The Good and the Bad of This Famous Superfood
Even if you've never eaten chia seeds before, you've likely heard of all the health benefits they bring, from being an excellent source of protein and fiber to helping lower cholesterol and heart disease. And yet, even with all the pros, there are downsides to consider before adding this superfood into your diet. Here are 10 benefits of chia seeds—and 10 potentially dangerous side effects.
1. Good Source of Fiber
Chia seeds are a great source of fiber, which helps keep your digestive tract functioning properly and keeps you feeling full for longer. Remember to soak the seeds in a liquid, such as water or yogurt, and consume them once they have expanded into a gel-like consistency.
2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Chia seeds are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, a type of heart-healthy fat that you can only get through diet. They offer numerous benefits, but one in particular is lowering your triglyceride levels, which may reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, some forms of cancer, and even cognitive decline.
3. Complete Protein
Looking for protein? You'll find it in chia seeds, too. In fact, chia seeds are a complete protein, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids that our body can't produce on its own and must obtain from food. We need these amino acids to build and repair muscle, and allow our body to function the way it's supposed to.
4. Antioxidants
Chia seeds are also packed with antioxidants, which protect your cells from harmful free radicals—unstable molecules that have been linked to premature aging and may increase your risk of developing disease, like cancer. Specifically, chia seeds contain antioxidants and polyphenols like chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol, which could help protect your heart and liver.
5. May Support Weight Loss
Because chia seeds are an excellent source of fiber and protein, they keep you satiated for longer periods and may support weight loss. As your body needs time (and energy) to break down these macronutrients, you might experience fewer cravings and eat less overall.
6. May Lower Cholesterol & Risk of Heart Disease
Chia seeds are chock-full of soluble fiber, and this is the kind of roughage you need to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol in your blood; soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance that can bind and trap unhealthy fats in the intestines and push them out of the body. In turn, this may lower your risk of heart disease.
7. May Reduce Blood Sugar Levels
The high-fiber content that makes up chia seeds may also help reduce glucose levels, since digestion is slowed, and can prevent blood sugar spikes post-meal. One study from 2013 concluded exactly that: eating bread that contained chia seeds helped lower after-meal glucose spikes among healthy adults, compared with eating bread without chia seeds.
8. May Strengthen Bones
Chia seeds also contain ample nutrients that are beneficial for bone health, like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. These minerals—along with the healthy fats that make up chia seeds—help maintain good bone density, which keeps them strong and healthy.
9. May Protect Against Colorectal Cancer
Research has consistently shown that a high-fiber diet is associated with a reduced risk of developing colorectal cancer. Given that chia seeds provide a lot of this essential macronutrient, they help support a healthy gut microbiome and may prevent disease.
10. Easy to Incorporate Into Diet
The best of all? It's easy to incorporate chia seeds into your diet. You can add it to your water, oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies, or even sprinkle it over rice. Just make sure to soak them beforehand and consume once they've fully expanded.
But chia seeds aren't without some potential hazards as well, and you should still exercise caution, especially if you're sensitive to many foods. Here are 10 side effects of eating chia seeds that you may want to consider before starting.
1. Choking Hazard
Chia seeds need to be soaked before they're consumed, and not doing so may cause choking. These seeds expand in liquid, and can absorb up to 27 times their weight in water. If you eat them dry, they may get stuck in your throat or draw a significant amount of water from your body and cause dehydration.
2. Allergies
While rare, some people may experience an allergic reaction when eating chia seeds. Symptoms in the few cases that have been reported include dizziness, swelling of the face, and eczema on the hands. You may also be more susceptible if you have a sensitivity to sesame, as these allergies may be related.
3. Medication Interactions
Chia seeds may interfere with or enhance the effects of certain medications, which may be dangerous. If you're taking diabetes, blood pressure, or blood-thinning medications, make sure to talk to your doctor before you add chia seeds to your diet.
4. Interference with Nutrient Absorption
Chia seeds may also interfere with nutrient absorption. For all the benefits that their naturally high-fiber make-up brings, this gel-like soluble fiber—which helps trap unhealthy fats—may also prevent the body from absorbing important minerals, like calcium, zinc, and iron.
5. Risk of Prostate Cancer
While the research on the topic isn't clear enough to be conclusive, chia seeds may play a role in either increasing or decreasing your risk of prostate cancer. Because these seeds contain a significant amount of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), experts need to do further testing to see whether ALA is helpful or harmful for prostate cancer.
6. Kidney Problems
Those with chronic kidney disease should be careful with how much chia seeds they consume. Potassium and phosphorus are both nutrients that are ample in these seeds—115 mg and 244 mg, respectively, in a 2.5-tablespoon serving—and must be closely monitored in individuals with kidney disease to ensure they don't exceed the daily intake limit.
7. Digestive Issues
Because of their high-fiber content, chia seeds may cause digestive issues, like gas, bloating, and abdominal pain. Consume too much and you might experience diarrhea or constipation. If you're adding chia seeds to your diet for the first time, start off small, then gradually increase your intake. Remember to also keep well-hydrated.
8. Blockage
If you consume chia seeds dry or without adequate water, they may draw water from your body, clump up, and form a blockage. This blockage may happen either in the esophagus or in the intestines, which is why it's crucial to pre-soak these seeds before eating.
9. Delay Blood Clotting
While the high omega-3 fatty acid content in chia seeds offers many benefits, these healthy fats may also thin your blood and delay clotting. If you're taking anticoagulants or blood thinners, eating chia seeds may enhance the effect, leading to excessive bleeding or bruising.
10. Unintentional Weight Gain
If you overconsume chia seeds without adjusting your overall diet, you may actually experience weight gain rather than weight loss. Chia seeds, after all, may be nutrient-dense, but they're also relatively high in calories; a 28-gram serving contains 138 calories. Bloating may also temporarily raise numbers on the scale.
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