Remember Chia pets? The pottery that grows? Until recently, and perhaps thanks to this marketing phenomenon, chia seeds weren’t thought of as something edible. But these little seeds pack a lot of health benefits!
What are the health benefits of chia seeds?
Chia seeds are primarily valuable thanks to their essential fatty acid (EFA) content. There are only a few healthy foods that supply omega-3s in our diet. A member of the sage family, chia seeds are one of the best natural sources of omega-3: the gray-black seeds are of higher nutritional quality than the golden variety.
There are actually two EFAs we must obtain from our diet: omega-3s and omega-6s. Omega-6s are easily supplied in our diet; however, omega-3s have been more of a challenge. Chia seeds give us both in one package.