Catherine Saxelby

Nutritionist, Blogger, Award Winning Author
  • 18 September 2023

    Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

    What’s in your favourite tomato pasta sauce, and how much of it? Here are the most popular sauces reviewed for your reading ple...
  • 21 June 2023

    The Foodwatch site is closing

    From the end of June 2023, nutritionist Catherine Saxelby will be retiring. It's been an action packed whirlwind of activity ov...
  • 14 June 2023

    Protein-rich foods – serve sizes

    Protein, protein, protein. Are you getting enough? Here is a handy list of MEAT and NON-MEAT SOURCES of protein for you to prin...
  • 07 June 2023

    The truth behind coconut oil

    Many “health gurus” tout the benefits of coconut oil. Just type the term into any search engine and you’ll be flooded with arti...
  • 31 May 2023

    Gardening – is it really exercise?

    Did you know that gardening can reduce your risk of heart diseaset?  This month I’ll share this and the latest posts from ...
  • 17 May 2023

    Plant-based meat substitutes

    What do YOU think about plant-based meat substitutes? Veggie-loaded burgers? All-vegetable rissoles? Meatless Mondays?Yet anoth...
  • 10 May 2023

    The truth about lecithin

    What IS lecithin, I hear you ask. A popular “health food” supplement, lecithin is a type of fat called a phospholipid, which ha...
  • 03 May 2023

    Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

    As you probably know already, intermittent fasting (IF) has gained favour as an alternative regimen to daily caloric restrictio...
  • 26 April 2023

    Reduce your risk of a knee replacement - if you lose weight

    Did you know that you can reduce your risk of needing a knee replacement by losing weight?  I’ll share this and the latest...
  • 19 April 2023

    Brighten your diet – eat by the rainbow

    What’s the first thing that strikes you when you walk into a fresh produce store? If you’re imagining the rainbow of colour…so ...

Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Chia

Written by Catherine Saxelby on Monday, 21 September 2009.
Tagged: carbohydrates, fibre, food trends, protein, snacks, super foods, supplements, trends

Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Chia
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When I first read about Chia, I thought "Yeh, sure, sounds way too good to be true." And the claims do sound amazing. Can such tiny seeds, smaller even than sesame or flax seeds, really be loaded with so much omega-3, fibre, protein and calcium that they get labelled a super food? In all honesty, I'd never heard of them before and with so many "new" discoveries, the hype around Chia seemed to a bit over the top.

 History

Chia seeds (pronounced chee-ah) are new on the food scene but have a long history. For centuries, the Chia plant (Salvia hispanica) has been growing in its natural habitat of Central and South America. It was a highly valued oilseed crop by the Mayans, Aztecs and Southwest Native Americans as a staple food because of its energy and sustenance properties. When the Aztec civilisation ended, the seeds vanished from our kitchens ... until now. Today Chia seeds are grown in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and are appearing in health food aisles.

 What do they look and taste like?

Chia seeds goop with spoon

  Chia seeds look like tiny sesame seeds and can be black, white or grey. They are sold in a packet, unprocessed. They have a neutral flavour and the growers say you can sprinkle them over or add them to just about anything - muesli, smoothies or yoghurt - without disturbing the final taste.

When combined with water they form a thick gel which helps make them a good mixer. I've been playing around with the Chia seeds I was sent and they're quite gelatinous - 15 minutes after adding a tablespoon to one cup water they form a thick jelly-like mass. Each seed appears to absorb water and become a globule of jelly - just like soft tapioca balls.

The Chia sites I've been searching all say to add this goop to your smoothies or whatever else (it's quite tasteless) so you get the beneficial soluble fibre. The only negative thing is that - unlike tapioca - each Chia seed retains a tiny fragment of hull (must be high in cellulose) so when you swallow it, you don't get a soft pleasant jelly. You get the jelly plus lots of tiny bits of "grit". To my taste, I'd rather eat them dry.

 What's in Chia seeds?

  • Like all seeds, chia seeds are high in fat especially the "good" fats. At around 30 per cent fat, they're lower than sesame seeds (50 per cent) or nuts but make up for this with an extraordinarily high level of omega-3 - unusual in the plant world.
  • They have 18 per cent of the plant form of omega-3 called ALA which is around the same as linseeds (flaxseeds) at 22 per cent, making them one of the richest sources of ALA.
  • Omega-3 is important for heart health and brain function. We usually get this from fish and meat, but plant sources are useful for counter-balancing the omega-6 we overdo.
  • Their next biggest asset is their fibre content. At 37 per cent fibre, they are an outstanding source of fibre, in particular soluble fibre. They have the ability to absorb a high volume of liquid and become thick and gelatinous, thanks to some mucilages. This, coupled with their low level of available carbohydrate, makes them slowly absorbed.

