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Does Your Body Digest Chia Seeds?

does your body digest chia seeds

Chia seeds are considered a staple superfood and are very easy to add to your diet, lifestyle.  Let me explain

Chia is an extremely nutrient and antioxidant rich food that has become a common ingredient in weight-loss diets and workout regimes.

Although mainly beneficial to the body, there are still many questions on whether or not your body has the capability to process this fiber-rich superfood.

So, can your body digest chia seeds?

Our bodies definitely digest chia seeds, but it is important to note that you need to take in the consideration of your own body’s daily nutrient needs. Total dietary fiber intake should be 25 to 30 grams a day from food.

Within one ounce (28 grams) of chia seeds, there is approximately 12 grams of carbohydrates, but 11 grams of those carbohydrates are made up of fiber.

Fiber is a nutrient that our body’s need daily to aid in digestive processes.

A healthy amount of fiber will help create a bulky stool, which decreases the chance of constipation or watery stool, ultimately maintaining bowel health.

Taking in too much fiber could result in constipation, excess gas, and bloating, so it is important to stay within the daily recommended range of fiber to avoid these problems.

In order to avoid digestive problems when consuming chia seeds, it is important to know the origin of the seeds, the best ways to consume them, and how to moderate intake to maintain healthy bowel movements.

What is the Best Way to Eat Chia Seeds?

There are many ways to consume chia seeds.

With plenty of recipe variations out there to combine with chia seeds, it is still important to note that chia should be combined with healthier recipes and should be added primarily as a fiber source.

If you combine chia with another food high in fiber, you could easily be taking in more fiber than your body can handle, resulting in digestive issues such as constipation, bloating, and excessive gas.

One of the most common ways to use chia seeds is to make them into a chia chai pudding.

This is usually done by combining almond milk, honey, coconut, yogurt, berries, and of course chia seeds. This pudding makes for a nutritious breakfast in the morning to start on your day.

You can also use chia seeds as a topping for yogurts and oatmeal.

By topping your meal with as little as 1 tablespoon of chia will offer 3 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, which is an amazing way to get those extra daily nutrients in.

ways to eat chia seeds

Chia seeds also come in the form of energy bars.

This is especially beneficial for workouts. Eating a bar prior to your workout will result in increased energy levels so that you’re not slacking during your exercise.

Consuming a bar as a post-workout snack will help keep you full to avoid any unnecessary snacking, which is extremely beneficial for weight-loss journeys.

For all the bread lovers out there, chia seeds can be incorporated into bread baking . Combining chia with a bread recipe containing sesame and poppy seeds can make for a great breakfast or sandwich. This is a gluten free bread, so it is safe for people with celiac disease or gluten allergies.

One final way to use chia seeds is to create an energy gel. Most energy drinks are usually loaded with high contents of sugar, which may upset your stomach.

Other supplements like creatine can also have negative effects in the long-run, such as kidney and liver damage.

Combining nutritious juice with chia seeds will create a gel-like substance that is not only a great pre-workout snack, but will also save you from stomach problems and kidney and liver problems in the long-run.

Chia seeds are a staple superfood and can easily be added to many different recipes.

There is no best way to eat chia, it all comes down to preference and your body’s nutritional needs. What’s important is that you know what your body needs, so that you can make a healthy decision on what recipe to incorporate into your diet.

Do Chia Seeds Cause Bowel Movements?

While chia seeds are nutrient rich, they also assist in digestive processes and bowel movements.

Though, healthy bowel movements depend entirely on the amount of chia seeds you consume.

Consuming the right amount of chia seeds, will aid in your bowel health.

If your stool is currently too soft or watery, it means that you aren’t consuming enough fiber. Eating fiber rich foods, such as chia seeds, will help absorb excess water during digestion, not only keeping you fuller for longer, but creating a firm and healthy stool, ultimately avoiding constipation and watery stools.

Bowel movement problems occur when you consume too much fiber.

Do Chia Seeds Cause Bowel Movements

If you don’t already have enough fluids in your system, eating more fiber than your body can handle will result in stomach cramps, constipation, bloating, and excessive gas. This is because there isn’t enough water for the fiber to absorb, which in turn will cause digestive and bowel movement problems.

Even though the daily recommended amount of fiber is 25 to 30 grams, it can be beneficial to start off slowly when it comes to adding chia seeds to your diet.

By starting off slowly with around 3 tablespoons of chia seeds (15 grams of fiber), will help your system adjust to the new fiber intake.

It is also very important to ensure your drink plenty of water so that the fiber from the chia seeds has something to absorb in order to avoid hard stools and constipation.

Chia seeds are a great superfood to consume. It can cause healthy bowel movements, or it can cause unhealthy bowel movements.

This all depends entirely on the amount of fiber you eat. Eating the right amount for your body will result in the healthiest bowel movements, but taking in too much than your body can handle can lead to some uncomfortable bowel issues.

So, it is important to keep track of how much fiber you already eat, and base your chia seed dosage from the amount of fiber you already consume daily.

 

What happens after I’ve swallowed chia seeds?

Once you consume chia seeds, it will eventually reach the fluids in your stomach.

The chia fiber within the chia will then absorb those liquids and create a gel-like substance within your stomach.

This ultimately slows down the digestive process, which will in turn keep you fuller for a longer period of time. This is why chia seeds are a great ingredient for weight-loss diets.

Can you consume chia while on medication?

This will depend entirely on the medication you’re on. If you’re on any blood pressure, or diabetes medication, you should consult your doctor before taking chia.

If you’re not sure, consult your physician anyways.

Why should I drink plenty of fluids when eating Chia?

Chia is known to absorb significant amounts of liquid. If you consume too much chia without drinking enough fluids, you could end up getting stomach cramps.

To avoid this, ensure that you drink enough water when eating chia so that it can absorb that liquid.

What’s the difference between black and white chia seeds?

What’s the difference between black and white chia seeds

There is no difference between the colors of seeds really. Both colors will end up containing the same amount of nutrients, so this is of no concern if you’re needing to choose between them.

Final Thoughts

Chia seeds are a great ingredient to incorporate into your diet.

Your body will digest chia seeds, but it is important to take in the fact that your body will have digestion issues if you consume too much.

Start out with 3 tablespoons of chia seeds so that your body can adjust to the newly increased fiber intake.

Another note to take is that you need to be aware of your body’s current daily fiber intake, so that you don’t end up over-consuming on the fiber.

In the end, chia seeds are a beneficial ingredient to help aid in digestion and bowel movements, as long as you’re considerate of your current daily nutrition.