Chia

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Body inflammation³

  In people, eating chia lowered one inflammation marker, CRP, but not two others.

• Benefit

  Blood pressure and cholesterol⁴

  In people, chia seeds may modestly lower blood pressure, cholesterol and waist size, but the evidence is moderate to low.

• Benefit

  Blood sugar and weight⁵

  Chia lowered blood sugar and waist size in overweight adults, but its safety is still unclear.

• Benefit

  Fatty liver disease⁶

  In people with fatty liver, eating milled chia daily improved liver scores and reduced belly fat.

Study type not stated

• Open question

  Heart and blood sugar health⁷

  Chia is rich in omega-3 fats and fiber, and scientists are still studying how it affects heart disease and diabetes.

• Benefit

  Heart and metabolic health⁸

  Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fats and fiber, which may help with diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

How it’s made and used

• Plant-based meat alternatives⁹

  Chia seeds and their parts may help make plant-based meat alternatives, a review found.

• Sausage quality and storage¹⁰

  In frankfurters, chia products added at 3% lowered leftover nitrites and slowed oxidation during chilled storage.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.