Chia Seeds - For Your Mood (And More!)

Chia seeds are nothing short of miraculous in terms of all the great things they do for your body, especially for your mood. You’ll be inspired to use them more after reading this!

The Aztecs and Mayans had it right

Chia seeds have been used for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years by people - it seems like the positive effects of it must have been very clear from the start. And there is now tons of science to back up why we should incorporate chia seeds into our diet! The amount of nutrients in these are almost hard to believe. From just 2 tablespoons (!)of chia seeds you get noticeable amounts of carbohydrates, fat, protein and lots of fibre! The seed is also packed full of magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, Vitamin B1 and B2, as well as calcium and iron.

The fat in chia seeds is important to look at, and possibly the most well-known thing about them. They contain omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower the risk of heart disease, and is also a key mood boosting nutrient! The human brain consists of about 60% fat, so when we talk about needing fat in our diet to do brain-heavy work, not just physical work - that is certainly true. Our bodies cannot produce omega-3 fatty acids on their own, it has to come from our diet. So in addition to oily fish and various nuts, chia seeds are a great way to give your body what it needs.

I find the connection between mood and food really interesting, and chia seeds are definitely one food to consider having more of if you feel like your anxiety levels are high and/or your mood is low. Not only will the omega-3 probably help you, the high levels of magnesium will contribute too! Studies show that depressive disorders are noticeably lower in people who consume foods rich in magnesium. And finally I’m going to give a big shoutout to fibre - I know I’ve mentioned a few times that fibre rich foods we’ve looked at in the past are great for weight control because of the feeling of fullness it provides. But much more important and interesting than weight control is fibres effect on your gut. Your gut microbiota play a huge part in your mood, and we are still learning about this. I have been reading a lot about this recently and can’t cram in all the ins and outs of the gut/brain connection in my short blog posts - however, fibre rich foods are essential for your gut health and chia seeds are a fantastic place to start (along with fruit and vegetables!) for a healthy intake of fibre.

There’s more to chia seeds and what they do for you, but it doesn’t get much better than that for a tiny little seed! Use chia seeds in your baking (even as a substitute for eggs if you like), in your porridge, make overnight chia pudding for your breakfast or add to smoothies and cereal bowls. You can even mix some seeds in with a salad dressing, it’ll make it nice and thick and super healthy!

Do you use chia seeds in your cooking? What do you make with them? Message me on Instagram @TheFromScratchBody!