CHIA IS BACK

Chia is back

Sometimes ‘what’s old is new again’. Such is the case with salba – a variety of ancient plant species belonging to the mint family called Chia, as in the Chia Pet. Like all good things that are fashionable, salba is actually a new twist on an old food. It was a staple in the diet of the Aztecs and now, after 500 years, it is making a huge comeback.

Move over flax, there’s a new player in town

The Chia plant produces two different coloured seeds: black and white. Salba is the result of selecting out and only using the white seeds, which turn out to be responsible for the nutritional profile of this re-discovered food.

So what makes salba the next big thing? For starters salba is a great source of omega-3 fat (alpha-linolenic acid), protein, potassium, magnesium, calcium, folate, niacin, copper, fibre and antioxidants. A 2 tablespoon serving of salba has a whopping 127mg of magnesium, 256mg of calcium, 220 mg of potassium, and more omega-3 fat than an equal amount of ground flax seed. As well, unlike flax, salba has a better balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fats making it a great source of essential fatty acids (those that the body can not make and therefore must be obtained from the diet). Salba is also a great example of a functional food – one that provides health benefits beyond its basic nutritional function (i.e. calories, protein etc).

What is also remarkable about this ancient seed; is that it can absorb much more water than flax. In this case, water retention is a good thing. By absorbing many times its weight in water, whole and ground salba seeds form a thick gel or bulking agent. Add this to foods such as oatmeal, yogurt, applesauce, smoothies etc., and you will digest your food more slowly. Slower digestion decreases the likelihood that your blood sugars will peak. This helps to keep you feeling full longer, helps to prevent swings in hunger and may help to reduce your total food intake by moderating appetite – all this and a handful of vitamins and minerals. Why wouldn’t you eat it? There’s a reason the Aztecs grew this stuff and relied on it heavily as a stable of their diet.

Salba seed is truly a winner when it comes to providing a lot of nutritional bang for the buck which is something that makes dietitians very happy. In a world where our nutritional requirements haven’t changed but the nutritional landscape has, dietitians are always looking for ways to make ‘every bite count’ and adding salba makes that a whole lot easier.

Doug Cook, RD MHSc CDE is a clinical dietitian and certified diabetes educator working at St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and has a private practice at the Yorkville Club www.theyorkvilleclub.com He is a regular contributor to HealthyOntario.com.