Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.), a nutraceutical with great benefits

Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.), a nutraceutical with great benefits.

My article (memory) on flax seeds appeared yesterday made many to compare it with Chia seeds which is another imp. nutraceutical, introduced recently, with great health benefits. 

Chia seeds also are a richer source of omaega fatty acids (in fact it is slightly richer). 

The main difference is chia is rich in useful polyphenols like flavonoids whereas flax seed has lignans (C6-C3-C3-C6polyphenols).

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is an annual plant of the Lamiaceae family. 

It is native to Central America and cultivated in several countries nowadays.

 The seeds are oval of 2 mm in length and 1 mm in width.

 Seed surface is smooth, shiny, ranging in colour from white through grey to brown, with irregularly arranged black spots. When submerged in water, chia seeds form a mucilaginous gel that remains firmly attached to their shells.

Chia contains about 35% oil, characterised by high contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids, mainly α-linolenic acid (ALA), which accounts for approximately 60% all fatty acids. Linoleic (20%), oleic and palmitic acids are found in lower amounts.

 It has an advantageous ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 acids, which is approximately 0.3:0.35. Protein amounts to about 20% with all essential amino acids.

 It needs to be stressed that chia seeds are gluten-free and as such may be consumed by celiac patients. 

Chia seeds are also a rich source of particularly interesting groups of polyphenolscharacterised by high biological activity. 

These are (up to 0.2%): gallic, caffeic, chlorogenic, cinnamic and ferulic acids, quercetin, kaempferol, epicatechin, rutin, apigenin and p-coumaric acid. Isoflavones, such as daidzein, glycitein, genistein and genistin, are found in small amounts.

Chia seeds contain approximately 30–34 g dietary fibre, of which the insoluble fraction (IDF) accounts for approximately 85–93%, while soluble dietary fibre (SDF) is approximately 7–15%. 

The mucilage is an arabinogalactan.

Vitamins present are mainly vitamin B1 (0.6 mg/100 g), vitamin B2 (0.2 mg/100 g) and niacin (8.8 mg/100 g).

 It is a good source of tocopherols: α-tocopherol (8 mg/kg of lipids), γ-tocopherol (422 mg/kg of lipids) and δ-tocopherol (15 mg/kg of lipids).

Moreover, chia seeds supply many minerals, with phosphorus (860–919 mg/100 g), calcium (456–631 mg/100 g), potassium (407–726 mg/100g) and magnesium (335–449 mg/100 g) found in greatest amounts.

 The triterpenoids (steroids) present are campesterol (472 mg/kg of lipids), stigmasterol (1248 mg/kg of lipids), β-sitosterol (2057 mg/kg of lipids) and Δ5-avenasterol.

Pharmacological properties

Chia seeds are good for heart, hypertension, diabetes, kidney, digestive tract etc. 

The important medicinal properties are as follows.

1. Lipid-lowering,hypoglycaemic:

Prevention of metabolic diseases by lowering TGs, TC, LDL, and VLDL and increasing HDL (by inhibiting 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase), blocking the mevalonate metabolic pathway, lowering ALT and ASP, improving liver function, and improving postprandial glucose levels

2. Hypotensive

Prevention of arterial hypertension by loweringsystolic blood pressure

3.Weight reducing

Preventing overweight and obesity by inhibiting adipogenesis and reducing the level of PPAR- protein

4. Improving the function of the digestive tract

Prevention of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and intestinal dysbiosis by improving the absorption of nutrients (especially Fe and Zn), intensifying fermentation processes in the intestines, and increasing the production of short-chain fatty acids by intestinal bacteria, surface of intestinal villi, proliferation of enterocytes, and increase of beneficial intestinal bacteria, mainly Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in the cecum.

5. Neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory

Prevention of neurodegenerative diseases by protective effect on microglial cells (HMC3) and reducing levels of inflammatory mediators (TNF-_, IL-6, NO, and H2O2) and ROS.

6. Preventing kidney stones

Prevention of kidney stones by lowering the levels of creatinine, urea, and uric acid in the blood serum, inhibition of the initial stages of CaOx crystal formation, including nucleation, aggregation, and growth phases

7. Hepatoprotective

Preventing liver disease by reducing the amount of intrahepatic fat, lipid deposition in hepatocytes, and increasing in plasma activity of antioxidant enzymes: catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione (GSH)

8. Antioxidant properties

Preventing inflammation by reducing the level of CRP and inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-_nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide, interleukin-

6), antiradical activity, and the ability to inhibit lipoxygenase-5 and cyclooxygenases 1 and 2.

How to use Chia

Currently, chia seeds are consumed as ingredients or additions to many foodstuffs: baked products, muesli, dairy drinks, fruit smoothies or salads. They are also used as thickeners in soups and sauces.

 Chia seeds are used in the food industry in the form of whole seeds, ground seeds, seed flour, or seed oil 

 They can be added to various food products, such as juices, yogurts, cakes, cookies, bread, pasta, ice cream, desserts, breakfast cereals, and even sausages and hams. 

Chia seed oil is also available on the market and is recommended as an additive for sandwiches, salads, cottage cheese, and spreads.

Caution

The US dietary guidelines published in 2000 recommend that chia seeds can be consumed at an amount not exceeding 48 g/day .

Reference:

Sara Motyka, Katarzyna Koc , Halina Ekiert , Eliza Blicharska ,, Katarzyna Czarnek and Agnieszka Szopa (2022) The Current State of Knowledge on Salvia hispanica and Salviae hispanicae semen (Chia Seeds), Molecules, 27, 1207. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27041207

Mammen Daniel