Chia Seeds
Some of my Chinese friends are not going to be amused by the name chia seeds, spell and pronounced exactly like their surname, also a constipation relief people grow on the terra cotta head of Mr Obama.
Apparently a newcomer to the
Compared with another native Indian remedy cascara sagrada, I believe chia is superior by just considering the names: Chia derives from Mayan chiabaan, meaning, "strengthening." Folks have reported nothing spectacular happened in early stages of consumption. As their bodies gradually build up by at least twenty per cent and deliver smooth results, they are impressed. Whereas cascara sagrada simply makes " sh_t comes" -quoting the Chinooks. For some folks to make "sh_t" come is enough, they also need strength to expel it. Chia is usually taken wet to correct constipation. Probably it kind of resembles psyllium-husk the way it gels up and expands in water. However, soaking the seeds is not a necessary step as the constipation relief is found in the outer coat of the seeds containing insoluble fiber and lignin. The insoluble fiber is approximately three quarters. Whereas the remaining quarter of soluble fiber which is brought out by soaking chia in water is very, very viscous, a great property in slowing down intestinal transit time. Chia is often compared with flax which is also rich in omega 3 and ALA. For the purpose of our theme here ahem* chia would be the preferred choice, one ounce of flax contains 5.6 g of fiber. The same quantity of chia gives almost double that is 10.7 g fiber. Chia's fiber together with α-linolenic acid is said to help in losing weight and lowering risks of some disease. However, not everyone agrees. In fact, a test involving 76 overweight adults who consumed chia for three months showed that not only they do not become slimmer, their disease risk factors has not been altered as well. Translation: don't expect fringe benefits if you are too fat LOL. There's a good Some folks in Australia had to produce a certificate to prove that the importation of chia is allowed in their country. Otherwise the quarantine regulations involved detaining the seeds and charging the buyer a fee for examining the seeds. Ironically, "The Chia Company" of Kimberley Australia says it has become the largest producer of chia seeds in the world. So there must be a lot of truth when the owner Mr John Foss mentioned "the knowledge of Chia is pretty low" in Australia. Mr Foss' newspaper interviews is quite interesting. ( To my humble opinion, more interesting than the public disagreement between a prominent chia researcher and his business partners ) He brought out the fact that the best region to grow chia is 15 degrees north and south of the equator. Attempts to grow chia out of this "optimum belt" may still produce dainty blue chia flowers, but the omega-3 is not of the right quantity thus affecting the nutritional value. Now I shall take care to check the location of chia production when I can ever find chia in my area. I wouldn't worry about whether chia is organic because insects apparently don't bother this plant so there is no need to spray pesticides.
References 1.The magic of Chia: revival of an ancient wonder food By James F. Scheer 3.http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2010/02/04/153741_on-farm.html
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