FAQ on Chia (Aussie website)

For reference of certain information only.

http://www.chia4life.com.au/info/faq.php

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the questions we get asked about about chia seeds. If you can't find what you want to know all you have to do is ask and if we don't know, we'll find out for you. Thank You!

Q: Is the protein in chia seeds gluten-free?

A: Yes, unlike most other grains chia seeds are naturally gluten-free.

Q: I like how using chia seeds gives me more energy but I don’t like drinking the gel. Do I have to wait for it to turn to a gel before drinking it?

A: No. You can drink the seeds right down before they turn to a gel.

Q: Can I eat the seeds plain without water?

A: As long as you drink plenty of water with the seeds. Chia seeds absorb nine times their weight in water so they can soak up the water from your system and cause you to dehydrate. Prevent this by drinking lots of water.

Q: How does chia seeds protein compare to soy protein?

A: Comparisons can only be made between the two as a whole seed. On the amino acid score soy gets a 118 and chia gets a 115 so both are a complete protein.

Q: What is the recommended dose for chia seeds?

A: Chia is not a supplement it is a food so there is no dose amount, however the amount you consume will vary on why you use it - i.e. for arthritis or memory or energy.

5 grams a day will give a person who already eats a healthy diet the added omega-3 to help balance out their intake of omega-6.

10 to 25 grams per day will help with the aches and pains and also give the right amount to the training athlete. Since we are all different we suggest starting out with around 10 grams (a desertspoon) then adjusting how much you use after about 3 weeks.

Q: How will chia seeds help me lose weight?

A: Using chia seeds in a weight loss program helps in a number of ways. Slowing the conversion of carbs to sugars is one and the energy it gives to aid in exercising is another. Chia seeds also give your body the nutrition it needs unlike most diets that starve you. You can also use chia gel to reduce calories in what you eat.

Q: What’s the difference between the omega-3 in fish oil and chia seeds?

A: In fish oil the fish has already converted what it eats into DHA and EPA. These are 2 metabolites of alpha-linolenic acid that all species convert in the body. The benefit of chia is that it’s loaded in antioxidants that preserve the omega-3 and keep them from going rancid.

Our body converts the alpha-linolenic to DHA and EPA omega-3 found in fish and algae supplements. Chia seeds are also a renewable source for the omega-3s we need and we know what’s in it without worrying about heavy metals like mercury. One of the other reasons for using chia rather than fish oil is we’re saving the fish and chia also has no fishy after taste or the dreaded fish oil burps!

Q: Should I stop taking fish oil while I’m using chia?

A: This will depend on your diet and why you take fish oil. We need to balance out our omega-6 to omega-3 ratio from what the standard western diet is now, around 10:1. We need to get these 2 omegas balanced to 1:1. Fish oil has only omega-3 and chia seeds have omega-3 (64%) and omega-6 (20%).
( Ahmad add this: Some experts comment that the optimum ratio for omega should be 3:1. That is what chia exactly has. )
If you already eat healthily you can stop the fish oil. Using 25g a day of chia seeds will give you the omega-3 you need to notice it working in your body. Remember our body converts the plant based omega-3 to the long chain omega-3 DHA and EPA that the fish has done for us.

Q: I've read that the white seeds are superior to the dark seeds. What's the difference?

A: They are both chia seeds from the salvia hispanica plant with the white seeds producing white flowers when grown and the dark seeds producing purple flowers. The difference in nutrition is the dark has more protein than white and the white seeds have more linolenic acid (omega-3) than dark seeds. These differences are very slight amounting to less than 1 or 2 points in each protein and omega-3.

They are both good for you, but if you are talking to someone who only sells white seeds or someone who only sells dark seeds then theirs is going to be better, of course! The white seeds do cost more and it is only a matter of preference as to what colour you like because they are practically the same and a superior source of all the nutrients chia offers.

If you really want the white seeds we can get them for you, just ask.

Q: Are your seeds grown organically?

A: No, but they are grown chemical-free. Due to the oils in the chia plant it is grown very easily using organic methods. Bugs don’t like the plant oils and leave it alone and once it has established the canopy shades out weeds from growing so herbicides are not required.
( Ahmad add this: Only got 1 supplier got USDA certified organically grown chia. The chia that supplied by nature care is chemical free too. The supplier cater for europe market. )
Q: Where are the seeds grown and are they treated by Australian customs?

A: Our seeds are grown in Australia and also South America where they have been grown for thousands of years. I deal very closely with AQIS and satisfy all the requirements regarding purity standards set by them for importing seeds so therefore no treatment is ever done to any of our seeds. I would not sell them if there were.
( Ahmad add this : This answer is misleading as chia seed is a native plant to central america like mexico, guatemala and peru but not to south africa and australia. )

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