What is the best for the absorption of nutrients and fibers?
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Main to remember
- Chia seeds are presented as a superfood because they provide a good source of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.
- A study suggests that ground chia seeds offer more nutritional advantages than whole chia seeds.
- Experts say that whole chia seeds are always easy to digest because the external layer of the seeds breaks down when combined with liquid.
Although whole chia seeds are rich in fiber, grinding them can facilitate access to your body inside proteins and omega-3 inside.
Should you grind chia seeds?
A study in Australia using pork intestinal microbes suggested that consumption of chia seeds on the ground can improve their health benefits.
Whole chia seeds can always support digestive health, but external fiber can protect other nutrients from liberation and absorption, said James Cowley, PHD, study co-author and food development scholarship at the University of Adelaide in Australia.
If you want to grind chia seeds, Cowley advised to do it just before eating. “A second or two in a spice or coffee grinder is enough to open the seeds,” he said. The grinding too far in advance can expose the seeds to oxygen, which leads to rancid odors and flavors.
Benefits for soil health compared to whole chia seeds
Chia seeds contain polyphenols, a compound in certain plant products with antioxidant properties. They are also a good source of fiber, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Some animal studies have also suggested that chia seeds can help improve intestinal function and encourage the growth of healthy intestinal bacteria.
Land and whole chia seeds offer these nutritional advantages.
Whole chia seeds are also easy to digest for the body because the surface of the seeds breaks down when exposed to liquid, said Melissa Majumdar, MS, RD, CSOWM, LDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics based in Decatur, Georgia.
“Use it in all its form or terrestrial form – everything that is the easiest to integrate,” said Majumdar.
She noted that chia seeds take a consistency similar to a frost when combined with water, which can slow down digestion and help people stay full longer.



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