--- title: "Chia Seeds Health Benefits | Sutter Health" description: "I've been hearing more and more about the nutritional benefits of chia seeds -- that they can help regulate blood sugar and promote weight loss. Any truth to this?" url: "/ask-an-expert/answers/chia-seeds-health-benefits-1051061163" --- 1. Home / 2. Chia Seeds Health Benefits # Chia Seeds Health Benefits * * * Medically reviewed by - Deborah Kurzrock, R.D. ## Question I've been hearing more and more about the nutritional benefits of chia seeds -- that they can help regulate blood sugar and promote weight loss. Any truth to this? ## Answer Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family. They have a nutlike flavor. It is a cousin of the seeds (Salvia columbariae) once used to grow green hair atop your clay "pet". The chia seed is now sold as a nutty topping for yogurt and salads. These types of chia seeds pack more alpha-linoleic acid and omega 3 fat than flax seeds and also provide fiber, antioxidants and even some calcium and iron. Chia grows abundantly in southern Mexico and South America. It was highly prized by the Aztecs, who believed it provided supernatural powers. Although high in fiber, chia seeds are also high in calories - about 37 calories and 3 grams of fiber per tablespoon. Dr. Andrew Weil says an advantage of eating chia seeds is that you can add them to water and let them sit for 30 minutes, and the chia will form a gel. He states that researchers suggest that this reaction also takes place in the stomach, slowing by the process by which digestive enzymes break down the carbohydrates and convert them into sugar. So eating chia seeds, the kind sold as food, will not harm you if eaten in moderation. Although I am not sure the supposed benefits of the seeds are worth the extra calories. ## Explore related topics NutritionWeight management ## Related questions View all questions - Health Q&A ### Aerobic vs. Resistance Exercise Experts say not to skip meals because it slows metabolism down. We are also advised to exercise to burn fat. Now they say you can't just do aerobics, you need resistance training. I'm training with weights and all I'm doing is getting bigger. - Health Q&A ### Decreasing Belly Fat: Do Protein Shakes Work? To reduce belly fat, I have read about diets that include using plant-based protein shakes or smoothies that are supposed to “melt away” belly fat. Is there any truth to this? - Health Q&A ### Eating Well While Losing Weight My daughter and I are vegans. We are knowledgeable and eat a very healthy diet. She is about 40 lbs overweight and I need to lose 10 lbs. 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View all questions ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/chia-seeds-health-benefits-1051061163#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Chia Seeds Health Benefits"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/chia-seeds-health-benefits-1051061163#medicalwebpage","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/chia-seeds-health-benefits-1051061163","name":"Chia Seeds Health Benefits","description":"Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family.","inLanguage":"en-US","medicalAudience":{"@type":"MedicalAudience","audienceType":"Patient"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/chia-seeds-health-benefits-1051061163#breadcrumblist"},"mainEntity":{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/chia-seeds-health-benefits-1051061163#question","name":"Chia Seeds Health Benefits","text":"I've been hearing more and more about the nutritional benefits of chia seeds -- that they can help regulate blood sugar and promote weight loss. Any truth to this?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/chia-seeds-health-benefits-1051061163#answer","text":"Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family. They have a nutlike flavor. It is a cousin of the seeds (Salvia columbariae) once used to grow green hair atop your clay \"pet\". The chia seed is now sold as a nutty topping for yogurt and salads. These types of chia seeds pack more alpha-linoleic acid and omega 3 fat than flax seeds and also provide fiber, antioxidants and even some calcium and iron. Chia grows abundantly in southern Mexico and South America. It was highly prized by the Aztecs, who believed it provided supernatural powers. Although high in fiber, chia seeds are also high in calories - about 37 calories and 3 grams of fiber per tablespoon. Dr. Andrew Weil says an advantage of eating chia seeds is that you can add them to water and let them sit for 30 minutes, and the chia will form a gel. He states that researchers suggest that this reaction also takes place in the stomach, slowing by the process by which digestive enzymes break down the carbohydrates and convert them into sugar. So eating chia seeds, the kind sold as food, will not harm you if eaten in moderation. Although I am not sure the supposed benefits of the seeds are worth the extra calories.","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/chia-seeds-health-benefits-1051061163","author":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/chia-seeds-health-benefits-1051061163#expert"}}},"publisher":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization"},"reviewedBy":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/chia-seeds-health-benefits-1051061163#expert"}} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/chia-seeds-health-benefits-1051061163#expert","name":"Deborah Kurzrock","honorificSuffix":"R.D."} ```