Chia Seeds in Water: Is Chia Seed Water Good For You?
Updated on
- Written by Healthcanal Staff
Medically reviewed by
Rob Peterson, MS
A healthy digestive system is the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle, but achieving this can be difficult. It means increasing fiber intake, getting enough water every day, and eating a healthy well-balanced diet. Luckily, chia seeds in water can be easily consumed and will supply your body with needed nutrients, prevent hunger, and help regulate blood sugar levels.
Chia seeds are more than the early 2000’s advertisement. They are a superfood packed with essential vitamins and minerals[1] necessary for your diet. Just two tablespoons of chia seeds in a glass of water can decrease blood pressure, help weight loss, and are the perfect hack for gut health.
Is Chia Seed Water Good For You?
Chia seeds are a versatile, healthy food that can be consumed in many different ways. While a dried seed can be sprinkled over salad or added to yogurt, soaking chia seeds in water causes them to become gel-like, akin to a small boba ball. Drinking chia seed water can supply you with many health benefits:
- Omega-3’s (a family of essential fatty acids, like ALA)
- Hydration
- Satiation; helps keep the feeling of fullness around longer
- Soluble fiber
- Nutrient absorption
Chia Seeds In Water: Nutrition
Having a well balanced diet can be difficult. There are dozens of vitamins and minerals that must be balanced with the proper amounts of calories, carbohydrates, fats and proteins[2]. Chia seeds are a super food because they contain a high concentration of the things that are good for you, and a low amount of what’s bad[3].
Vitamins and minerals:
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: 2.5 grams
- Omega-6 Fatty Acids: 0.7 grams
- Calcium: 63 milligrams
- Phosphorus: 95 milligrams
- Magnesium: 41 milligrams
- Potassium: 44 milligrams
- Manganese: 0.3 milligrams
Okay, but what does all of this mean? Here are some nutritional highlights and how they can benefit you:
- Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids[4]: These healthy fats are commonly found in salmon, and help support heart health and lower blood pressure.
- Protein[5]: Adding chia seeds to your next dish can be an easy source of protein to help support muscle growth. This Orgain protein powder review highlights the addition of chia seeds for their protein content and health benefits.
- Dietary Fiber[6]: Gut health is extremely important for maintaining a healthy and fresh feeling. Dietary fiber helps healthy bacterial growth in your gut by clearing out the bad stuff. Two tablespoons of chia seeds have nearly half of your daily amount of dietary fiber!
- Minerals such as phosphorus and magnesium: The benefits of these minerals range far and wide from skin and bone health to brain function.
Two Major Benefits Of Drinking Chia Seed Water
Introduction:
There are main health benefits of chia seeds in water including the reduction of high blood pressure and supporting your gut health!
Reduce High Blood Pressure
Eating chia seeds daily can reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. How is it possible for a seed to do this? Well the proof is in the “chia seed” pudding.
Chia seeds have a high source of healthy fats and different vitamin Bs, all of which help decrease blood pressure. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), and Vitamin B6 help regulate cellular metabolism to regulate fat storage and energy production. Additionally, healthy fatty acids, like omega-3s, function as a vasodilator and widen blood vessels to reduce blood pressure.
However, keep in mind that while chia seeds help reduce blood pressure and control blood sugar levels, lifestyle and full dietary changes are the most effective way to regulate overall blood sugar levels.
Chia Seed Fiber Content Is Its Benefits For Digestion
Fiber is a major cornerstone of a healthy diet. Nutritionists[7] suggest that under 10% of the global population get enough fiber per day, but the benefits of fiber are unmatched.
Fiber is a carbohydrate that exists in plants and has been classified in two main major forms as either soluble or insoluble. Chia seeds are an excellent source of both forms of fiber.
Soluble Fiber: This type of fiber can dissolve in water and get absorbed in the body. The major health benefits of soluble fiber are helping to reduce cholesterol levels, regulating blood sugar levels, and nourishing a healthy microbiome.
Insoluble Fiber: This type of fiber cannot be dissolved in water and helps move things along in the GI tract. Insoluble fiber is an essential part of a well-balanced diet to better promote gut health.
Chia seeds have more fiber per serving than kale and spinach making it one of the true superfoods for gut health!
How To Make Chia Seed Water?
Chia seed water is one of the easiest ways to consume chia seeds while staying hydrated. The way of doing it is super simple.
Chia seeds in water recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
- 1 cup of water
Chia seed water recipe:
- Scoop the chia seeds into a glass of water
- Mix chia seeds into the water
- Stir and wait 10-15 minutes
- The chia seeds will take on a gel-like texture
- Enjoy your beverage!
