chia seed (Salvia Hispanica L.)
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Indications
- Chia seeds offer multiple cardiovascular & metabolic health benefits, primarily through their content of omega-3 fatty acids (particularly alpha-linolenic acid), dietary fiber, protein, & antioxidants
- benefits:
- blood pressure reduction is a consistent benefit
- decreases in both systolic blood pressure (~7 mm Hg) & diastolic blood pressure (~6 mm Hg)[1][2]
- effects appear most pronounced when baseline systolic blood pressure < 140 mm Hg
- lipid profile improvement
- reductions in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, & triglycerides.[1][3]
- Chia consumption increases serum omega-3 fatty acids (ALA & EPA) & reduces saturated fatty acids[3]
- a small reduction in HDL cholesterol may occur[1]
- glycemic control improvement
- lower postprandial blood glucose levels (dose-dependent)[4]
- seeds demonstrate hypoglycemic effects through multiple mechanisms
- inhibition of alpha-glucosidase & alpha-amylase enzymes[5]
- anti-inflammatory & antioxidant effects
- modest reductions in waist circumference
- high fiber content (~30-40% by weight) alleviates constipation[9][10] Mechanisms of action:
- blood pressure reduction is a consistent benefit
- AMPK pathway modulation
- improves glucose & insulin tolerance
- reduces lipogenesis
- enhances antioxidant activity.[8]
Notes
- most evidence comes from short-term studies with surrogate markers
- overall certainty of evidence ranges from low to moderate, indicating that more high-quality clinical trials with validated clinical outcomes are needed
More general terms
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Al-Younis ZK, Al-Shawi SG, Kareem AK et al A Critical Review of the Health Benefits Associated with Chia Seeds (Salvia Hispanica L.). Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2025 Oct 12;80(4):170. PMID: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41076614
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 TaghipourSheshdeh F, Behzadi M, Bashiri S, Mohammadi-Sartang M. The Effect of Chia Seed on Blood Pressure, Body Composition, and Glycemic Control: A GRADE-Assessed Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutr Rev. 2025 Mar 1;83(3):448-465. PMID: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39225983
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Silva LA, Verneque BJF, Mota APL, Duarte CK. Chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) consumption and lipid profile: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Food Funct. 2021 Oct 4;12(19):8835-8849. PMID: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34378609
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Teoh SL, Lai NM, Vanichkulpitak P et al Clinical evidence on dietary supplementation with chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.): a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2018 Apr 1;76(4):219-242. PMID: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29452425
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Tavera-Hernandez R, Sanchez-Obregon R, Obregon-Mendoza MA et al Synthesis of First Copper Metal Complex of C=C Extended Curcuminoid Analogue: Structure, beta-Cyclodextrin Association, and Biological Properties. Molecules. 2025 Oct 1;30(19):3943. doi:http://dx.doi.org/ 10.3390/molecules30193943. PMID: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41097363 PMCID: PMC12526022 Free PMC article. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12526022/
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Noblat GA, Souza GT, de Araujo BAN, de Campos LMTDS et al Salvia hispanica L.: Botanical Characteristics, Nutritional Composition, and Potential Health Benefits. Nutr Rev. 2025 Nov 9:nuaf196. PMID: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41206911
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Motyka S, Koc K, Ekiert H et al The Current State of Knowledge on Salvia hispanica and Salviae hispanicae semen (Chia Seeds). Molecules. 2022 Feb 11;27(4):1207. PMID: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35208997 PMCID: PMC8877361 Free PMC article. Review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8877361/
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Enes BN, Moreira LPD, Silva BP et al Chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) effects and their molecular mechanisms on unbalanced diet experimental studies: A systematic review. J Food Sci. 2020 Feb;85(2):226-239. PMID: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31972052
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Kulczynski B, Kobus-Cisowska J, Taczanowski M et al The Chemical Composition and Nutritional Value of Chia Seeds-Current State of Knowledge. Nutrients. 2019 May 31;11(6):1242 PMID: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31159190 PMCID: PMC6627181 Free PMC article. Review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6627181/
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Ullah R, Nadeem M, Khalique A et al Nutritional and therapeutic perspectives of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.): a review. J Food Sci Technol. 2016 Apr;53(4):1750-8. PMID: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27413203 PMCID: PMC4926888 Free PMC article. Review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4926888/