Taste of Mexico: Chía seeds

What precisely are chia seeds?

A chaotic chía plant. (Epic Gardening)

Chia is an herbaceous works autochthonal to confederate Mexico and bluish Guatemala, belonging to the aforesaid household arsenic mint and lavender. We cognize that its domestication began astir 6,000 years ago. Unlike today, for pre-Columbian cultures, chia wasn’t conscionable a dietary supplement — it was 1 of the astir important foods.

From Mesoamerica to the world

According to dictionaries, the connection “chía” comes from Nahuatl and means “seed from which lipid is extracted.” It is believed to deduce from the Mayan connection “chiháan,” meaning “strong” oregon “strengthener,” owed to its almighty properties.

Chia is thought to person ranked 3rd successful value among crops, surpassed lone by maize and beans. In Tenochtitlán, the pre-Columbian mentation of Mexico City, betwixt 5,000 and 15,000 tons of chia were received arsenic tribute from conquered peoples. Chia was adjacent utilized arsenic currency successful tributes and commercialized transactions.

Beyond being a staple food, chia was utilized successful assorted ways. It was crushed into flour to hole antithetic dishes and was besides utilized to marque a portion called cinapinolli, which mixed chia pulverization with water. The seeds were besides offered to the gods — replanted arsenic a ineffable enactment to bless aboriginal harvests — and chia lipid was extracted for usage successful assemblage overgarment and pottery decorations.

Chia flour had an incredibly agelong support life, making it an perfect nutrient root during droughts and agelong expeditions. It was said that a idiosyncratic sustained by a tiny pouch of crushed chia could tally from the Colorado River to the Pacific Ocean — oregon pursuit down prey until it collapsed from exhaustion. I find that hard to believe, but possibly immoderate of our marathoner friends tin effort it retired and archer america if they consciousness much energized!

A rediscovered treasure

During the assemblage era, chia astir disappeared due to the fact that its cultivation was associated with indigenous “pagan” rituals, and the Spanish replaced it with different cereals. However, immoderate distant communities continued increasing it, allowing it to past to this time — though without the aforesaid value it erstwhile held successful pre-Columbian cultures.

Chía was often utilized by Indigenous Mexicans arsenic portion of their rituals. (Mexicolore)

Today, the world’s largest user of chia is the United States. Interest successful chia grew successful the 1990s erstwhile wellness nutrient brands began selling it for its expected weight-loss benefits. But arsenic idiosyncratic who has been drinking citrus h2o with chia since childhood, I tin confidently accidental — without immoderate proof, but besides without immoderate doubts — that I haven’t mislaid a azygous gram due to the fact that of chia.

That said, it is 1 of the astir nutritionally implicit foods you tin eat. Per 100 grams, chia seeds contain:

• 21 grams of high-quality protein

• 24 grams of unsaturated fatty acids (omega-3s)

• 34 grams of fibre (121% of the recommended regular intake!)

• High levels of calcium (606 mg) and magnesium (306 mg)

• Five times much potassium than a banana — possibly explaining wherefore it was fashionable among Mesoamerican runners.

Benefits

Recent studies corroborate that chia is an fantabulous state for cardiovascular wellness and reducing inflammation. It promotes bully digestion and contributes to an unparalleled gut wellness experience. Due to its precocious fibre content, it helps support a feeling of fullness longer and improves hydration efficiency.

(Joanna Kosinska/Unsplash)

And astir importantly, indigenous cognition was close — chia is 1 of the champion foods for athletes, arsenic it immunodeficiency successful musculus repair and growth.

Warnings

Chia absorbs 10 times its value successful water, truthful my proposal is to soak it archetypal successful immoderate liquid — water, milk, oregon juice. Like astir Mexicans, you tin portion it successful agua de limón con chía. You tin besides adhd it to smoothies and juices. Those with a saccharine bony tin besides effort chía jam!

You tin devour it earthy by sprinkling it implicit salads oregon fruit, but beryllium cautious not to overdo it—remember, it absorbs liquid! Speaking from experience, it tin beryllium rather uncomfortable erstwhile those small seeds grow wrong you.

You tin besides marque chia flour. Just blend oregon process it into a good pulverization and usage it arsenic a substitute for breading oregon baking breads and cakes.

The possibilities with chia are endless — conscionable don’t spell overboard, similar immoderate young women I’ve seen connected societal media who person ended up successful a infirmary furniture with a “chia baby” successful their stomachs.

If you’re a high-performance athlete, person you incorporated chia into your diet? How has it benefited you? Let america know!

María Meléndez is a Mexico City nutrient blogger and influencer.