one serving of these seeds per day can provide you with the daily recommended amount of fiber.
In fact, the first thing you will notice when you start eating these seeds (the right way) is the 'faecal effect'; fiber (which you can only get from plants) is essential for regulating bowel movements and making healthy stools.
These seeds act as vital substances that help the growth of good bacteria in the gut and clinical studies have shown that they can stimulate satiety, reduce hunger, and suppress that appetite.

Skin and aging

While we all know you can't stop the aging process, you can stop doing the things that speed it up; Research has shown that these seeds are among the foods rich in antioxidants.

This antioxidant is responsible for repairing your skin from daily oxidative stress. So, adding these seeds to your diet can prevent premature aging.

Fight breast and cervical cancer

Another great reason to eat this amazing little seed is its ability to fight cancer.

A study published in 2013 in the Journal of Molecular Biochemistry found that alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), which is found in abundance in these seeds inhibits the growth of cancer cells in cervical and breast cancer.

Stronger bones

Calcium (Ca) is a mineral that you can get in abundance from plant sources.

In fact, one ounce of these seeds will give you 18% of your daily recommended amount of calcium.

It can help treat diabetes

A study shows that these seeds can help prevent metabolic disorders such as dyslipidemia and insulin resistance.

These are two factors linked to the onset of diabetes. This is due to the rich supply of alpha-linolenic acid and the dietary fiber found in it.

How to use Chia seeds properly?

Despite all the health benefits we mentioned above about these seeds.

However, some people do not know how to use it properly in order to avoid any

 potential harm and these correct methods are:

Raw whole seeds

The seeds may be eaten whole without crushing or soaking, but some things need to Be careful.

These seeds, although they contain high levels of beneficial nutrients, tend to Absorb large amounts of water.

As a result, it swells in size, and then a gelatinous substance infiltrates from its crust to surround it as if it is wrapping it; So, take these tips below:

Be careful to eat it in very small quantities, or you can spread the amount throughout the day, and never take it in one time, as this may lead to asphyxiation of the digestive duct.

Be sure to have enough water (a full cup of raw seeds) with it.

This is in order to keep you hydrated and avoid dehydration because it absorbs large amounts of water, as we mentioned.

Although it is allowed to eat these seeds whole and raw.

However, some doctors advise against taking it in that way, especially for those individuals who suffer from swallowing problems.

Therefore, they recommend that you soak it in water or milk until it grows, showing its gel-like substance wrapped around it, and then eating it.

Soaked seeds

Soaked seeds are safer than the aforementioned method, as the water (or any liquid) in which the seeds are soaked enhances the release of these seeds of natural enzyme inhibitors that contribute to their swelling and the appearance of their gel around them.

And when the seeds are enlarged, the ability to benefit from them increases, as following this method leads to the following:

Facilitate digestion of seeds.

Improving the ability of the digestive system to absorb beneficially nutrients from the seeds.

All you have to do is to soak a teaspoon of the seeds in one cup of water and leave them for half an hour to two hours before you start eating them.

Ground seeds

Among the ways that can be used is also to eat these seeds, crushed, as when grinding these seeds, they will be a powder or a fine powder.

Thus, it can be used in many ways in cooking.

This increases the consistency of the soups and drinks that you are adding to them, along with increasing their nutritional value.

Damage to Chia seeds - side effects

Digestive problems

In general, these seeds are good for your digestive system because they contain a lot of fiber. But eating too much may upset your stomach.

Where excessive fiber intake or consumption of concentrated fiber can cause some symptoms such as:

Bloating.

Abdominal pain.

Diarrhea.

Constipation.

Gases.

And if you have Crohn's disease or irritable bowel syndrome, you may want to use extra caution to reduce your intake of Chia seeds, especially during a flare-up.

If you are looking to treat or prevent constipation, start with half a tablespoon and work your way up to a well-tolerated amount that helps with bowel movements.

Try to think twice about drinking fluids because fiber needs to be hydrated so that it can pass easily through the gut.

Low blood pressure/bleeding

These seeds contain a large amount of Omega-3, which are fatty acids that can reduce the risk of some types of cancer or heart problems.

Too much Omega-3 might thin your blood a little, but this is only likely to be a problem if you are already taking blood-thinning medications or have low blood pressure.

The effect on blood sugar

The fiber (found in its seeds) can slow the digestion of food and the absorption of micronutrients, including the sugars (glucose AKA) in the food.

This can encourage subtle increases and decreases in blood sugar when combined with other proteins and fats.

This can usually be a good thing, but if you are taking medication to control the amount of sugar in your blood it is advised that you speak with your doctor before adding these seeds to your next smoothie.

Sensitivity

These seeds belong to the mint family, so anyone with a known allergy to mint, sesame, or mustard seeds should be careful about trying them. Symptoms of a food allergy may include:

Vomiting.

Diarrhea.

Itchy lips or tongue.

Squeamishness.

Possible effects on pregnant women

These seeds are considered safe for pregnancy, especially because (in moderation) they can relieve constipation.

But if you are not used to eating high-fiber foods, you should remember that pregnancy can come with some changes in the digestive system.

Because of this, it is possible that pregnancy is not the best time to start trying Chia juices.

At the end of the article What are the harms of chia seeds and how to use them correctly? It should be noted that in the event that you are concerned about any of these side effects or potential harms, it is advisable to chat with your specialist doctor and start with small steps.

One serving of these seeds is roughly two tablespoons, but if you are not sure how your body is responding to them, it is recommended to start with half a tablespoon or less.