Chia offers health benefits to diabetics

Chia, an ancient grain that was once the staple of the Aztec diet is not only surprisingly nutritious, it can also help regulate blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease in diabetics, Canadian researchers report in a new study in the journal Diabetes Care.

The chia seed contain high levels of fibre, calcium, magnesium, more antioxidants than many berries, and omega-3 essential fatty acids. Dr. Jack Bukowski, a professor of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology at the Harvard School of Medicine is impressed with how nutritious this "super grain" appears to be. "It has a remarkable nutrient profile. We haven't seen anything like this before."

Steve - we have known about chia for a while. In fact, it is on the Coco Chia Bars, one of the few snack bars that we recommend. Chia is a mild salicylate, but for those not salicylate-sensitive, it is a wonderful food and you will be seeing more of it in foods in the near future.