Chia seed

Chia seeds(/tʃiːə/CHEE-ah) are the edible seeds ofSalvia hispanica, a flowering plant in themintfamily (Lamiaceae) native to central and southern Mexico,or of the relatedSalvia columbariae,Salvia polystachia, orSalvia tiliifolia. Chia seeds are oval and gray with black and white spots, having a diameter of around 2 millimetres (0.08 in). The seeds arehygroscopic, absorbing up to 12 times their weight in liquid when soaked and developing amucilaginouscoating that gives chia-based foods and beverages a distinctivegeltexture.
There is evidence that the crop was widelycultivatedby theAztecsinpre-Columbian timesand was astaple foodforMesoamericancultures. Chia seeds are cultivated on a small scale in their ancestral homeland of central Mexico and Guatemala and commercially throughout Central and South America.
Typically, chia seeds are small flattened ovoids measuring on average 2.1 mm × 1.3 mm × 0.8 mm (0.08 in × 0.05 in × 0.03 in), with an average weight of 1.3 mg per seed.They are mottle-colored with brown, gray, black, and white. The seeds are hydrophilic, absorbing up to 12 times their weight in liquid when soaked; they develop a mucilaginous coating that gives them a gel texture. Chia (or chian or chien) has mostly been identified asSalvia hispanicaL. Other plants referred to as "chia" include "golden chia" (Salvia columbariae). The seeds ofSalvia columbariaeare also used for food.
Seed yield varies depending on cultivars, mode of cultivation, and growing conditions by geographic region. For example, commercial fields in Argentina and Colombia vary in yield range from 450 to 1,250 kg/ha (400 to 1,120 lb/acre).A small-scale study with three cultivars grown in the inter-Andean valleys of Ecuador produced yields up to 2,300 kg/ha (2,100 lb/acre), indicating that favorable growing environment and cultivar interacted to produce such high yields.Genotype has a larger effect on yield than on protein content, oil content, fatty acid composition, or phenolic compounds, whereas high temperature reduces oil content and degree of unsaturation, and raises protein content.
S. hispanicais described and pictured in theCodex Mendoza'and theFlorentine Codex,Aztec codicescreated between 1540 and 1585. Tribute records from theMendoza Codex,Matrícula de Tributos, and theMatricula de Huexotzinco(1560), along with colonial cultivation reports and linguistic studies, detail the geographic location of the tributes and provide some geographic specificity to the mainS.hispanica-growing regions. Most of the provinces grew the plant, except for areas of lowland coastal tropics and desert say, and it was given as an annual tribute by the people to the rulers in 21 of the 38 Aztec provincial states. The traditional cultivation area was in a distinct area that covered parts of north-central Mexico, south toGuatemala.  A second and separate area of cultivation, apparently pre-Columbian, was in southernHondurasandNicaragua.
Chia seeds served as a staple food for theNahuatl(Aztec) cultures. It may have been as important as maize as a food crop.Jesuitchroniclers placed chia as the third-most important crop in the Aztec culture, behind only corn and beans, and ahead ofamaranth. Offerings to the Aztec priesthood were often paid in chia seed.
In the 21st century, chia is grown and consumed commercially in its native Mexico and Guatemala, as well as Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.New patented varieties of chia have been developed inKentuckyfor cultivation in northern latitudes of the United States.
Dried chia seeds contain 6% water, 42%carbohydrates(including a high content ofdietary fiber), 16%protein, and 31% fat (table). In a reference amount of 100 grams (3.5 oz), chia seeds supply 486caloriesand are a rich source (20% or more of theDaily Value, DV) of theB vitaminsthiaminandniacin(52% and 55% DV, respectively). They are also a moderate source ofriboflavin(13% DV) andfolate(12% DV). The seeds contain dense amounts of severaldietary minerals, includingcalcium, iron,magnesium,manganese,phosphorus, andzinc(all more than 20% DV; table).
Chia oil contains a high percentage of essential fatty acids (approximately 60%) and a low content of saturated fatty acids.The fats of chia seed oil are mainlyunsaturated, withlinoleic acid(17–26% of total fat) andα-linolenic acid(50–57%) as the majorfatty acids(see table).
Chia seeds may be added to other foods as a topping or put intosmoothies,breakfast cereals,energy bars,granola bars,yogurt,tortillas, and bread.
They also may be made into agelatin-like substance or consumed raw.The gel from ground seeds may be used in place of eggs in cakes while providing other nutrients, and it is a common substitute in vegan and allergen-free baking.
Chia is considered anovel foodin Europe because it does not have "a significant history of consumption within the European Union before 15May 1997", according to the Advisory Committee of Novel Foods and Processes.Under this rule, chia seeds may be 5% of total matter in bread products. Prepackaged chia seeds must carry additional labelling to inform the consumer that the daily intake is no more than 15 grams and pure chia oil only 2 grams daily.
Chia seeds sold in the EU are imported mainly from South American and Central American countries and require inspections for levels of pesticides, contaminants, and microbiological criteria.
Preliminary research remains sparse and inconclusive.In a 2015systematic review, most of the studies did not show an effect of chia seed consumption on cardiovascular risk factors in humans.
No evidence to date indicates consuming chia seeds hasadverse effectson, or interacts with,prescription drugs.
Joe Pedott created a set of terracotta figurines calledChia Petused to sprout chia. The first figurines were made in 1977, and they were marketed widely after 1982. During the 1980s in the United States, the first substantial wave of chia seed sales was tied to chia pets, clay figures that serve as the base for a sticky paste of chia seeds. After the figures are watered, the seeds sprout into a form suggesting a fur covering.
About 500,000 chia pets were sold in the U.S. in 2007 as novelties orhouse plants, to a total of 15 million as of 2019, with most sales occurring during the holiday season.
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