Chia seeds and their nutritional and therapeutic values
What it found
Chia seeds are a good source of omega-3 fats, omega-6 fats, soluble fiber, proteins, and plant chemicals.
Their nutritional value is the reason they are used to help prevent several diseases.
What they found
Studies in people and animals
Disease prevention uses
Because of its nutrients, chia is used to help prevent obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Other findings
Nutrients in chia seeds
Chia seeds contain polyunsaturated fats including omega-3 and omega-6. They also provide soluble dietary fiber, proteins, and plant chemicals.
What the authors conclude
- They set out to describe the nutritional and healing value of chia seeds based on existing research.
How it was done
Chia has been eaten for over 5,500 years and was a key food for Mayas and Aztecs. Many scientific centres are currently researching its nutritional and healing properties.
The authors gathered existing research on chia seeds to describe their nutritional makeup and potential health uses. The abstract does not say how many studies were included or who was studied.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work gathers past research rather than testing chia directly. It cannot prove that eating chia prevents any specific disease.
The paper
- Title
- Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica): health promoting properties and therapeutic applications – a review
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Marcinek K, Krejpcio Z (2017). Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica): health promoting properties and therapeutic applications – a review. Roczniki Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny.PubMed 28646829
Summary written 1 Oct 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error