Rick and I have been asked lots of questions over the years about our opinion on specific foods. One of the biggest food questions that we have been asked recently is: “what is the nutrient content of chia seeds?” or some variation on this question. Chia seeds have become very popular in the last couple of years for a number of reasons, including their alpha-linolenic acid content. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is an omega 3 fatty acid that is found in varying amounts in a number of foods, including leafy greens and flax seeds. Here is the ALA content of two teaspoons of chia seeds:
| Chia seeds – 2 teaspoons (8.5 g) | |
| ALA | 1.49 g |
Here are some of the other nutrients found in chia seeds:
| Chia seeds – 2 teaspoons (8.5 g) | |
| Calories | 41.7 |
| Calcium | 53.6 mg |
| Protein | 1.33 g |
| Fat | 2.61 g |
As one can see, a significant percentage (57%) of the fat in chia seeds is alpha-linolenic acid and the calcium content of these seeds is notable at almost 54 mg (for 2 teaspoons and 42 calories), considering that the adult daily value for calcium ranges from 1000 to 1200 mg. Rick and I use chia seeds to thicken our vegetable-based salad dressings, since they work well for this purpose and have a relatively neutral taste in our recipes.
Many people also ask us about the conversion of alpha-linolenic acid to DHA in the human body. Rick covers this topic in depth in our Science of Raw Food Nutrition I course and also has spoken on this subject at various health conferences. Click here to view one of his conference talks on essential fatty acids.
After our last newsletter, many of you made suggestions for future blog topics – thank you! Be looking for a variety of topics on our blog in the coming months, including many of your suggestions. We appreciate your valuable input!
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