CHIA
Botanical name:
Salvia hispanica L.
Alternative names:
Chia, chían, chian. “Salba” is a branded line, not a second species.
Main indications:
Mesoamerican food seed
soaked seed / atole
fiber and ALA as food
Short characteristics:
Stir the seed into water and it gels. Aztec and other Mesoamerican kitchens used that. It is not Amazonian. Oil is mostly ALA; a lot of the seed is fiber. One small crossover in people already on diabetes treatment moved systolic pressure and hs-CRP versus wheat bran. That is not a license to call chia a diabetes medicine.
Vuksan 2007: n=20, about 37 g/day Salba, 12 weeks. Motyka 2022 is a composition review — ignore “health food” marketing language. This site sells nothing.
The usual way of use:
Soak 1–2 tablespoons; eat the gel. Do not dry-swallow a spoon of seed.
This site sells nothing.
WARNING: Dry seed can choke. Fiber load. ALA is not fish EPA/DHA. Not a weight-loss or diabetes drug.
Composition
About 30% fat (ALA-heavy), about 15–25% protein, high total fiber (mostly insoluble), mucilage.
Traditional use
Mesoamerican food. Not an Amazonian herb.
Precautions
Choking if dry; fiber load; ALA is not EPA/DHA.
Opened studies
Vuksan et al. (2007). Salba chia in a small crossover on diabetes treatment. n=20, 37±4 g/day, 12 weeks. PMID 17686832.
Motyka et al. (2022). Chia composition review. Ignore health-food marketing language. PMID 35208997 · PMC8877361.