 

Protein plus calcium

Chia seeds yellow portrait 8a

Chia seeds contain 15 per cent protein - as much as wheat yet they're gluten-free - and a variety of vitamins, minerals and trace elements including folate, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper and potassium.

Like almonds and sesame seeds, they have a surprisingly high content of calcium (255mg per 100g compared to 120mg for milk), but how well this is absorbed is debatable. Don't believe all you read on the Chia marketing sites about how much better Chia is than milk. The same can be said for their magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper.

To my thinking, Chia have the crunch and appearance of poppy seeds with the omega-3 of flaxseeds.

 

Ways to use Chia seeds

  • Sprinkle over cereal and muesli.
  • Use them to coat rissoles, meatloaf or burgers - they add a pleasant crunch to the exterior just like poppy seeds
  • Because of their neutral taste and light colour, white Chia seeds make an ideal part-replacement for white flour in home baking. Replace 2 tablespoons of the flour with white Chia seeds.
  • Mix 1 or 2 tablespoons of the seeds into one cup of water and add the gel to smoothies, juices, yoghurts and soups.

 How Chia compares

Compare Chia to sesame and flaxseeds and you'll notice that Chia has little carbohydrate, a hefty fibre of 38%, less fat than the others (which means less kilojoules/calories) yet as much ALA as flaxseed (see 18% almost as high as 22%).

Seed

Carb

%

Fibre

%

Fat

%

LA

%

ALA

%

 

kJ

Chia seeds 6 38 30 6 18 2050
Sesame seeds 12 12 49 21 <1 2400
Flaxseeds 2 27 42 6 22 2235

From USDA Nat Nutrient Database for Std Reference Release 21 (2008). LA is linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid. ALA is alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid.  http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl

 Growing Chia

Over the past five years, the Kimberley region in Western Australia has become the world's largest producer of Chia. It has the ideal latitude and climate for growing Chia.

More info on where to source chia


A gel made from chia may replace as much as 25 per cent of the oil or eggs in cakes without affecting taste, says a study from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Chia gel was used to replace 25%, 50%, and 75% of oil or eggs in a control cake formulation and rated by 75 panelists on a seven-point hedonic scale. There was a slight drop in the volume of the chia cakes but no difference in taste or volume. June 2010, 110, 6, 946-949. DOI: 10.1016/j.jada.2010.03.011


chia seed white 150g Read up on the Aussie company that put chia on the plate and its commitment to sustainable farming. Currently they are the world's largest producer of raw chia seed.

 


chia growingCheck out an agricultural perspective from ABC TV Landline's website. This interview shows how chia is grown in the Ord River valley in the Kimberley in Western Australia.

 

 


Chia wholemeal breadBuy some delicious soft wholemeal bread baked with 6% chia seed at Baker's Delight hot bread shop chain. Having tracked it down, I can vouch that it's an attractive wheaty loaf high in fibre that everyone will enjoy. I prefer the unsliced square loaf but if you don't, they can slice it for you.

 


June 2010, 110, 6, 946-949. DOI: 10.1016/j.jada.2010.03.011

Reviews

  • Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

    Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

    18 September 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    What’s in your favourite tomato pasta sauce, and how much of it? Here are the most popular sauces reviewed for your reading pleasure.

    I’ve rated nine of the most popular tomato pasta sauces in terms of their nutrition, ingredient lists and jar size. You’ll find many of these in your local supermarket. The sauces are ranked:

    • from Italian (Italy grows the reddest full-flavoured tomatoes) to Australian
    • per 100 grams, which is equivalent to 3½ ounces (the standard for comparing food products)
    • by serving size (varies between brands but is generally 100–175 g in size)
    • by ingredient list, jar size and where made (with each product’s website as the source)

    The bottom line

    When you’re next out shopping, run your eyes down the per 100 g column and look for products containing less than 400 mg sodium AND less than 5 g fat (which equals 5% fat). Most of the brands are below these levels. I like Barilla, Sacla, Leggo’s, La Gina and Mutti – but that’s just me!

    Read more
  • Product Review: Low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer

    Product review: Low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer

    1 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    Want something to drink before dinner? Something that’s LOWER in alcohol than wine? To match his beer? Then look no further than Bundaberg’s low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer.

    You can drink Bundaberg low-sugar ginger beer straight from the can, or pour it into a long glass over ice with a slice of lime.

