Abstract
The attraction of novel foods proceeds alongside epidemic cardiovascular disease,
diabetes, obesity, and related risk factors. Dieticians have identified chia (Salvia hispanica) as a product with a catalog of potential health benefits relating to these detriments.
Chia is currently consumed not only as seeds, but also as oil, which brings about
similar effects. Chia seeds and chia seed oil are used mainly as a food commodity
and the oil is also used popularly as a dietary ingredient used in various dietary
supplements available in the U. S. market. Chia seed is rich in α-linolenic acid, the biological precursor to eicosapentaenoic acid, a polyunsaturated
fatty acid, and docosahexaenoic acid. Because the body cannot synthesize α-linolenic acid, chia has a newfound and instrumental role in diet. However, the inconclusive
nature of the scientific communityʼs understanding of its safety warrants further
research and appropriate testing. The focus of this work is to summarize dietary health
benefits of S. hispanica seed and oil to acknowledge concerns of adverse events from its ingestion, to assess
current research in the field, and to highlight the importance of quality compendial
standards to support safe use. To achieve this end, a large-scale literature search
was partaken on the two well-known databases, PubMed and SciFinder. Hundreds of articles
detailing such benefits as decreased blood glucose, decreased waist circumference
and weight in overweight adults, and improvements in pruritic skin and endurance in
distance runners have been recorded. These benefits must be considered within the
appropriate circumstances.
Key words
chia seed - chia seed oil -
Salvia hispanica
- biological activity -
α-linolenic acid - Lamiaceae
