Chia Seeds Nutritional Value

miss_goodwin
miss_goodwin Posts: 7 Member
in Food and Nutrition
This app surprised me when I entered my chia seed into my journal! Preface: I can’t stomach seafood so my diet is short omegas. I try to incorporate chia seeds and flax into my diet. The app pointed out chia seeds are high in fat, carbs, and calories. Aren’t the fats good for your body - including omegas. The carbs are more like fiber and pass through the body so they don’t really count as a carb load? Then why so high in calories? Is there then a better way to get omegas (I can’t do the vitamins with fish oil either). Also I want the good fats and shouldn’t worry about too much of the fats in things like this, nuts, olive oils, and such??

Replies

  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,089 Member
    I'm pretty sure those little announcements MFP gives you when you log a food are automatically generated based on the ratio of any given nutrient to total weight of the food. The thing is, the chia seeds you eat are dried, and thus have a very low percentage of their weight from water, compared to most other foods, which means they will have a higher ratio of things like fat, carbs, and calories to weight.

    The important thing for you to consider is whether, for the calories in the amount of chia seeds you plan to consume, they contribute a beneficial amount of whatever nutrients you're looking for (plus, whether you like them, because if you don't, you can probably find the nutrients you want in things you do like). For me, the fiber and omega 3 FAs and fiber in chia seeds, plus a small amount of protein, make them worth the calories in the amounts I consume. Plus, I like them, both as a crunchy additive in some foods and in their jelly-like thickening state when soaked. To me, they don't have much flavor, so I really only use them where I like what they do for a dish texture-wise.

    In 100 grams of dried chia seeds, you get 486 kcal; 31g of fat, of which 18 g are omega-3 FAs, if I'm understanding the USDA nutrient database correctly; 42 g of carbs, of which 34 g are fiber; and 17 g of protein. I tend to have around 10 g of chia seeds in a smoothie, in cereal, or on a salad, which works out to about 50 kcal, 3 g of fat; 2 g of omega 3 FAs, 4 g of carbs, 3 g of fiber, and 2 g of protein, which I'm happy with.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,133 Member
    miss_goodwin wrote: »
    This app surprised me when I entered my chia seed into my journal! Preface: I can’t stomach seafood so my diet is short omegas. I try to incorporate chia seeds and flax into my diet. The app pointed out chia seeds are high in fat, carbs, and calories. Aren’t the fats good for your body - including omegas. The carbs are more like fiber and pass through the body so they don’t really count as a carb load? Then why so high in calories? Is there then a better way to get omegas (I can’t do the vitamins with fish oil either). Also I want the good fats and shouldn’t worry about too much of the fats in things like this, nuts, olive oils, and such??

    If you want to supplement Omega 3s, can you tolerate the algae-based Omega-3s? Walnuts are another potential plant source of some O-3 fats. (I'm vegetarian, so eat zero seafood.)

    Since O-3s are fats, and often occur in foods that are relatively higher in fats generally, they're going to be as calorie-dense as . . . fats. ;) You don't need bucketsful of O-3s, so all you need to worry about, as others have said, is whether your preferred portion of chia seeds fits well into your overall day's calories and nutrition.

    As long as you get adequate protein and fat, within your sensible calorie goal, plus plenty of varied, colorful veggies/fruits for micros and fiber, you'll be fine. To the extent you have additional calories available, you can fill them with additional fats, additional protein, or carbs - whatever keeps you feeling happiest, most satiated, and most energetic.

    Fiber is a carb, but not all carbs are fiber that "pass through the body". But non-fiber carbs aren't evil, so as long as you get enough protein/fats and stick to a sensible calorie level, there's no problem.
  • Safari_Gal
    Safari_Gal Posts: 888 Member
    miss_goodwin wrote: »
    This app surprised me when I entered my chia seed into my journal! Preface: I can’t stomach seafood so my diet is short omegas. I try to incorporate chia seeds and flax into my diet. The app pointed out chia seeds are high in fat, carbs, and calories. Aren’t the fats good for your body - including omegas. The carbs are more like fiber and pass through the body so they don’t really count as a carb load? Then why so high in calories? Is there then a better way to get omegas (I can’t do the vitamins with fish oil either). Also I want the good fats and shouldn’t worry about too much of the fats in things like this, nuts, olive oils, and such??

    Hi @miss_goodwin !

    I too try to incorporate more omega 3s into my diet. I use flax and chia quite a bit.

    1 tablespoon of chia is 60 calories. (Approx 2,100 omega 3) I think it depends on the portions. When I make chia pudding. I use about 3-4 tablespoons, but I find it harder to eat more then that. When I make flax bread or muffins - it’s 35 calories per Tbsp. They are quite high in fiber - so the net carbs are pretty low.

    I agree the calories can add up - but I think these guy are a great bang for the nutritional buck. I also take Norwegian cod liver oil - lemon flavored - surprisingly no fishy taste if that helps.

    Also try - walnuts and spirulina- great sources of omega 3!
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    Calories are what matters for weight loss, based on what I've heard the announcement by the app are useless (I use desktop, not the app).

    However, if you are concerned about omega 3s, it's worth noting that there are different types -- EPA, DHA, and ALA. ALA is the type in sources like flaxseed and chia, and yet it's not at all demonstrated that its as beneficial or a replacement for the DHA/EPA sources (mainly fish or algae). See: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/why-not-flaxseed-oil

    So if the concern is omega 3 vs omega 6, I'd say a better call than adding in flax and chia is reducing unnecessary omega 6 (no processed seed oils or foods containing them) and eating some fish (or if you won't do that, supplements, as there are good vegan DHA/EPA supplements).
  • miss_goodwin
    miss_goodwin Posts: 7 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    Calories are what matters for weight loss, based on what I've heard the announcement by the app are useless (I use desktop, not the app).

    However, if you are concerned about omega 3s, it's worth noting that there are different types -- EPA, DHA, and ALA. ALA is the type in sources like flaxseed and chia, and yet it's not at all demonstrated that its as beneficial or a replacement for the DHA/EPA sources (mainly fish or algae). See: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/why-not-flaxseed-oil

    So if the concern is omega 3 vs omega 6, I'd say a better call than adding in flax and chia is reducing unnecessary omega 6 (no processed seed oils or foods containing them) and eating some fish (or if you won't do that, supplements, as there are good vegan DHA/EPA supplements).

    Thank you! I’m going to have to do more research now. I was wondering what DHA was in my prenatals!! I try to have salmon at least once a week, but unfortunately the wild caught is soooo expensive my husband doesn’t want to continue to buy it. We just tried some frozen wild caught, but it was not nearly as good 🤷‍♀️ looks like I’ll have to find a pill that doesn’t upset my stomach 👍

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I eat chia seeds at least once per day, but don't use the app so don't get that message.

    I also take Carlson Super Omega-3 Gems, Pescetarian, Norwegian, 1,200 mg Omega-3s, 100 + 30 Soft Gels. I buy them from Emerson, but you need a login, so I have included a link for Amazon instead.

    No fish burps or other unpleasant side effects :)
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    i did not know that they are so calorie dense !!!

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