Chia seeds belong to the Salvia Hispanica plant, originating from Mexico and Guatemala. Chia seeds have an oval shape and are about 2mm long in diameter. The grain color has black and white spots and is interspersed with a gray background. This is also considered a food containing a lot of fiber, protein, vitamins, and especially antioxidants. So how many calories are chia seeds? What is the nutritional value of chia seeds? Let’s find out in detail through the article below!
How many calories are in chia seeds?
For those who regularly use chia seeds and especially for those who are losing weight, many people wonder. It’s easy to understand how many calories chia seeds have. According to experts, how many calories are in chia seeds? You need to know the amount of chia seeds in water.
According to calculations, 100g of chia seeds will contain about 486 calories. Meanwhile, the amount of chia seeds that experts recommend should not exceed 20g/day. For adults, using chia seeds for energy requires 10 – 20g/day, and children will need about 10g.
To make a cup of chia seed water with a dosage of 10 – 20g of chia seeds, the calories are in the range of 48.8 – 97.2 calories. The way to make chia seed water is very simple, you can add about 10g to a cup of warm water and wait for 3-5 minutes. At this time, the chia seeds will be hydrated and will create a glue layer on the outside. From there, you can enjoy a refreshing glass of chia seed water in the summer and warm the body in the winter.
So how to calculate the calorie content of chia seeds measured with spoons, specifically:
- 1 teaspoon of chia seeds will provide a weight of about 5g or 24 calories.
- 2 teaspoons of chia seeds will provide a weight of 10g of chia seeds equivalent to 48 calories.
- 3 teaspoons of chia seeds will provide a weight of about 15g, equivalent to 72 calories. This is the amount of chia seeds that provide adequate nutrients for an adult in a day.
Can eating chia seeds help you lose weight?
Chia seeds are a healthy food thanks to their rich mineral and vitamin content. Wow. However, if you overdo it when using chia seeds, it will have the opposite effect and negatively affect the body.
MoreFurthermore, for those who have the habit of adding chia seeds to their diet or drinks, the calorie content will be the most significant. Therefore, you will know how to adjust accordingly, specifically:
Chia seed squash tea
The calorie source of winter melon tea is mainly from chia seeds with about 97 calories and rock sugar with 383 calories. So, the total of 1 cup of squash tea will be about 480 calories. This is a large amount of calories, but you can rest assured because it is a beverage that does not need to be consumed all at once. In addition, you can divide the tea into several portions, so each time you drink it, your body does not take in too many calories.
Moreover, winter melon tea has a cool, delicious taste and has many health benefits. Because the ingredients to make a cup of winter melon tea include winter melon, aloe vera, and chia seeds. Winter melon tea with chia seeds has the effect of losing weight, beautifying the skin, detoxifying and purifying the body.
Chia seed yogurt
You can soak 15g of chia seeds with 100ml water. Then, wait for the seeds to bloom evenly for 30 minutes and mix well with fresh milk, fruit, and unsweetened yogurt. Next, enjoy the food,
Chia seed orange juice
A glass of chia seed orange juice contains about 219 calories. You can add chia seeds directly to orange juice. Or soak chia seeds in filtered water and then add them to orange juice.
Using chia seeds will help you feel full for a long time and no longer crave food.
Benefits of chia seeds for the body can
Chia seeds provide abundant fiber >
The fiber in chia seeds is 1.6 times higher than barley, 2.3 times higher than oats and 8.3 times higher than with corn (maize). In addition, fiber also helps the digestive system and promotes metabolism. Thanks to that, it helps you get rid of the obsession of constipation.
Omega-3 supplement
Omega-3 – healthy fat and found in abundance in chia seeds. This active ingredient is abundant in fish species such as salmon. In addition, it also helps your brain and heart function more stably if you supplement adequately with omega-3.
Contains a lot of vitamin B1 and vitamin B3
One teaspoon of chia seeds (equivalent to 5g) will contain about 12% vitamin B1 and vitamin B3. These vitamins will help the body function more stably. What is this?Supports energy metabolism and protects the flexibility of the nervous system.
Chia seeds contain Selenium
Using chia seeds has the ability to reverse the aging process thanks to its high content of Selenium. This active ingredient helps to escape the destruction of free radicals. In addition, selenium also helps the body absorb vitamin E better.
Detoxifies the body
Anti-inflammatory compounds found in chia seeds help heal damaged cells effectively. In addition, chia seeds can also eliminate toxins during human food intake. Because they ensure these two things, chia seeds help the body become healthier.
Helps strengthen bones
In case, you do not want to drink milk to supplement calcium, you can replace it with chia seeds. 100g of chia seeds will contain about 630mg of calcium, which can supplement more than 60% of the amount of calcium the body needs.
In addition, chia seeds help the body absorb vitamin D better.
When should you drink chia seeds?
You can use chia seeds any time of the day. However, for the weight loss effect you expect, you should take it before breakfast or lunch. In the early mornings, the stomach is often empty and needs food. Furthermore, drinking a glass of chia seeds early in the morning will reduce the amount of food absorbed later. Therefore, you can use it flexibly at two times to achieve the best weight loss effect.
Furthermore, depending on your gender and age, you should consume 19 to 38 grams of fiber per day. And about 25 grams is ideal for women, equivalent to 2.5 grams of chia seeds. However, the recommended consumption of this type of seed would be about 1.5 teaspoons of chia seeds per day.
Through the article below, My Auris has shared useful information about common daily calorie intake such as how many calories are chia seeds. Hopefully this article will help you take care of your health as well as understand the calorie content of a serving so you know how many total calories you consume per day. Thanks to that, it brings benefits to the body. Wishing you a healthy life every day!
Kim Dung
