How to use chia seeds for weight loss?

With the frantic lives that most of us live today, food and nutrition have taken a backward position on the priority list. This may often lead to our bodies feeling drained and exhausted due to inadequate nourishment. Even more, surrounded by an array of food choices, it might get confusing to add something to your diet consciously.

Therefore, to solve this problem and support our already existing diets, one item that has proven itself not only with its nutritional value but also with its exceedingly valuable weight loss benefits (yes, you guessed it!) is chia seeds.

Initially originating in South America, they have become popular worldwide for their astounding benefits in the wellness sector. Reputed for providing us with omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, minerals, and fibres, they promote heart health, improve bone density and regulate blood sugar.

Apart from this, one surprising advantage of chia seeds is that they also help you lose weight. You might have one question now: how to use chia seeds for weight loss, and we will answer exactly that. From understanding its nutritional benefits and providing you with recipes to giving you relevant answers for how to take chia seeds for weight loss, we’ve covered it all!

What are chia seeds and how it helps in weight loss?

Chia means strength, and comes from the Salva Hispanica flowering plant, native to Mexico and Guatemala. This is, however, not a recent discovery. Chia seeds have been consumed by the Aztec civilisation since the 13th century for their magical properties. Besides using chia as a medicinal agent, they also used it for religious purposes.

Lost somewhere in the 15th century, they later resurfaced in the 20th century. As of today, they are grown for commercial purposes in various countries.

Magical in its true sense, they provide adequate amounts of phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and vitamins such as B1 and B2. Most of the carbohydrates in chia seeds are fibre while being significantly high in protein and healthy fats such as Omega-3. This is one of the reasons we promote chia seeds for weight loss.

Health benefits of chia seeds

“Is chia seeds good for weight loss?” is a common question, but we often fail to recognise that chia seeds were regarded as a supernatural food because of their many health benefits. These include:

• Reduces the risk of heart disease: The Omega-3 in chia seeds significantly helps promote better heart health by lowering triglyceride levels and reducing the risk of coronary artery disease. Additionally, the fibre content in chia seeds helps reduce LDL levels (bad cholesterol) in the blood, significantly contributing to various heart diseases.
• Improves bone health: Calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus are responsible for the healthy bones in our body. Chia seeds are extremely rich in these minerals and help maintain and improve bone strength and density.
• Helps potentially reduce free radicals and inflammation: Unstable molecules present in our body in free radicals can harm other molecules, raising the chance of developing cancer and other illnesses when they accumulate.

Abundant in antioxidants, chia seeds shield these cells from the harm caused by free radicals and inflammation. 

• Lower blood sugar levels: The complex structure of fibre, fat, and protein in chia seeds helps reduce the rate at which carbohydrates get broken down into sugar and absorbed by the body as glucose. This helps in insulin sensitivity and reduces the blood sugar in our bodies.
• Enhances gut health: Chia seeds' soluble and insoluble fibre makes it an excellent choice for people who aim to improve their gut health. They act as a prebiotic, feeding the good gut microbes, and also help reduce constipation.

These fantastic benefits are a sure-shot way of improving your health by miles, more so with just a single ingredient!

Now that we know the health benefits of chia seeds, it’s time to get into the details of how chia seeds help in weight loss. 

Chia seeds and weight loss

Chia seeds' benefits for weight loss are many. How exactly does chia seeds help in weight loss is what we will be looking at now.

Chia seeds are high in protein and fibre and significantly contribute to weight loss. Dietary fibre gives a more incredible feeling of fullness and prevents hunger pangs. This occurs because fibre takes a lot longer to digest. The protein in the chia seeds also keeps you full and helps in overindulging and lowering ghrelin (the hunger hormone).

This adds to their satiety value and aids us in a calorie deficit and increasing metabolism. All these factors clubbed together make chia seeds an excellent food for your weight loss journey.

Now that we know the part of chia seeds in weight loss, we will familiarise ourselves with how to take chia seeds for weight loss. 

Incorporating chia seeds into your diet

These simple tips and tricks can help you understand how to easily add chia seeds to your lifestyle to see weight loss chia seed benefits. 

• Adding it to your morning glass of water: Chia seeds water for weight loss is the easiest and most effective way. How to use chia seeds in water for weight loss and how many seeds per serving may vary according to your preference. Usually, to make chia water, soak the seeds (1/4th cup) in 1 litre of water. You can have this directly or give it some flavour with lemon or orange.
• Juice it away: Water and chia seeds essentially do not have any taste to them. To give it the twist you want, add 1/4th cup of chia seeds to any juice of your choice and enjoy!
• Complement your greens: Your body is a garden and requires the salad you try to avoid. Add the chia seeds to your salad dressing to make them even healthier.
• Not your regular oatmeal: Oats are a very famous breakfast choice. Prepare them overnight and add a tablespoon of chia seeds to savour into a wholesome mix.

