Think that Eating Chia Seeds can Help you Lose Weight? Here's What an Expert Thinks
Guess what's still knocking around the health scene? Chia seeds.
With good reason, too. These small black babies, which experienced a boom soaked in milk to make a pudding or scattered over salads a couple of years ago, are a nutritional powerhouse, rich in fibre, (25g portion of chia seeds = approximately 9g of fibre), and are relatively high in protein.
Thanks to the above, they can be a great addition to your diet, especially if you're a vegetarian or vegan and might be looking for a high-protein, animal product-free breakfast.
But can chia seeds really help me lose weight?
All that fibre in chia seeds could certainly help. Increased fibre intake can help with weight-loss goals, according to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Chia seeds are also a good source of protein, which is an important piece to the weight-loss puzzle.
In a study published in Nutrition Metabolism, dieters who increased their protein intake to 30 percent of their diet ate nearly 450 fewer calories a day and lost more than half a stone over the 12-week study without employing any other dietary measures.
Ultimately, though, weight loss is all about paying attention to your overall diet and exercise routine-not about eating more (or less) of one certain food.
'No single food or ingredient is able to do that, so if you’re hoping for chia to solve your health concerns or be the catalyst for dramatic weight loss, I recommend reaching out to a dietitian for support for your individual goals,' says Harbstreet.
That also means chia seeds won't help you burn belly fat-or magically boost your metabolism.
Are there side effects to eating chia seeds?
A serving size of chia seeds is about two tablespoons-and there's a reason for that limit.
'Chia isn’t likely to cause a reaction or trigger symptoms, as with some other foods that are known allergens or spark GI-related symptoms,' says Harbstreet. 'That being said, a sudden and drastic increase in fibre intake could potentially cause some ‘misbehaviours,’ especially for people who previously consumed very little fibre.'
Too much fibre often translates to bloating and diarrhoea-fun.
You might also find yourself feeling fuller than usual after eating chia seeds-for better or for worse.
Think about it this way: Have you ever seen chia seed pudding at your local health food store, or made it on your own at home? If so, then you’ve seen how the seeds absorb liquid and expand in volume. Now imagine that expansion happening...inside your stomach.
That's not necessarily a bad thing-unless you're loading up on chia seeds in favour of other foods. 'It’s not an issue to eat to fullness, but if it’s replacing other foods in your diet, you may be inadvertently reducing the variety of foods and nutrients in your overall eating pattern,' says Harbstreet.
How should I eat chia seeds?
Good news. It’s super simple to add chia to your diet. A relatively tasteless seed, they’re easy to sprinkle on yogurt or blend into your morning sip.
'You can eat them raw, toasted, soaked, or cooked,' says Becky Kerkenbush, RD, and medical representative to the Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
'They can also make a great egg substitution in baking, by combining one tablespoon ground chia seeds with three tablespoons water to replace one egg.'
Now, who's down for yoghurt parfaits?!
Chia seeds might help you feel satiated, but long-term weight loss will require rethinking your overall diet and nutrition plan.
