Woman ate ‘superfood’ chia seeds every day for two weeks to see impact it would have
We live in an age of 'superfoods', as influencers use social media to spread the message of particular ingredients which have several benefits.
There are many popular superfoods which fitness nuts may try to incorporate into their diets, but perhaps there aren't many which are as well known as chia seeds.
Studies have found the edible seeds to bring about a number of health benefits, which can even have a profound impact on your lifestyle and improving your mental health.
One woman documented the changes she experienced from eating chia seeds every day for two weeks, which she made sure to soak to avoid any health issues.
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Admitting that any changes in her lifestyle affected her bowel habits, she added that after suffering from IBS for years, giving chia pudding a go had plenty of upside.
Anna Bartter detailed to Stylist that she tried her hand at having a pot of chia pud every morning to encourage regular bowel habits, after seeing the superfood plastered all over social media.
Whether it be mixed with fruit or milk, people have found creative, tasty ways to consume chia seeds.
Benefits of chia seeds
Anna explained that it can support blood sugar balance and promote good cardiovascular health, as they contain vantioxidants, minerals and vitamins.
Natalie Burrows, a nutritional therapist and functional medicine health coach, told the publication: “When soaked or ground, chia seeds contain approximately 30-35% (30-35g per 100g) fibre, which supports a healthy microbiome and frequent bowel motions.
“In addition, they’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids which supports a reduction of inflammation for the whole body. The gut, in particular, can become inflamed with stress, alcohol and disruption in the microbiome.”
Making chia pudding involves letting the seeds soak overnight, to be topped with blueberries the following morning for a health and apparently 'delicious' breakfast.
Importance of soaking chia seeds
Consultant dietitian Sophie Medlin told the publication: “If you don’t soak chia seeds, you’ll mostly be getting insoluble fibre from them, which can actually make the stool harder and more bulky.”
While this can help if you're having bowel issues, soaking chia seeds makes a gel-like texture which can 'lubricate the bowel, making the passage of poo through the gut easier', while also being a great food for probiotic bacteria in your colon.
Results of eating chia seeds
Anna admitted that her experiment got off to an unideal start after suffering from food poisoning, but after the first week, she didn't see much changing in the frequency of her toilet trips, but instead that they appeared a lot healthier.
The Bristol stool chart is known to show what appearances of stool may mean about your gut health, and she was a 3-4 on the scale.
By the second week, she had established a night and morning routine, admitting that she went through large amounts of maple syrup when eating the seeds.
She concluded: "I’ll be totally honest: at the end of the two weeks, I felt as though my bowels were pretty similar to usual. There was no discernible difference."
Apparently, experts claim that there are a number of explanations, such as Anna's bowels being healthy already.
Burrows explained: “It could have been that two weeks wasn’t long enough for you to notice an improvement,
“It’s really difficult to tell when you’ll feel benefits as everyone’s starting point is different in terms of their gut health to begin with.
“It’s also important to remember that eating chia every day, while healthy for your gut, is just one aspect of gut health, and it won’t necessarily override other things you may be eating or doing that impact gut health too.”
Despite seeeing little change, Anna said she'll continue to incorporate chia pudding into her balanced diet, though not on a daily basis.
Chia seed health benefits explained
Chia seeds have a number of health benefits, as listed by Harvard Health:
- Supporting digestive health
- Aiding in weight management
- Reducing blood pressure
- Lowering cholesterol levels
- Helping to control diabetes
- Protecting against chronic disease
- Reducing inflammation
- Improving anxiety and depression.
They also contain an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids, which play a role in brain function, heart health, and reducing inflammation in the body, while also benefitting cardiovascular and cognitive functions.
Chia seeds also increasing the feeling of fullness while decreasing your appetite and calorie intake.
The superfood also increases your intake of fibre, with two to three tablespoons of them providing around 9.8 grams of dietary fibre.
They are also packed with antiocidants while being a reliable source of protein.
Topics: Health, Lifestyle, Food And Drink
Joshua Nair