Whole vs. Ground chia seeds?

RandiZZ16

Hi everyone! I know sometimes seeds can be tricky for our digestive system to break down. That being said, are ground chia seeds better absorbed by the body than whole ones?

neanderthin

Nature designed seeds to travel through digestive tracks undigested for a reason, so yeah, ground are better absorbed.

RandiZZ16

Very good point!

cynt0165

You could grind your seeds for absorption of their nutritional value

PAV8888

the beauty of seeds is that they are seeds and some are absorbed and some are not. if you turn them into a butter... more will be absorbed. whether that is of benefit to you or not :shrug:

AnnPT77

"People often wonder if chia seeds should be eaten ground instead of whole. The surface of chia seeds is delicate and easily breaks apart when exposed to moisture, so they are typically prepared with liquid foods (as seen with the recipe ideas below). In this way, they are absorbed and digested well in their whole form, unlike flax seeds. If eating the seeds dry, choosing ground chia seeds may help to improve absorption."

Source: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/chia-seeds/

That source doesn't always deliver gospel truth, but it's usually not super bad far off, either. For sure, they have better credentials for discussing this than I or most other people posting here have.

kshama2001

AnnPT77 wrote: »

"People often wonder if chia seeds should be eaten ground instead of whole. The surface of chia seeds is delicate and easily breaks apart when exposed to moisture, so they are typically prepared with liquid foods (as seen with the recipe ideas below). In this way, they are absorbed and digested well in their whole form, unlike flax seeds. If eating the seeds dry, choosing ground chia seeds may help to improve absorption."

Source: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/chia-seeds/

That source doesn't always deliver gospel truth, but it's usually not super bad far off, either. For sure, they have better credentials for discussing this than I or most other people posting here have.

From the same article:

"Chia Gel: Chia seeds absorb water quickly (up to 10 times their weight in liquid!). Place ¼ cup seeds in 1 cup liquid, stir well, and cover. Allow to sit for about 15-20 minutes until the texture changes to a soft gelatin. Store in refrigerator for up to one week. Add to smoothies and soups to boost nutrient value and create a thicker, more satisfying consistency."

I'll soak them for that short amount of time if I have no choice, but think it actually takes longer, and prefer to soak them for a few hours. When I was including them in a smoothie everyday, I'd start a new batch for the next day when prepping the current day's.

I have no problems with digestion this way. In fact, chia seeds help me with my fiber goal which helps me stay regular.

While looking for this image:



...I found some images for chia seeds in Jello, and will have to check that out.

AnnPT77

kshama2001 wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

"People often wonder if chia seeds should be eaten ground instead of whole. The surface of chia seeds is delicate and easily breaks apart when exposed to moisture, so they are typically prepared with liquid foods (as seen with the recipe ideas below). In this way, they are absorbed and digested well in their whole form, unlike flax seeds. If eating the seeds dry, choosing ground chia seeds may help to improve absorption."

Source: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/chia-seeds/

That source doesn't always deliver gospel truth, but it's usually not super bad far off, either. For sure, they have better credentials for discussing this than I or most other people posting here have.

From the same article:

"Chia Gel: Chia seeds absorb water quickly (up to 10 times their weight in liquid!). Place ¼ cup seeds in 1 cup liquid, stir well, and cover. Allow to sit for about 15-20 minutes until the texture changes to a soft gelatin. Store in refrigerator for up to one week. Add to smoothies and soups to boost nutrient value and create a thicker, more satisfying consistency."

I'll soak them for that short amount of time if I have no choice, but think it actually takes longer, and prefer to soak them for a few hours. When I was including them in a smoothie everyday, I'd start a new batch for the next day when prepping the current day's.

I have no problems with digestion this way. In fact, chia seeds help me with my fiber goal which helps me stay regular.

While looking for this image:



...I found some images for chia seeds in Jello, and will have to check that out.

Yeah, I figured anyone who was interested would read the article. In all honesty, I tried chia seeds, and found them pretty disgusting. Not a fan of the mouth feel. I know many people enjoy them, and they're nutrient dense.

As a hobby botanist, I got curious about bioavailability because of the statement upthread that seeds generally are designed to pass through the digestive tract, so should be ground. Some plants' seeds do use a dispersion strategy of getting into animals' digestive tracts and being deposited elsewhere, but that's not really universal among all plants. There's a lot of info spread about the importance of grinding some seeds (such as flax) for bioavailability. I wondered if that not being a general rule for other seeds was an oversight, so I looked up chia as a case to consider.