     

  • Product snapshot: Khorasan Macaroni

    Product snapshot: Berkelo’s Khorasan Macaroni

    14 September 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    I’m loving this macaroni from Berkelo. I was sent a sample for Whole Grain Week 2022 by the Grains Legume Nutrition Council. I cooked it up and found that it was just divine! Read on for more …

  • Product Review: super-high-oleic-safflower-oil

    Product review: Super high-oleic safflower oil

    11 May 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    “What does super high-oleic mean?” I hear you ask.  Also, “I haven’t heard of safflower for ages. What’s the deal?” Read on and all will be explained.

  • Product Review: Healthy Life Food Tracker

    Product review: Healthy Life Food Tracker

    6 April 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    When I was first asked to write this review, I thought, Not another tracker.

    After all, there have been several in recent years, such as My Fitness Pal and Everyday Diet Diary. But this one is different. It works by using your Everyday Rewards card AND your shop at Woolworths.

  • Product review: Lite n' Easy

    Product review: Lite n' Easy

    20 October 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    With home delivery on the rise, this post is reviewing none other than that stalwart Lite n’ Easy. We all know their meals are good for weight loss (which we all need after COVID-19!), but did you know they’re also good for general health and wellbeing ? Eating well to nourish yourself – putting your mental health and wellbeing at the forefront – is gaining momentum. Lite n’ Easy meals also ensures you satisfy your need for vitamins, minerals, fibre and phyto-compounds, such as sterols and carotenoids.

    clipboardThis post has been sponsored by Lite n' Easy.  

     

  • Product review:  Birds Eye Plant Based range

    Product review: Birds Eye Plant Based range

    15 September 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    When you think of Birds Eye, their frozen peas and fish fingers probably come to mind. But I bet you’d never think of plant-based products!

    clipboardThis post has been sponsored by Birds Eye. 

Healthy Weight Loss

  • Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

    Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

    3 May 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    As you probably know already, intermittent fasting (IF) has gained favour as an alternative regimen to daily caloric restriction (DCR). Fasting is shown to extend the lifespan of rats, and has been associated with metabolic benefits in humans, yet the results so far have been inconsistent. So, which regimen is best for healthy weight loss?

    Read more
  • The lifestyle diet craze

    The lifestyle diet craze

    15 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    What sort of a diet should you follow to lose that excess weight? These days, it’s pretty confusing with high-protein Keto advocates clashing with plant-protein followers … as well as intermittent fasters, juice-only dieters, no-carb dieters and no-animal (aka plant-based) dieters. Plus all the ads for anti-hunger supplements, meal-replacement shakes and home-delivered meals, more of which somehow appear every day. So, what sort of diet should YOU follow to lose that excess?

  • Protein shakes for weight loss

    Protein shakes for weight loss

    9 November 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    These days, protein shakes aren’t bought by just body builders – they’re so popular that you can readily buy a 400 g tub at your local supermarket or service station. And with tempting claims such as ‘Facilitates muscle toning’, ‘Contains transformation-making protein’ and ‘Tastes incredible, mixes easily’, why wouldn’t you grab one? But protein shakes aren’t the magic answer to all your weight-loss woes. Let’s take a look at what you get for your money.

    Guest post by dietitian Zoe Wilson APD

  • What is your relationship with food and eating?

    How to beat those cravings

    20 January 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    Many of us have cravings from time to time and for different reasons. One thing is certain, they can sabotage all your best efforts at a healthy diet and/or weight loss. The good news? You CAN beat them. I’ll tell you how.

  • What is your relationship with food and eating?

    How to lose weight WITHOUT going on a diet

    14 October 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

    The word 'diet' is a turn-off for most people. It sounds hard, unpleasant and unpalatable. Losing weight doesn’t have to be hard AND it doesn’t have mean sticking to a 'diet'. You can forget Paleo, Keto, Vegan and Raw, Gluten-free and Intermittent Fasting. To lose weight, you don’t have to follow any specific diet. What you need is simple, healthy, nutritious food and a few tips and tricks.

  • What IS a healthy balanced diet for weight loss?

    What IS a healthy balanced diet for weight loss?

    16 September 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

    Healthy weight loss happens when you lose weight slowly and steadily (around 1 kg or 2 pounds weight loss a week). Your goal is to lose weight while still getting your essential nutrients but from smaller portions. You certainly don’t want to be tired with no energy! That’s why you need regular healthy meals and snacks on hand to ensure your vitamins, minerals, omega-3s and fibre needs can be easily met. There is a new range of healthy weight loss meals available and it’s one that I’d like to recommend. With these ready meals, you’ll say goodbye to meal planning, shopping, meal preparation and cooking.

    This post is sponsored by Chefgood 

  • Kitchen make-over for the New Year

    Kitchen make-over for the New Year

    8 January 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

     “This year, I'm going to lose weight!”, or “This year I’m opting for a healthier lifestyle!” Is your 2020 New Year's resolution something like one of these? If so, how is it going to happen?