Benefits Of Chia Seeds For Weight Loss (And 8 Other Benefits)

Last updated: November 27, 2019 at 17:29 pm
 

If you are a fan of healthy food then you’ve definitely heard about chia seeds.

And if you are not– now is the right time to get familiar with this food.

Chia seeds are very popular these days, so stay tuned and read carefully this chia seeds for weight loss guide.

But first things first:

What are chia seeds?

Salvia hispanica, commonly known as chia, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala.

Chia seeds are one of the healthiest foods in the world.

There are many benefits of chia seeds.

They are high fiber and high protein food and they are nutritious.

Furthermore, many nutritionists suggest using chia seeds for weight loss as part of a balanced diet.

These seeds are easy to digest, they are full of nutrients, high in Omega-3 fatty acids (20%), proteins, minerals and fibers, and they are an important antioxidant.

 

How many calories are there in chia seeds?

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*Percent Daily Values (PDV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. These values are for information purposes only.

 

How to burn 486 calories?

Swimming: 39 mins

Running: 58 mins

Jogging: 1 h 8 mins

Walking: 2h 6 mins

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Chia seeds for weight loss:

Many of you know about the numerous benefits of chia seeds and they are becoming more and more popular when it comes to weight loss.

These seeds absorb a lot of water right after they reach the stomach making you feel full.

Consuming chia seeds means fast and effective weight loss which is harmless at the same time since these seeds are natural and they contain all the necessary vitamins and nutrients.

Another important thing, you will crave less for unhealthy food.

According to some researchers, chia seeds reduce your appetite and you feel less hungry which, of course, helps you lose weight.

The fibers make you feel full because they absorb a large amount of water and they spread quickly in the stomach after eating.

If you want to get rid of stomach fat layers you should include them in your diet.

But, be careful 100 g of chia seeds have almost 500 calories – don’t exaggerate with them or with any other food when you have chia seeds meals. 

How much chia seeds you should eat per day to lose weight?

3-4 tablespoons a day– that’s the amount of chia seeds most beneficial for your body.

If you eat more than that, your stomach will have a reaction because of the high concentration of fibers.

Eat chia seeds moderately like every other food.

It’s recommended to increase the amount of fluids if you eat this ingredient.

However, if you soak them in water then you shouldn’t increase the intake of fluids.

You can start with 1 tablespoon of seeds a day and then gradually increase the intake.

Chia seeds have a neutral flavor which means you can add them to different kinds of food: stews, porridge, soups, yogurt, salads.

They also have a long expiration date so you don’t need to worry about that.

Try to add these valuable seeds to your diet and you will notice a positive change in your health.

How to eat chia seeds with water?

The best way to make the most of these seeds is to soak them in water and leave them for a while before eating.

You need to soak 1-2 teaspoons of chia seeds in a glass of water and leave them for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

As mentioned above, when you soak chia seeds they can absorb 12 times their volume of fluid and because of that, they are very useful for hydration.

Nevertheless, you need to be careful when you eat fresh chia seeds, not soaked since in that case you take out fluids from your body and it’s important to drink a lot of water.

Furthermore, chia seeds are difficult to swallow and they stick to your teeth.

Chia seeds weight loss recipes:

1. Chia seeds, berries and coconut shake

Ingredients:

300 g of berries

2 tablespoons of chia seeds

2 tablespoons of coconut flour

1 tablespoon of honey

1 greek yogurt

Preparation:

Soak 2 tablespoons of chia seeds in a glass of water and leave them for an hour.

After that mix the seeds with the rest of the ingredients in a blender.

Leave the shake in a fridge to cool for at least an hour.

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2. Pumpkin, chia seeds, and quinoa

Ingredients:

1 cup of quinoa (soaked and cooked)

400 gr of pumpkin

1 yogurt

2 teaspoons of chia seeds

raisins, cinnamon, and carob to taste

Preparation:

Soak the chia seeds in yogurt and leave them for at least half an hour.

Put raisins and carob to the cooked quinoa.

Pour two-thirds of this mixture into a bowl.

Roast the pumpkin, spice it up with cinnamon, squash it with a fork, and then pour it in the quinoa, raisins and carob bowl.

Pour the rest of the quinoa over the pumpkin. In the end, add the chia seeds with yogurt.

Cool it off before serving.

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3. Chia seeds and banana pudding

The best way is to make this pudding and leave it overnight to cool off and then eat it in the morning.

Preparation:

Put 3 tablespoons of chia seeds in 3 dl of almond milk or water.

Add 2 tablespoons of honey, some almonds or hazelnuts.

Mix and then leave it in the fridge.

In the morning chop 1 banana or some other fruit and put it on the top of the pudding.

Bon appetit!

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8 other benefits of chia seeds:

1. They are great for your digestive system

With one portion of chia seeds a day your body will get the necessary amount of fibers.

The fibers found in chia seeds improve the work of the bowels and your digestion overall.

When eating chia seeds a substance very similar to gelatine is created in the stomach.

Thanks to the fibers this gelatine substance works as a probiotic helping the development of probiotic bacteria in the stomach.

2. Source of calcium

Chia seeds have 5 times more calcium than milk, whereas 2 times more potassium than bananas.

This product is irreplaceable for vegetarians.

If you want to enrich your body with calcium, you should try these seeds – your body will fully absorb the calcium from these seeds.

You will no longer have problems with fragile bones, bad nails, and hair.

3. Omega-3 fatty acid

Chia seeds are as high in fatty acids as fish is.

Let’s remind you of these acids: they lower your cholesterol levels, improve your heart, help you fight depression and mood swings.

In addition, fatty acids help your brain and they are great for your skin.

4. They are an energy booster

If you do sport and you like supplements that increase the energy source for more effective training, then you will love these seeds.

They contain the same amount of useful substances like the protein shakes which you drink for gaining more muscles and endurance.

A great ingredient for sportsmen!

5. They regulate the sugar levels

Chia seeds are a natural ingredient that regulates the sugar levels in your blood because they are high in fibers and healthy fats.

Fibers, which are plentiful in these seeds, are necessary for balancing the level of insulin.

According to new research, they successfully prevent diabetes since they contain alfa-linolenic acid and dietary fibers.

Chia seeds prevent metabolic disorders such as the high amount of fats in the blood and insulin resistance.

6. Prevention of heart disease

These precious seeds have an anti-inflammatory effect, they regulate your cholesterol and they lower your blood pressure.

They are used for the prevention of heart attacks.

All these health benefits come from the fact that chia seeds are high in healthy Omega – 3 fatty acids.

7. They increase your muscles

Chia seeds are high in proteins and they are very useful for people who want to increase their muscles, burn fat and balance their sugar levels.

There are some powerful antioxidants in these seeds that can compensate some nutrients you spend during exercising.

They are loaded with essential minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc, iron and niacin.

8. Breast and bowel cancer prevention and aid

Chia seeds contain alfa-linolenic acid, a compound substance of omega 3 fatty acids, which is proved to decrease the breast and bowel cancer cells.

It lowers the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Conclusion

As a high-fiber food chia seeds have many benefits for your body.

Because they are very nutritious you feel full and you avoid overeating which can lead to gaining pounds.

When it comes to weight loss, this is the main benefit of chia seeds.

Taking into consideration that 100g of chia seeds have about 500 calories, eating additional food with a lot of calories may influence your weight negatively.

Eat chia seeds moderately.

Overeating any kind of food may lead to weight problems.

So, chia seeds can be part of a balanced diet, but not a main and only weight-loss food. 

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