I'm not trying to be simplistic here, i.e., most seeds are fairly tough for other survival reasons, so the "digestive tract" dispersion strategy isn't the only consideration. Nuts' calories, for example, do have a reputation for not being fully metabolized. (That seems to be about lipid release, not clear to me whether it generalizes to bioavailability of other nutrient content. It's complicated.) On top of that, there's the question of so-called "anti-nutrients".

Now that I think about it, I wonder why the people who say "dairy milk is only for baby cows" don't also avoid nuts/seeds, because pretty much the point of the nutrient-rich portion of nuts/seeds is to feed the baby plant until it gets going with soil-based nutrients (or nutrients from other growth enviroments/substrates in less common cases).

I like rabbit holes.

kshama2001

AnnPT77 wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

"People often wonder if chia seeds should be eaten ground instead of whole. The surface of chia seeds is delicate and easily breaks apart when exposed to moisture, so they are typically prepared with liquid foods (as seen with the recipe ideas below). In this way, they are absorbed and digested well in their whole form, unlike flax seeds. If eating the seeds dry, choosing ground chia seeds may help to improve absorption."

Source: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/chia-seeds/

That source doesn't always deliver gospel truth, but it's usually not super bad far off, either. For sure, they have better credentials for discussing this than I or most other people posting here have.

From the same article:

"Chia Gel: Chia seeds absorb water quickly (up to 10 times their weight in liquid!). Place ¼ cup seeds in 1 cup liquid, stir well, and cover. Allow to sit for about 15-20 minutes until the texture changes to a soft gelatin. Store in refrigerator for up to one week. Add to smoothies and soups to boost nutrient value and create a thicker, more satisfying consistency."

I'll soak them for that short amount of time if I have no choice, but think it actually takes longer, and prefer to soak them for a few hours. When I was including them in a smoothie everyday, I'd start a new batch for the next day when prepping the current day's.

I have no problems with digestion this way. In fact, chia seeds help me with my fiber goal which helps me stay regular.

While looking for this image:



...I found some images for chia seeds in Jello, and will have to check that out.

Yeah, I figured anyone who was interested would read the article. In all honesty, I tried chia seeds, and found them pretty disgusting. Not a fan of the mouth feel. I know many people enjoy them, and they're nutrient dense.

As a hobby botanist, I got curious about bioavailability because of the statement upthread that seeds generally are designed to pass through the digestive tract, so should be ground. Some plants' seeds do use a dispersion strategy of getting into animals' digestive tracts and being deposited elsewhere, but that's not really universal among all plants. There's a lot of info spread about the importance of grinding some seeds (such as flax) for bioavailability. I wondered if that not being a general rule for other seeds was an oversight, so I looked up chia as a case to consider.

I'm not trying to be simplistic here, i.e., most seeds are fairly tough for other survival reasons, so the "digestive tract" dispersion strategy isn't the only consideration. Nuts' calories, for example, do have a reputation for not being fully metabolized. (That seems to be about lipid release, not clear to me whether it generalizes to bioavailability of other nutrient content. It's complicated.) On top of that, there's the question of so-called "anti-nutrients".

Now that I think about it, I wonder why the people who say "dairy milk is only for baby cows" don't also avoid nuts/seeds, because pretty much the point of the nutrient-rich portion of nuts/seeds is to feed the baby plant until it gets going with soil-based nutrients (or nutrients from other growth enviroments/substrates in less common cases).

I like rabbit holes.

@AnnPT77 did you mix the chia seeds with other foods? My bedtime snack is chia seeds, strawberries, Greek yogurt, and cereal. I don't even notice the chia. It maybe adds a little seed texture if not fully gelatinized.

Plain, it is indeed weird. I only eat it plain to test to see if I've left it in the frig too long

AnnPT77

kshama2001 wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

"People often wonder if chia seeds should be eaten ground instead of whole. The surface of chia seeds is delicate and easily breaks apart when exposed to moisture, so they are typically prepared with liquid foods (as seen with the recipe ideas below). In this way, they are absorbed and digested well in their whole form, unlike flax seeds. If eating the seeds dry, choosing ground chia seeds may help to improve absorption."

Source: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/chia-seeds/

That source doesn't always deliver gospel truth, but it's usually not super bad far off, either. For sure, they have better credentials for discussing this than I or most other people posting here have.

