Survival of the Fittest

[Chia seeds: delicious, nutritious and itty bitty.]

I had intended to write this post at 9 a.m., when I arrived home in a particularly good mood after a long walk with my dog, Zoey.

[She may not be pretty, but she’s got a great personality.]

It was already 68 degrees in Philly (6 hours later, it’s now 78 — no complaints from this former Midwesterner), and I’d taken a detour past my favorite sign in the city, pictured below. (For Philly natives, it’s on the back side — pun totally intended — of the Free Library on 7th and Carpenter.)

[Why is “poop” in quotation marks?! What does it really mean?]

After deciding it was a banana vanilla Wallaby yogurt kind of morning, I took it a step further and decided to add two tablespoons of the chia seeds I’d received in the mail the other day.

Chia as in Ch-ch-ch-chia Pets? Yes, the very same.

Turns out chia seeds are high in soluble fiber (7 grams per 2 tablespoons), calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, niacin and zinc. They contain powerful antioxidants (chlorogenic and caffeic acids, myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol flavonols). Plus, they’re a good source of protein and higher in omega-3 fatty acids — which protect against inflammation and heart disease — than any other plant source (higher even than flaxseed). To boot, they’re gluten free and have very little sodium.

I heard about chia seeds through two of my favorite fitness bloggers, Crabby McSlacker at Cranky Fitness and MizFit of MizFit Online. More specifically, when MizFit wrote this guest post on the topic back in March, I was convinced enough to place my order same day.

I did some further digging, and wouldn’tchia (<it’s like taking candy from a baby) know it, it’s looking like chia is poised to be the next superfood.

Mehmet Oz, MD, was on Oprah speaking to the benefits of chia (see the clip here), and Andrew Weil, MD, wrote an article in Prevention magazine called “Chia Seeds Are Good for the Heart.” There are even books extolling the virtues of the chia seed — take The Magic of Chia: Revival of an Ancient Wonder Food by James Scheer, and Chia: Rediscovering A Forgotten Crop Of The Aztecs by Ricardo Ayerza Jr. and Wayne Coates. And — I can’t resist this little plug — Experience Life featured these Omega3 Chia Energy bars in the May issue.

Now for a few disclaimers. I’m in Mark Sisson’s camp when it comes to so-called “miracle foods.” (Click here to see his assessment of goji berries.) As with the goji, chia seeds are probably not a solution to all of your health problems. They are just really good for you, is all. And adding something to your diet that isn’t processed to the hilt and full of additives — that is, on the other hand, packed with nutrients? To me, that seems like good sense, but probably not a miracle. Or maybe it is a miracle that we, collectively, seem to be starting to have better sense about what we put in our mouths. Your call.

My other disclaimer is that while the taste of chia seeds was completely inoffensive — in fact, I really liked the nutty crunch they added to my yogurt — when I got distracted for a bit and then came back to my dish, I discovered a slippery, gelatinous coating around the seeds. Also not offensive, but definitely something to be prepared for.

According to the article “Chia Seeds: The Ancient Food of the Future” at www.living-foods.com, “This gel-forming reaction is due to the soluble fiber in the chia. Research[ers] believe this same gel-forming phenomenon takes place in the stomach when food containing these gummy fibers, known as mucilages, are eaten. The gel that is formed in the stomach creates a physical barrier between carbohydrates and the digestive enzymes that break them down, thus slowing the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar. In addition to the obvious benefits for diabetics, this slowing in the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar offers the ability for creating endurance. Carbohydrates are the fuel for energy in our bodies. Prolonging their conversion into sugar stabilizes metabolic changes, diminishing the surges of highs and lows [and] creating a longer duration in their fueling effects.”

Think of it as all-natural Gu, I guess.