Very much similar to nuts, edible seeds are particularly rich in minerals, provide a lot of nutritional value and an excellent dose of fat and essential nutrients. Most seeds tend to be relatively affordable too.
Chef J9 of Comfort Keto uses regularly seeds in her gourmet recipes. In particular, the CHIA SEEDS. Let's have look chia seeds in terms of nutritional properties, benefits and how we use them in our recipes.
Nutritional Properties of Chia Seeds
Chia seeds have been primarily consumed in ancient Central America as a dietary staple. They are a rich source of omega-3 in its alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) form. ALA needs converting to the more bio-available DHA and EPA (as found in seafood) before the body can use it. While the conversion rate is lower than 15%, chia seeds still contribute a beneficial amount of omega-3 to the average diet.
Basic nutritional values for the serving size of one ounce (28.5 grams):
Calories: 138 kcal
Carbohydrate: 11.9 g
Fiber: 9.75 g
Sugars: 0 g
Fat: 8.71 g
Saturated Fat: 0.94 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.65 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 6.71 g
Omega-3: 5.05 g
Omega-6: 1.65 g
Protein: 4.69 g
Regarding their essential nutrient profile, serving size of one ounce (28.5 grams) of chia seeds provides:
Vitamins
Vitamin K1: 167% DV
Niacin (B3): 16% DV
Thiamin (B1): 15% DV
Riboflavin (B2): 4% DV
Folate: 3% DV
Vitamin C: 1% DV
Vitamin E: 1% DV
Minerals
Manganese: 33% DV
Copper: 29% DV
Selenium: 28% DV
Magnesium: 23% DV
Phosphorus: 20% DV
Calcium: 14% DV
Iron: 12% DV
Zinc: 12% DV
Potassium: 2% DV
Sodium: <1% DV
Polyphenols
Polyphenols improve the health of blood vessels, regulate your blood pressure, maintain the healthy flow of blood in the veins, capillaries, and arteries by preventing the clumping of platelets in the blood. The dry seeds contain 8.8% phenolic compounds by weight.
Caffeic acid
Chlorogenic acid
Daidzein
Kaempferol
Myricetin
Rosmarinic acid
Quercetin
Benefits of Chia Seeds
High fiber content of chia seeds makes them very usable in countless culinary applications. The seeds can swell up to 12 times in size as they absorb water.
They ...
have excellent water absorbing capability (seeds create a gel-like consistency when added to water),
have emulsification property (thicken sauces, jams, etc),
have appetite reducing and satiety benefits (gives a feeling of being full after a meal, contributes to weight control),
have a nutty taste,
are crunchy when raw and soft after absorbing water,
reduce post-meal blood sugar levels (high fiber content is responsible for this effect),
contain 5.06 grams of omega-3 per ounce (28-gram) serving (in the form of plant based alpha-linolenic acid, aka ALA; it is important to consume EPA/DHA from seafood or supplements), and
are strongly associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality and lower incidence of several cancers.
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