MIRACLE CHIA SEED AND OIL

Chia seed is grown organically in southern Mexico. These tiny seeds are one of nature's perfect foods, containing essential fatty acids (an excellent vegetarian source of omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid), protein, soluble fiber, protective antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Native Americans in what is now Mexico and the southwestern United States consumed the seeds of the chia plant for hundreds of years before the arrival of Europeans. Chia was cultivated by the Aztecs, Mayas, Tehuantapecs, and other native American peoples.
Chia seed and oil have some potentially important food uses. It may become an important oilseed crop because its seeds are very high in unsaturated omega-3-fatty acids, which are desirable for a healthy diet. Chia seed oil contain large amounts of natural antioxidants, which are important as food additives to prevent spoilage. These natural antioxidants from plants also seem beneficial to human health. The meal left after extracting chia seed oil has a high protein content so could be used as a livestock feed. Miracle chia seed and oil are a healthy food for diabetics. The chia seed mucilage also may be useful as a food additive. Its high oil and protein content and drought resistance make chia an attractive crop for developing countries.

There are also several industrial uses for chia seed and oil. In addition to being edible, chia seed oil also makes a good drying oil for paints, so could be used as a substitute for linseed oil. Leaf oils of chia may be useful in flavorings or fragrances, and possibly as pesticides, because white flies and other insects seem to avoid the plants. The mucopolysaccharide in the seed coat might have use as an industrial gum.

If you are interested in eating chia, you could sample a few seeds from a ChiaPet. You might be able to find Chia seeds in a health food store. For a refreshing breakfast drink, mix a teaspoon of chia seeds in a cup of orange juice and let the seeds soak for 10 minutes. This drink supposedly keeps you from feeling hungry until noon. Chia seeds can also be added to any dessert. Chia seeds do not seem to be a health hazard if eaten in moderation.

Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) contain oil amounts varying between 32-39%, with the oil offering the highest known natural percentage of alpha-linolenic fatty acid (60-63%).
Alpha-linolenic acid is an essential fatty acid acting in the human body as a substratum for the transformation into EPA and DHA through the action of desaturation and elongation enzymes. The seeds also contain some omega-6 essential fatty acids and exhibit a favorable omega-3 to omega-6 ratio of 3:2.
Modern diets contain too few omega-3 fatty acids. The seeds possess 19-23% protein and the amino acids of chia protein have no limiting factors in the adult diet (i.e., they are a complete protein source having all of the essential amino acids in an appropriate balance). Chia seeds are also a good source of B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, boron, and copper. They also have demonstrated strong antioxidant activity. The most important antioxidants they provide are chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and flavanol glycosides.
Since oxidation is significantly delayed, chia has great potential within the food industry when compared to other alpha-linolenic acid sources, such as flax seeds, which exhibit rapid decomposition due to a lack of antioxidants.
The human body easily digests chia seeds, so why don’t you try miracle chia seed and oil and start enjoying its benefits!!

THE MAGIC OF CHIA  

THE RUNNING FOOD:  For centuries, Native Indian Peoples in the Americas have used chia seed as a staple food.  Aztec warriors of Mexico subsisted on chia seeds during their battles and hunting expeditions.  Indians of the Southwest would eat as little as a teaspoon of chia seeds during a 24-hour march.  Indians ran from the Colorado River to the Pacific Ocean to trade turquoise for shells, carrying only a pouch of chia seed for nourishment. 

Sustained by chia seed, the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico hunted by running their prey to exhaustion.  In 1997, a 52 year old Tarahumara Indian, Cirildo Chacarito, won the Nike-sponsored 100-mile run in California. He completed this astonishing feat in a time of 19 hours, 37 minutes and three seconds. He beat a field of hundreds of competitors with more than an half- hour lead, wearing only his home-made tire tread
shoes, to Nike's embarrassment.   
WHY ARE CHIA SEEDS A HIGH-ENERGY, ENDURANCE FOOD?
COMPLETE PROTEIN SOURCE:  Chia seed is a complete source of dietary protein providing all the essential amino acids.  Compared to other seeds and grains, chia seed provides the highest source of protein: between 19 to 23 percent protein by weight. 
ABSORB AND RETAIN WATER:  One of the exceptional qualities, unique to the chia seed, is its ability to absorb more than 12 times its weight in water.  This ability to hold water can prolong hydration and retain electrolytes in body fluids, especially during exertion.  Normal fluid retention ensures normal electrolyte dispersion across cell membranes, maintains fluid balances and aids normal cellular function.
GEL-FORMING PROPERTY:  Chia seeds contain a mucilloid gel which protects the seed against drying in arid climates where the plants grow.  When a spoonful of chia seed is mixed in a glass of water and left for 30 minutes, almost a solid gelatin will form.  This gel-forming reaction is due to the soluble fiber in the chia seeds.  Researchers believe this same gel-forming phenomenon occurs in the stomach when foods containing these gummy fibers, know as mucilages, are eaten.  The gel formed when chia seeds are eaten creates a physical barrier between carbohydrates and digestive enzymes that break them down, thus slowing the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar and extending endurance.

BLOOD SUGAR REGULATOR:  The gel forming property of chia seed tends to slow digestion and sustain balanced blood sugar levels, which can be helpful in preventing or controlling diabetes.  Today, there is an incidence of diabetes among some Native American tribes of approximately 47%.  Clinical studies show that when the Native Americans refrain from eating the "white man's diet" and return to their indigenous food (including chia seeds), they can control and even eliminate diabetes.
EASY TO DIGEST:  The water absorption, bulking-agent property of chia seed is an important aid to human digestion.  Whole, water-soaked chia seeds can be easily digested and absorbed.  This results in rapid transport of chia nutrients to the tissue for use by the cells.  This efficient assimilation makes chia seeds very effective when rapid development of tissue takes place, especially during growth periods of children and adolescents.  Chia also facilitates the growth and regeneration of tissue during pregnancy and lactation, and aids regeneration of muscles for conditioning athletes and bodybuilders.

Article taken from http://www.menu4life.com/magic_of_chia.htm