Dietitians Are Begging People to Stop Eating This Popular High-Fiber Food the Wrong Way
Registered dietitians and doctors often preach about the importance of eating more high-fiber foods. There's a good reason for this: Roughly 95% of Americans don’t eat enough of the nutrient, and not getting enough fiber can lead to a cascade of health woes. It can lower the amount of good bacteria in the gut, which is important for immune health and protecting against inflammatory diseases.
To get more fiber, one food that many people are adding to their diet is chia seeds. They may be little, but one serving of chia seeds (two tablespoons) has roughly 10 grams of fiber, which is one-third of what’s recommended for the entire day.
Here’s the problem: Many people are eating chia seeds wrong, leading to digestive woes like bloating, gas and constipation. Why does this happen and what’s the right way to eat chia seeds? Keep reading to find out.
Related: These 10 Foods Have More Fiber Than a Bowl of Oatmeal
The Small But Mighty Seed That’s Packed With Nutritional Benefits
Why eat chia seeds anyway? After all, there are plenty of other fiber-rich foods out there. “Chia seeds are a nutritional powerhouse,” says Stacey Woodson, MS, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian and author. Besides being high in fiber, Woodson says that chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. “Omega-3 fatty acids also promote heart health by improving circulation and decreasing inflammation in the body,” she says. Additionally, Woodson says that chia seeds have protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In other words, they are a highly nutrient-dense food.
And yes, they are an incredibly good source of fiber. When eaten correctly, Jennifer House MSc, RD, a registered dietitian with First Step Nutrition in Calgary, Alberta, says that chia seeds can help prevent constipation due to their high fiber content. “One ounce of chia seeds provides 10 grams of mostly soluble fiber. Soluble fiber absorbs water, providing bulk to stool,” she says.
Related: The 20 Best High-Fiber Foods to Help You Stay Full and Keep Things Moving
The key phrase there is “when eaten correctly.” If you sprinkle a spoonful of dry chia seeds onto your food, your good intentions may backfire. “I wouldn’t recommend eating chia seeds dry,” House says. “Eating dry chia seeds can cause blockage in your intestinal tract.”
Woodson agrees, saying that chia seeds absorb water during digestion, which causes them to expand. “This process may cause bloating or discomfort in people who are not used to eating high-fiber foods or those with digestive issues,” she says.
The Best Way To Eat Chia Seeds
Okay, so sprinkling dry chia seeds onto your food isn’t the best way to reap their nutritional benefits. So how should you eat them? First, Woodson says it can be helpful to drink a lot of water whenever you eat chia seeds, which helps keep fiber-rich foods (like chia seeds) moving through the digestive tract.
House explains that it’s important to soak chia seeds to provide extra liquid, which will make digesting them easier. If you don’t, she says the fiber has a tougher time moving through the digestive system, which can lead to gas, bloating and constipation—not fun. She recommends soaking them for 15 minutes at the very least. But you can even soak them overnight, including if you’re including them in overnight oats.
“Soaking chia seeds before consumption allows them to expand into a gel-like consistency, which makes them easier for your body to digest. Also, soaking chia seeds makes it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients, so you can get the most nutritional benefits from them,” adds Woodson.
Maybe you’ve even heard of chia seed water, which is going viral on TikTok. “The viral trend of drinking chia seed water, also called the ‘Internal Shower Drink’ entails drinking a combination of chia seeds, water and lemon juice to help improve digestion and promote regular bowel movements. It’s true that water supplies essential hydration, the chia seeds offer a healthy dose of fiber and lemon juice offers vitamin C which supports healthy digestion by assisting in the breakdown of food. So, collectively these ingredients may help improve gut health and regular bowel movements,” Woodson says. However, she adds that if you are already getting enough fiber through a balanced diet, there’s no need to drink chia seed water.
Again, chia seeds are a fantastic source of fiber, protein and other important nutrients. But no food is worth suffering a stomach ache for. To get the benefits without any negative side effects, simply soak your seeds before eating them and enjoy them with lots of water. Then, your body will benefit and you’ll feel great too.
Up Next:
Related: What is Fiber, Anyway?
Sources
Stacey Woodson, MS, RDN, LDN, registered dietitian and author
Jennifer House MSc, RD, registered dietitian with First Step Nutrition in Calgary, Alberta