Hot! Chia Seeds

When you read the word Chia you probably think about the famous Chia Pet gifts, those porous clay figurines that, when slathered with chia seeds and water, grow green hair. Chia seeds come from a plant whose scientific name is Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows in southern Mexico, Central America, and certain southern South American countries like Bolivia.

Chia seeds have a long history of use as human food. It was domesticated by ancient Mexicans in 2,600 B.C. For centuries this tiny little seed was used as a staple food by the Indians of the Southwest (US) and Mexico. These seeds were known as the "running food". It was said the Aztec warriors subsisted on the Chia seed and water during the conquests. Ancient documents shows that in Mayan times there were four important crops: corn, beans, chia, and amaranth. These four crops comprised the main components of the Aztec and Mayan diets when Columbus arrived in the New World. After conquering Mexico, Spaniards banned growing Chia plants because they played a role in pagan religious ceremonies. Tribute and taxes to the Aztec priesthood and nobility were often paid in chia seeds.

The seeds of Chia have tremendous nutritional value and medicinal properties.

Chia seeds are typically small 1-mm diameters ovals. They typically contain 20% protein, 34% oil, and 25% dietary fiber. The oil from chia seeds contains a very high concentration of Omega 3 fatty acid - approx. 64% in the oil. Chia seeds contain no gluten so it is useful for people with the celiac disease.