Delicious and nutritious chia seeds recipes

In this section of the blog, we will further discuss how to eat chia seeds for weight loss, how to drink chia seeds for weight loss, and much more using recipes!

Chia seed pudding: We cannot ignore the celebrated chia seeding pudding when discussing chia seeds. What’s even better is that you need very few ingredients to make this.

•  Fill a jar with your preferred milk (½ cup) and top it with chia seeds (2 tbsp).
• Stir in the seeds and milk, then stir in the honey (½ tsp) or your preferred sweetener.
• Repeat stirring until the milk is evenly mixed with the chia seeds. 
• Refrigerate overnight or a minimum of 2 hours.

Strawberry banana chia seed smoothie: Smoothies are a fan favourite worldwide, and what better way to have chia seeds than smoothies?

Method -

•  Blend 2 cups of frozen strawberries, one banana, one cup of milk of choice, and 2 tbsp of chia seeds into a mixer. 
•   Your tasty and nourishing smoothie is ready

Chia seeds power balls: With so much energy packed in chia seeds, it only makes sense to create powerful laddoos.

Method - 

•  Add 1 cup of Oats, ⅔ Cup of Shredded Coconut, ½ Cup Peanut Butter,  2 tbsp Chia Seeds, ½ Cup Raisins,1 tsp vanilla and ⅓ Cup Honey to a large bowl and mix well.
• Cover the mixture so that it hardens up before you roll it into bite-sized bowls.

Chia quinoa bread: This gluten and vegan-free bread is your healthier alternative to regular flour bread. 

Method -

• 1 ¾ cup quinoa (soaked overnight)
• ¼ cup Zen Spirit chia seeds (soaked for 1 hour)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup water
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt 

Add the mixture to a baking tray and top it with sunflower seeds. Bake it for 1 hour 30 minutes at 160 degree celsius.
 

Precautions and best practices

In view of the fact that we have learned how to take chia seeds for weight loss, it is also equally crucial to know the healthy amounts to intake per day. 

However tempting it may sound to have many chia seeds, after hearing the benefits, it is recommended that one should not have more than 50 grams per day. 

•  Excessive intake can backfire on your plans by causing digestive issues instead of improving your gut health. People with higher sensitivity may also be allergic to chia seeds.
• Overconsumption can lead to deficient blood sugar levels, requiring an insulin dosage adjustment.
• Intaking superfluous amounts may also lower blood pressure more than required.

Additionally, it is vital to soak chia seeds before consuming them in any shape or form so that it does not cause digestive issues.

Combine chia seeds with a healthy lifestyle

Fitness is a journey, and health is a lifestyle. One cannot be solely dependent on singularities to attain their goals. Therefore, relying on something better than chia seeds is a good idea to start seeing results.

One must take into account the food consumed regularly (a balanced diet with healthy amounts of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals), the amount of movement, and the type of lifestyle - getting adequate sleep, managing stress, having plenty of water, etc.

Conclusion

Chia seeds’ many health benefits make them valuable to a well-rounded diet. From their nutritional value to assisting in weight loss, a healthy amount of chia seeds has proven beneficial for overall well-being. 

While they are undoubtedly a worthwhile addition to a nutritious diet, they are most effective when combined with a broader strategy that encapsulates sustainability and holistic lifestyles. It ensures that we enjoy superfoods like chia seeds and cultivation practices that help in long-term wellness and vitality.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much chia seeds should I consume daily for weight loss?

To lose weight, one should consume at most 2 tbsp of chia seeds daily. They help increase metabolism and keep us full for a longer time. These properties make chia seeds good for weight loss.

Can chia seeds be eaten raw for weight loss?

Even though it is not always necessary to soak chia seeds in water, it is advisable to do so to prevent any digestive problems. One can add them raw as toppings or soak them in liquid for a gel-like consistency.

Are there any negative effects of consuming chia seeds?

Chia seeds do not have any direct adverse effects, but excessive consumption can lead to digestive problems, low blood sugar, and low blood pressure.

How long does it take to see weight loss results with chia seeds?

It may take up to 12 weeks to see results, considering other lifestyle changes like good food habits and exercise supplement it.