Kelsey is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who has worked with 500+ clients to help them achieve their health and nutrition goals.
Chia seeds have exploded in popularity. Many people use them to make chia pudding. Perhaps you’ve even hopped on board and have already bought them to make chia pudding. But wait, before you do that, have you considered the benefits of chia pudding? Do you know whether this pudding will help or compromise your fitness goals? These questions are among those you need to ask yourself before you make this pudding.
Have you already started to look for recipes for chocolate chia pudding? Before jumping in, take some time to analyze the health benefits of chocolate chia pudding. You should be confident that the pudding is tasty and offers some health gains.
This article will discuss solid reasons why you need to prepare chia pudding based on the chia pudding benefits. We’ll also look at some of the drawbacks of chia pudding and other simple ways to consume these tiny oval-shaped seeds.
As the name implies, chia seeds are examples of seeds that are consumed for various health benefits. They are the edible seeds of a particular flowering plant that belongs to the mint family. Some people refer to them as Mexican chia or Salba chia (7).
These seeds have a long history. They are native to Guatemala and Mexico but over time, they’ve become widespread in various countries around the globe. For example, they’re now grown in the United States, Peru, Australia, Mexico, Guatemala, and Argentina (7).
They are widely recognized for their countless health benefits. If you prefer to consume these seeds in a pudding, keep reading to determine the chia pudding benefits.
People often wonder if they should consume chia seeds as they are or if there are other ways to prepare them. It’s perfectly fine if you choose to snack on raw chia seeds. However, over time, numerous chia seed recipes have been developed. Here are some ways in which you can enjoy them (7):
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Some people tend to be fooled by the size of chia seeds. Therefore, they may not use them. On the other hand, some may not know how to incorporate these seeds into a pudding, so when preparing puddings, chia seeds tend to be the last ingredient they use.
Believe it or not, adding these seeds to your pudding for dessert or main course helps you reap various health gains. Some of these include:
Chia seeds are packed with insoluble fiber. According to Medical News Today, a one-ounce serving of chia seeds has 9.75 g of fiber and 4.69 g of protein (1). These two nutrients are vital when it comes to dropping pounds.
Both protein and fiber help suppress your appetite and increase your satiety levels. Consequently, they prevent you from either overeating or over-snacking. This helps you stick to a calorie deficit for weight loss.
Protein can also help you build muscle, which can increase your metabolism, helping you burn extra calories at rest and during activity. This means that if you’re exercising and eat this pudding, you’ll burn more calories, further helping you shed pounds.
Furthermore, chia seeds are relatively low in calories. One serving of these seeds in your pudding contains 138 calories (1). With weight loss, you need to focus on consuming fewer calories than your body burns.
As chia seeds have low calories, they rank among the best low-calorie snack options. You can choose to have them in a pudding if you want a more nutrient-dense and filling snack.
The nutritional benefits of chia pudding stem from the nutritional benefits of chia seeds. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) acknowledges that a one-ounce serving of these seeds in your pudding contains the following (4):
The nutritional profile of these seeds is quite impressive, considering that this is just a one-ounce serving. All these nutrients help in various body processes and roles. For example:
A chia pudding can also help improve your heart health as the chia seeds contain antioxidants. One of the antioxidants that is present in these seeds is quercetin. The antioxidant properties of quercetin protect your body from free radicals (12).
Free radicals refer to unstable molecules that may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and tumor growth. They may also quicken aging (12). Consuming chia seed pudding can provide you with this antioxidant and potentially help prevent heart disease.
Chia seeds are incredibly rich in fiber. Increased fiber intake can help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. These are two of the most common risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. With such a reduced risk of heart disease, you can benefit from better heart health.
Inflammation refers to the part of your body’s defense mechanism that also plays a vital role in the healing process (5). When your body detects any threat, it launches a biological response in an attempt to remove it.
However, chronic inflammation may be associated with several diseases, including some cancers, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Luckily, chia seeds contain another antioxidant called caffeic acid. This may help reduce inflammation, potentially helping prevent diseases such as cancer (14). Research has shown that the anti-inflammatory properties of caffeic acid can target a single inflammation source and suppress inflammatory enzymes in the lab (3, 8).
Read more: Single Serving Chia Pudding: A Simple On-the-Go Breakfast
Chia seeds are also rich in healthy fats, such as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). Health experts recommend consuming these fats over less healthy fats, such as trans fats and saturated fats.
These monounsaturated fats help lower your risk of heart disease by improving your risk factors. For example, they may lower your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) “bad” cholesterol levels and maintain the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) “good” cholesterol levels (10).
LDL cholesterol levels are one of the many risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Similarly, these healthy fats may improve the functioning of your blood vessels. The Mayo Clinic acknowledges that they may also help control blood and sugar levels (10). This can be quite beneficial to anyone with type 2 diabetes.
Another of the many benefits of chia pudding is increased omega-3 fatty acid intake. Omega-3 fatty acids have various health benefits. Firstly, they may reduce your chances of having a heart attack.
Medical News Today states that this is possible due to the possible ability of these acids to reduce your triglyceride levels (15). Triglycerides are the fats that increase your cardiovascular disease risk if they’re in excess in your blood.
They may also help reduce inflammation, which as previously mentioned is linked to heart diseases. Similarly, omega-3 fatty acids may help combat obesity as they may promote weight loss. However, it remains unclear how this occurs (15).
As previously mentioned, chia seeds contain insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber tends to remain intact when it passes through the digestive system. The ability to stay intact makes it valuable for easing or preventing constipation (6).
It also helps promote the regularity of a healthy digestive tract. It is essential to maintain regular bowel movements as they help excrete toxins through the stool and bile (6).
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Before you get caught up in the chia pudding craze, you need to know that it may come with several health risks. It is indisputable that consuming chia seeds, regardless of whether in a pudding or smoothie, has numerous health benefits. However, these seeds may also pose various health risks if they’re not consumed properly. Some of these risks include:
According to WebMD, you shouldn’t consume these tiny seeds in dry or raw form, particularly if you have swallowing problems or a constricted esophagus (9). Experts acknowledge that the small seeds can absorb up to 27 times their weight in water, so they may expand in the esophagus when swallowed and form a gel that may lead to obstruction (9). Such an obstruction can be fatal and may lead to other catastrophic consequences. Therefore, you’re advised to never consume raw or dry chia seeds if you have swallowing difficulties. Talk to your dietitian for recommendations on the best way to add these seeds to your pudding if you have such issues.
You may also increase your choking risk if you consume chia seeds either dry or raw in water. Remember that they can absorb plenty of water, which can leave you dehydrated. Therefore, you should make sure you use the right chia pudding recipe that reduces this risk and always drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Again, consult a dietitian before you add them to your diet if you have difficulty swallowing.
Read more: Overnight Chia Pudding: Snack Your Way to Good Health
Chia pudding benefits include better heart health, better weight management, reduced inflammation, improved digestion and detoxification, and better nutrient intake. The list of benefits also includes increased omega-3 fatty acid and healthy fat intake.
However, you must be cautious with chia seed consumption if you have swallowing difficulties. A pudding with dry or raw chia seeds may make swallowing even harder, which will increase your risk of choking and acquiring an esophagus obstruction.
To prevent this, it’s a good idea to ask your dietitian or nutritionist for more suitable chia pudding recipes. Remember to also enquire as to how much of these seeds you should use in your pudding. The right amount will allow you to reap any or all of these chia seed pudding benefits.
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