Thoreau Foods Chia Info

Chia seed is an unprocessed, unrefined, nutrient dense living food first cultivated by Native American peoples 500 years ago. Chia was a staple food considered to be sacred and was consumed specifically for greater energy by runners, warriors, and athletes.  Its high percentage of soluble fiber creates a mucilaginous gel that, along with its long chain amylase starch, provide a slow release of carbohydrates into the bloodstream preventing wide swings in blood sugar, suppressing between meal hunger and assisting with weight loss. These qualities are important considerations for diabetics, those trying to manage their weight, performance athletes, and those of us striving to achieve overall good health.

Chia seed is an herbaceous plant in the Salvia family, species Salvia Hispanica, that contains an ideal ratio of proteins, good fats and slow release carbohydrates, 20%, 30% and 40% respectively. In fact, this oilseed contains all the essential amino acids that our bodies require as well as essential minerals including boron and magnesium, both vital to bone health. Similar in some ways to flax seed except it doesn’t need to be ground to use, just add it to recipes and experience superior nutritional benefits.  It has some very interesting properties, such as absorbing up to 12 times its weight in water and forming a gel when soaked. When mixed with other foods and eaten along with lots of water or consumed as a refreshing drink, the highly soluble chia seed is able to assist the body in retaining moisture and in regulating more efficiently its absorption of nutrients and body fluids thereby prolonging hydration. See soaking instructions for the Chia Gel in our recipes section. These numerous positive qualities of the chia seed are important considerations for diabetics, those trying to manage their weight, performance athletes, and those of us striving to achieve overall good health. Early on, we at Thoreau Foods saw the value of the chia seed as a truly functional food and we use it as one of our main ingredients in all our products as well as recipes.

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