Ok, so that's not quite right. Eating your Chia Pet will not make you healthier but researchers have found that a variety of the grain that sprouts on the Chia has interesting health benefits.
Canadian researchers at the University of Toronto have found that a variant of the chia grain decreases blood pressure, reduces inflammation and thins blood.
The study consisted of 20 Type-2 diabetics who consumed up to four tablespoons of Salba (chia grain) every day for four months. Results were that clotting factors dropped 20 percent and a key marker of inflammation, C-reactive protein decreased 30 percent. Levels of EPA, an essential omega-3 fatty acid increased by 80 percent. The significant finding was a six-unit drop in systolic blood pressure.
High blood pressure is one of the most common health problems among people with diabetes and tends to amplify all of the disease's potential complications. A six-unit blood pressure reduction "would likely translate into less chance of cardiovascular events or kidney disease" for diabetes sufferers, said University of Toronto professor Amir Hanna, who also worked on the study.
A Toronto based company, Source Salba, is already marketing a line of Salba enriched crackers and bars and several large food corporations are investigating the possibility of doing the same.
So it appears that as annoying as the Ch-ch-cha-chia commercials were there is a significant health benefit to those tiny, fast growing seeds. Just don't eat your Chia Pet Homer Simpson.
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