Chia Seeds – How Healthy is the Supposed Superfood Really?

If you would like to use chia products, you should pay attention to a few tips.

The essentials in brief:

• Chia is a swelling seed. It mainly provides dietary fiber and plant-based omega-3 fatty acids.
• Chia oil is a source of omega-3 fatty acids. A maximum of 2 grams per day should be eaten. This amount contains no more alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) than one tablespoon of canola oil.
• Advertising claims about chia products that promise to alleviate health problems are not permitted.
• There may be interactions with blood-thinning medication.

What is behind the advertising for Chia?

Chia seeds are hailed as a “superfood”. With their fiber, protein and omega-3 fatty acid content, they are said to put conventional foods in the shade. The seeds are said to promote digestion and regulate blood sugar. They are also said to relieve joint pain and heartburn. In women’s magazines, chia is touted as the supposed secret recipe for healthy skin and a slim figure.

Advertising claims about chia that promise the relief of health problems are not allowed in connection with food. So far, there are no EU-approved health claims for chia products. It is only permitted to advertise with the high fiber content of the seeds, since with 34 grams of fiber per 100 g of seeds they contain more than the required minimum amount of 6 g of fiber per 100 g. The previously recommended maximum daily intake of 15 grams (about 1.5 tablespoons) provides 17 percent of the daily dietary fiber intake of 30 grams and about 70 kcal recommended by the German Society for Nutrition.

Chia seeds often have a high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids. However, these are only available to the body if the seed (as with flaxseed) has been crushed or chewed very well. Capsules, on the other hand, usually contain pure chia oil. 2/3 of this consists of the omega-3 fatty acid α-linolenic acid (ALA). The daily amount for oil is limited to two grams.

Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy and essential in small amounts. The German Society for Nutrition recommends consuming 0.5 percent of daily calories from omega-3 fatty acids, such as ALA. At 2400 kilocalories (kcal), this corresponds to about 1.3 g of ALA contained in one tablespoon of rapeseed oil. An additional intake in the form of capsules is not necessary, even if little or no fish is eaten.

What should I look out for when using Chia products?

• If you do not eat pre-swollen chia seeds, you must drink plenty of water. Otherwise it can lead to a dangerous constipation.
• If you want to take chia capsules, you should pay attention to the manufacturer’s consumption recommendations. The daily amount has been limited by law to 2 g of chia oil per day.
• There is evidence that some people are allergic to chia seeds. Chia belongs to the mint family, as do mint, thyme, rosemary and sage. Anyone who reacts to one of these plants or to mustard should be careful.
• There may be interactions with blood- thinning drugs (warfarin/ Coumadin®, acetylsalicylic acid/ASA/aspirin). Anyone who takes such medication should definitely discuss the use of chia capsules in a medical consultation or in the pharmacy.

What is chia?

Chia is an annual herbaceous summer plant from the mint family. Its botanical name is Salvia hispanica L. The seeds of the plant, which originally comes from Mexico and is planted in many Latin American countries, can be eaten raw or dried or added to drinks. In the USA, Canada and Australia they have been used both whole and ground for a number of years – for example as an ingredient in bread and for the production of oil. Due to their high swelling capacity (binds 25 times the amount of water), they also serve as a basis for vegan pudding or thick smoothies and can be used as an egg or fat substitute when baking.

For the first time in November 2009, the European Commission approved a maximum of 5% chia seeds (ground or whole) for bread and rolls. Chia seeds can now also be used as an ingredient in baked goods and breakfast cereals (up to 10% whole seeds) and ready meals (up to 5%). There are no quantity restrictions for chia seeds in confectionery and mixtures of nuts, fruits and seeds, dairy products and their vegetable variants, ice cream, fruit and vegetable products as well as non-alcoholic beverages and puddings. In addition, chia seeds may be sold as a standalone prepackaged food. Further applications to the EU for approval as a novel food to run. By 2021, the packaging had to state that a daily intake of 15 g of chia seeds must not be exceeded; this has now been repealed.

Since December 2014, cold-pressed chia oil (Salvia hispanica) can also be used as a novel food ingredient in vegetable oils and dietary supplements. There are quantity restrictions for this too: a maximum of 10 percent chia oil in vegetable oils and a maximum of 2 g chia oil per day in food supplements and as pure chia oil.

Which ingredients are contained in chia seeds or oil?

Chia seeds are about 20 percent protein, 30 percent fat, and up to 40 percent carbohydrates. A typical daily amount of 15g (with 70kcal) contains a good 5g of fiber and 2.7g of ALA. Chia oil must contain at least 60 percent alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and 15-20 percent linoleic acid.

Are chia seeds contaminated with harmful substances?

So far, chia seeds have always been imported. There is usually no information about the growing conditions of chia seeds when you buy them. They are definitely not really natural. EFSA draws attention to two important points in its 2005 safety assessment. On the one hand, the seed is treated with plant hormones to synchronize germination. On the other hand, the soil is freed from weeds before sowing with a soil herbicide (trifluralin), which has been banned in Europe since 2007. With chia seeds from organic farming, however, this is prohibited.

Most recently, chia seeds contaminated with carcinogenic mold toxins (aflatoxin) were reported several times in the European Rapid Alert System RASFF.

In May 2021, the Federal Plant Variety Office approved the first German chia variety. It will be some time before there are significant quantities from Germany.

What alternatives to chia seeds are there?

If you prefer food that has not been traveled far, you can use flaxseed, for example, which has a similar composition of the most important nutritional values ​​as chia seeds. The content of fat, unsaturated fatty acids and dietary fiber is about the same, the protein content of flaxseed is even slightly higher. And flaxseeds are easy on the wallet: Chia seeds can be more than three times the price of flaxseeds. However, the flaxseed portion should be limited to 20 grams per day because of frequently increased cadmium levels.