How much chia seeds in water should I use to make chia seed pudding? Just increase the amount of chia seeds to about 3 tablespoons to make chia seed pudding.
Ways to spice up your chia seed water:
Chia seeds pair very well with fresh fruits. Squeezing a fresh lemon, or a splash of lime juice, into chia seed water will provide you with a refreshing poolside beverage. Additionally, chia seeds can be soaked in more than just water. If you want to switch water for your favorite juice, you can add a nutritional boost to your favorite drink.
Are There Any Side Effects Of Chia Seed Water?
Although uncommon, there are potential side effects from eating chia seeds. The high fiber content in chia seeds must be paired with high amounts of water or there is the potential for digestive blocking. Drinking chia seed water is the best way to get the proper hydration, and the fiber benefits in chia seeds.
Before eating chia seeds ensure you do not have any allergies, and ask a physician if chia seeds will affect any blood pressure medication. While it is extremely unlikely for complications to arise, it is always recommended to check with a healthcare professional.
3 Alternatives To Chia Seed Water
Chia seeds are a versatile food that can be consumed in more ways than just water:
- Chia pudding: Incorporating chia seeds into yogurt or a smaller amount of water will cause these nutrient dense seeds to become a gelatinous mixture. Paired with fresh fruit, this will make for a great breakfast
- Baked Goods: Chia seeds can be ground into a powder and added as a nutritional boost to almost any backed good.
- Dried chia seeds: Chia can be eaten as a dried additive to yogurt, smoothies or salads. Whole dried seeds have the highest amount of benefits, and will help keep you satiated throughout the day.
Is Chia Seed Water Effective For Weight Loss?
Another major benefit of chia seeds are their benefits for weight loss. The high fiber content helps keep the feeling of fullness around longer, while the low amount of calories, fats, and carbs prevent it from damaging your diet. Additionally the high levels of B-vitamins helps increase metabolic activity making chia seeds a natural vegan fat burner. However, chia seeds are only a piece of a much larger plan. If weight loss is your goal then a well-balanced diet, consistent exercise and decreased calories are the best way to lose weight, but using chia seeds for weight loss does have its benefits!
Conclusion
Chia seeds can be eaten in a variety of ways to supply you with a range of benefits. By soaking the white, brown and black seeds in water, you can make an easy beverage packed with fiber and minerals. Alternatively, they can be eaten as chia pudding or sprinkled over foods. Whichever way you decide to eat chia seeds does not substantially affect the nutritional benefits. Just be sure to drink enough water!
Frequently Asked Questions
Chia seeds are filled with nutrients and will help you feel satiated for longer. See the nutrients section above!
Chia seeds can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Yes, chia seeds can be consumed every day but be sure to drink water as the fiber content is very high.
+ 7 sources
Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here
- Ullah, R., Nadeem, M., Khalique, A., Imran, M., Mehmood, S., Javid, A. and Hussain, J. (2015). Nutritional and therapeutic perspectives of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.): a review. [online] 53(4), pp.1750–1758. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-015-1967-0.
- Cena, H. and Calder, P.C. (2020). Defining a Healthy Diet: Evidence for the Role of Contemporary Dietary Patterns in Health and Disease. [online] 12(2), pp.334–334. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12020334.
- Ding, Y., Lin, H., Lin, Y.-L., Deng Jye Yang, Yu, Y., Chen, W., Wang, S. and Chen, Y.-C. (2018). Nutritional composition in the chia seed and its processing properties on restructured ham-like products. [online] 26(1), pp.124–134. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfda.2016.12.012.
- Ding, Y., Lin, H., Lin, Y.-L., Deng Jye Yang, Yu, Y., Chen, W., Wang, S. and Chen, Y.-C. (2018). Nutritional composition in the chia seed and its processing properties on restructured ham-like products. [online] 26(1), pp.124–134. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfda.2016.12.012.
- Chen, L., Maja Ivanovski, Darija Cör and Knez, Ž. (2019). Chia Seeds (Salvia Hispanica L.): An Overview—Phytochemical Profile, Isolation Methods, and Application. [online] 25(1), pp.11–11. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25010011.
- Avilene Rodríguez Lara, María Dolores Mesa-García, Yazmin, K., María, R., Casuso, R.A., Segura-Carretero, A. and Huertas, J.R. (2021). Assessment of the Phytochemical and Nutrimental Composition of Dark Chia Seed (Salvia hispánica L.). [online] 10(12), pp.3001–3001. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10123001.
- Staff, A. (2021). Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets. [online] American Society for Nutrition. Available at: https://nutrition.org/most-americans-are-not-getting-enough-fiber-in-our-diets/.
Written by:
Healthcanal Staff
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
