It wasn’t long ago when chia seeds were most well known for being spread onto animal-shaped terra-cotta pottery and growing into green “ch-ch-ch-chia” pets, with the lush greenery filling in for fur. However, those tiny chia seeds are useful for far more than making novelty items; they’re incredibly beneficial for your health.
Chia seeds, which are members of the Salvia Hispanica family, along with mint, were a prized food to the ancient Aztecs and Mayans. “Chia” is the ancient Mayan word for strength, and the tiny seeds were valued for their energy-boosting properties.
Today they’re gaining popularity as a functional food item that supplies an impressive variety of nutrients in just a small dose, such as two tablespoons. Although they’re mostly grown in Mexico and Bolivia, in 2014 the first US company growing chia seeds was established.
Originally, the seeds were being targeted as equine feed, but their benefits to four-legged animals extend to humans as well.
