You must be familiar with chia seeds. Perhaps you find it as a mixture and a complement of various cold drinks. Actually, you can add chia seeds to almost any kinds of foods and drinks such as barbecue sauces, rice, cold drinks, etc.
Besides that you can eat them straight, eat the raw seeds, if you like it. It is a small black and the outside of the seeds are surrounded by a clear white color. The seeds are derived from the flower that have been dried and soaked to appear clear white membrane along its sides.
Chia seeds come from one of mint plants species that grow in desert area. It is considered as one of the best foods contains beneficial nutrient which needed by the body. There are two types of chia; white and black chia.
Chia Seed Nutrition Profile
Chia seeds are rich in fiber such as omega—3 fats, protein, vitamin, and minerals. That’s why chia seeds are beneficial for our health.
Below is the nutrition information of chia seeds per one ounce (28 grams):
- 137 calories
- 12.3 grams carbohydrates
- 4.4 grams protein
- 8.6 grams fat
- 10.6 grams fiber
- 0.6 milligram manganese
- 265 milligrams phosphorus
- 177 milligrams calcium
- 1 milligram zinc
- 0.1 milligram copper
- 44.8 milligrams potassium
For additional information, chia seeds also contain essential fatty acids alpha—linolenic and linoleic acid, mucin, strontium vitamins A, vitamin B, vitamin E, minerals, including sulfur, iron, iodine, magnesium, manganese, niacin and thiamine, and antioxidants.
Chia Seeds Benefits for Diabetes Treatment
The nutrition contents of chia seeds is rich in omega-3, protein, carbohydrate, anti-oxidants, potassium, fiber, and etc. These good nutritional content makes chia seeds is good to be consumed and has health benefits of chia seeds for the body. Here are health benefits of chia seeds for diabetes .
- Prevent Metabolic Disorders. One of the metabolic disorders is dyslipidemia. It is elevation of plasmacholesterol, triglycerides, or low HDL cholesterol. Dyslipidemia is ailments that associated with the excessive fat in the blood like saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans fat. The secondary cause of dyslipidemia is diabetes mellitus. Also read about Health Benefits of Almonds for Diabetes
- Insulin Resistance. It is one of the factors in the diabetes development besides metabolic disorders. The rich of alpha-linolenic and fiber in chia seeds can resist the insulin.
- Obesity Prevention. The dietary addition of chia seeds can help to reduce visceral adipose tissue which cause belly become fat. Chia seeds are very beneficial for better metabolism of the body so that it can prevent body from obesity.
- Blood Sugar Control. Good news for people who suffering from diabetes because there is a traditional way to control blood sugar. According to Harvard Health Publication, some research results showed that there is possibility in chia seeds to help diabetic control blood sugar levels. Chia seeds apparently can help increasing blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes.
- Weight Management. Maintaining body weight to keep it ideal is very important for diabetic people. Overweight body will make your blood sugar also increase and that will make your diabetes getting worse. So it is important for you to shed some pounds to help improve blood sugar control. Chia seeds help promoting weight lose because it is high in protein and fiber. Those two substances will help to make you to control hunger so you are feeling full without extra calories intake.Â
- Improves Glucose and Insulin Tolerance. The compounds and substances of chia seeds content nutrition improve antioxidant system of body, improve glucose, and insulin tolerance because of its high antioxidants content.
- Reduce Inflammation. Inflammation is the core or basic of many health conditions including diabetes. The high content of omega 3 and dietary fiber in chia sees is very beneficial for anti-inflammatory.
- High Level of Antioxidants. Antioxidants are very important to fight free radicals in the body and prevent body from any ailments. Chia seeds are full with antioxidants that can protect the sensitive fats in the body.
- Improve Digestive System. The dietary fiber in chia seeds can help improving the regulation of bowel movements. Moreover, it can slow down the digestive system process and make the blood glucose levels stable.
- Reducing the Fat. The fat around the tummy is closely related with diabetes. By consuming chia seeds it can help to reduce the fat.
- Reducing C – Reactive Protein. C-reactive protein is considered as the sign of inflammation that occur in type 2 diabetes.
- Rich in Omega 3 or also known as a-linolenic acid (ALA). This substance cannot be produced within the human body and should be gained through diet. Omega 3 can be found chia seeds.
- Weight Loss. Chia seeds can suppress the appetite and hunger and promote weight loss for diabetic people.
- Diabetes Type-2 Treatment. Research found that when diabetic people consume chia seeds they have greater possibility to recover faster than those who don’t.
- Decrease Systolic Blood Pressure
- Treat Diverticulosis
- Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Treatment
- Reduce the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Diabetes Type 2
There are lots of herbal plants that can prevent or treat diabetes beside chia seeds, you can also use Jackfruit Benefits for Diabetes Prevention and Benefits of Mango Leaves for Diabetes Treatment
Chia Seeds Precautions and Warnings
Despite its various health benefits of chia seeds for diabetes prevention and treatment, chia seeds also some side effects if you take it in large amounts and do not follow the suggested intake of it. Below are some precautions and warning when consuming chia seeds.
- Prostate cancer. There has been an issue that consuming chia seeds are associated with some side effects. One of the effects is on prostate cancer. It is because chia seeds contain lots of alpha-linolenic acid. This compound if been taken in large amounts in the diet might increase the possibility of getting prostate cancer. It is suggested for those who have prostate cancer or have a high risk of getting it to avoid consuming chia seeds in large intake.
- Stomach discomfort. Due to its high content of fiber, sometimes for some people might experience stomach discomfort or stomach upset when consuming chia seeds especially when they are consuming too much.
- High triglycerides. Triglycerides are a type of fat that can be found in blood. Some people have different level of triglycerides. For those who have high triglycerides level in their blood should not eat chia seeds because it can increase triglycerides level. If they still wanted to eat chia seeds, it is better for them to take a particular variety of chia called Salba since it doesn’t have anything to do with increasing triglycerides level.
- Pregnancy and breast-feeding. Although there have not been any evidence yet but for pregnant mothers and mother who breast-feeding their baby should be cautioned that they should only consume chia seeds in a very little amount.
- Swallowing problems. Experts caution for people with history of swallowing problems (a constricted esophagus) should not eat chia seeds in their dry and raw forms. it is because chia seeds are able to absorb water up to 27 times.
Indeed, that’s all health benefits of chia seeds for diabetes, but for better medication please contact your doctor.