Description

Chia seeds are the edible seeds ofSalvia hispanica, a flowering plant in themintfamily (Lamiaceae) native to central and southern Mexico,or of the relatedSalvia columbariaeof the southwestern United States and Mexico. Chia seeds are oval and gray with black and white spots, having a diameter around 2 millimetres (0.08in). The seeds arehygroscopic, absorbing up to 12 times their weight in liquid when soaked and developing amucilaginouscoating that gives chia-based foods and beverages a distinctivegeltexture.

Chia seeds serve as a rich plant-based source of Omega-3 fatty acids.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. In 2009, the European Union approved chia seeds as a novel food, allowing chia to be 5% of a bread product’s total matter.