From the same article:

"Chia Gel: Chia seeds absorb water quickly (up to 10 times their weight in liquid!). Place ¼ cup seeds in 1 cup liquid, stir well, and cover. Allow to sit for about 15-20 minutes until the texture changes to a soft gelatin. Store in refrigerator for up to one week. Add to smoothies and soups to boost nutrient value and create a thicker, more satisfying consistency."

I'll soak them for that short amount of time if I have no choice, but think it actually takes longer, and prefer to soak them for a few hours. When I was including them in a smoothie everyday, I'd start a new batch for the next day when prepping the current day's.

I have no problems with digestion this way. In fact, chia seeds help me with my fiber goal which helps me stay regular.

While looking for this image:



...I found some images for chia seeds in Jello, and will have to check that out.

Yeah, I figured anyone who was interested would read the article. In all honesty, I tried chia seeds, and found them pretty disgusting. Not a fan of the mouth feel. I know many people enjoy them, and they're nutrient dense.

As a hobby botanist, I got curious about bioavailability because of the statement upthread that seeds generally are designed to pass through the digestive tract, so should be ground. Some plants' seeds do use a dispersion strategy of getting into animals' digestive tracts and being deposited elsewhere, but that's not really universal among all plants. There's a lot of info spread about the importance of grinding some seeds (such as flax) for bioavailability. I wondered if that not being a general rule for other seeds was an oversight, so I looked up chia as a case to consider.

I'm not trying to be simplistic here, i.e., most seeds are fairly tough for other survival reasons, so the "digestive tract" dispersion strategy isn't the only consideration. Nuts' calories, for example, do have a reputation for not being fully metabolized. (That seems to be about lipid release, not clear to me whether it generalizes to bioavailability of other nutrient content. It's complicated.) On top of that, there's the question of so-called "anti-nutrients".

Now that I think about it, I wonder why the people who say "dairy milk is only for baby cows" don't also avoid nuts/seeds, because pretty much the point of the nutrient-rich portion of nuts/seeds is to feed the baby plant until it gets going with soil-based nutrients (or nutrients from other growth enviroments/substrates in less common cases).

I like rabbit holes.

@AnnPT77 did you mix the chia seeds with other foods? My bedtime snack is chia seeds, strawberries, Greek yogurt, and cereal. I don't even notice the chia. It maybe adds a little seed texture if not fully gelatinized.

Plain, it is indeed weird. I only eat it plain to test to see if I've left it in the frig too long

I used a chia pudding recipe. I don't remember the details. I do get a yogurt bowl at my favorite coffee shop that has chia seeds, but it's like a tablespoon (tops) in a good-sized bowl with yogurt, berries, granola, peanut butter. I don't notice them. But I don't buy them for home.

I put walnuts, hemp hearts and ground flax seed in my home yogurt bowl or oatmeal at breakfast, don't really think I need chia in context of my overall diet. Heaven knows I don't need the extra fiber, already usually get 30-60 grams daily. Micros and ALA Omega-3 are in good shape without them, too.

VeryKatie

kshama2001 wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

"People often wonder if chia seeds should be eaten ground instead of whole. The surface of chia seeds is delicate and easily breaks apart when exposed to moisture, so they are typically prepared with liquid foods (as seen with the recipe ideas below). In this way, they are absorbed and digested well in their whole form, unlike flax seeds. If eating the seeds dry, choosing ground chia seeds may help to improve absorption."

Source: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/chia-seeds/

That source doesn't always deliver gospel truth, but it's usually not super bad far off, either. For sure, they have better credentials for discussing this than I or most other people posting here have.

From the same article:

"Chia Gel: Chia seeds absorb water quickly (up to 10 times their weight in liquid!). Place ¼ cup seeds in 1 cup liquid, stir well, and cover. Allow to sit for about 15-20 minutes until the texture changes to a soft gelatin. Store in refrigerator for up to one week. Add to smoothies and soups to boost nutrient value and create a thicker, more satisfying consistency."

I'll soak them for that short amount of time if I have no choice, but think it actually takes longer, and prefer to soak them for a few hours. When I was including them in a smoothie everyday, I'd start a new batch for the next day when prepping the current day's.

I have no problems with digestion this way. In fact, chia seeds help me with my fiber goal which helps me stay regular.

While looking for this image:



...I found some images for chia seeds in Jello, and will have to check that out.

Hmm... I soak my chia over night but they still come out the way they go in.

I'm trying to up my fibre and lower my saturated fats. Any tips for fibre? Even will adding veggies to everything and eating chia seed pudding and eating beans I seem to be capping at 38g at the most in 2400-2600 calories.