Chia seed

Typically, chia seeds are small flattened ovoids measuring on average , with an average weight of 1.3 mg per seed. They are mottle-colored with brown, gray, black, and white. The seeds are hygroscopic, absorbing up to 12 times their weight in liquid when soaked; they develop a mucilaginous coating that gives them a gel texture. Chia (or chian or chien) has mostly been identified as Salvia hispanica L. Other plants referred to as "chia" include "golden chia" (Salvia columbariae). The seeds of Salvia columbariae are also used for food. ==Modern cultivation==

Seed yield varies depending on cultivars, mode of cultivation, and growing conditions by geographic region. For example, commercial fields in Argentina and Colombia vary in yield range from . A small-scale study with three cultivars grown in the inter-Andean valleys of Ecuador produced yields up to , indicating that favorable growing environment and cultivar interacted to produce such high yields.[20] Genotype has a larger effect on yield than on protein content, oil content, fatty acid composition, or phenolic compounds, whereas high temperature reduces oil content and degree of unsaturation, and raises protein content. ==History==

Salvia hispanica is described and pictured in the Codex Mendoza and the Florentine codex, Aztec codices created between 1540 and 1585. Tribute records from the Mendoza Codex, Matrícula de Tributos, and the Matricula de Huexotzinco (1560), along with colonial cultivation reports and linguistic studies, detail the geographic location of the tributes and provide some geographic specificity to the main S.hispanica-growing regions. Most of the provinces grew the plant, except for areas of lowland coastal tropics and desert, and it was given as an annual tribute by the people to the rulers in 21 of the 38 Aztec provincial states. The traditional cultivation area was in a distinct area that covered parts of north-central Mexico, south to Guatemala. A second and separate area of cultivation, apparently pre-Columbian, was in southern Honduras and Nicaragua. Chia seeds served as a staple food for the Nahuatl (Aztec) cultures. It may have been as important as maize as a food crop. Jesuit chroniclers placed chia as the third-most important crop in the Aztec culture, behind only corn and beans, and ahead of amaranth. Offerings to the Aztec priesthood were often paid in chia seed. In the 21st century, chia is grown and consumed commercially in its native Mexico and Guatemala, as well as Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. New patented varieties of chia have been developed in Kentucky for cultivation in northern latitudes of the United States. ==Nutrition==

Dried chia seeds contain 6% water, 42% carbohydrates (including a high content of dietary fiber), 16% protein, and 31% fat (table). In a reference amount of , chia seeds supply 486 calories and are a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of the B vitamins, thiamin and niacin (52% and 55% DV, respectively). They are also a moderate source of riboflavin (13% DV) and folate (12% DV). The seeds contain dense amounts of several dietary minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc (all more than 20% DV; table). Chia oil contains a high percentage of essential fatty acids (approximately 60%) and a low content of saturated fatty acids. The fats of chia seed oil are mainly unsaturated, with linoleic acid (17–26% of total fat) and α-linolenic acid (50–57%) as the major fatty acids (see table). ==As food==

made using chía Chia seeds may be added to other foods as a topping or put into smoothies, breakfast cereals, energy bars, granola bars, yogurt, tortillas, and bread. They also may be made into a gelatin-like substance or consumed raw. The gel from ground seeds may be used in place of eggs in baking, and it is a common substitute in vegan and allergen-free baking. In Europe Chia is considered a novel food in Europe because it does not have "a significant history of consumption within the European Union before 15May 1997", according to the Advisory Committee of Novel Foods and Processes. Under this rule, chia seeds may be 5% of total matter in bread products. Prepackaged chia seeds must carry additional labelling to inform the consumer that the daily intake is no more than 15 grams and pure chia oil only 2 grams daily. Preliminary health research Preliminary research remains sparse and inconclusive. Drug interactions No evidence to date indicates consuming chia seeds has adverse effects on, or interacts with, prescription drugs. ==In popular culture==

Chia pet Introduced in 1977, chia pet figurines were used to sprout chia, becoming novelties as house plants with about 15 million sold, as of 2019. ==Gallery==

File:Salviahispanica-florentinecodex2.jpg|Drawing from the Florentine Codex showing a S. hispanica plant File:Alligator Chia Pet.jpg|Chia pet alligator == References ==