Chia seeds are the new superfood that can do wonders for our health and beauty regimen. Did you know that these seeds were a part of the ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations? It is believed that they'd eat a handful of chia seeds before heading to a battle.
This new unsung food hero is no less than a nutritional powerhouse. It has high proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, iron, zinc, vitamin complex, Vitamin E, and large amounts of calcium per serving. The best part is that they are very readily available, and purchasing them won't even burn a hole in our pockets.
Chia Seeds Benefits for Skin
Twelve excellent chia seeds benefits for skin include:
1. Prevents Damage by Free Radicals
Chia seeds have high levels of antioxidants that help fight free radical damage that is caused by our skin's exposure to UV rays. This is also helpful in keeping ageing-related skin problems like wrinkles and fine lines at bay.
2. Soothes and Reduces Skin Inflammation
Most of our skin issues happen due to some other form of inflammation in our skin. Chia seeds have immense cooling properties that are helpful in soothing inflammation and keeping our skin healthy and calm.
3. Strengthens the Skin's Barrier Against Sun Damage
The omega-3 fatty acids in chia seeds act as active barriers against sun damage caused to skin due to daily outdoor exposure.
4. Hydrates Oily Skin
The large amounts of fibre present in the chia seeds can absorb large quantities of water. This makes them a very hydrating element when added to our diet or skincare routine. Like aloe vera gel, soaked chia seeds gel is very hydrating for the skin.
5. Improves the Glow of the Skin
Regular consumption of chia seeds helps boost the luminosity and elasticity of the skin. This is attributable to the abundance of vital nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A, folates, iron, and potassium in chia seeds that make skin glow.
6. Improves Sleep Patterns
We all know that sufficient sleep is essential for skin health. Good sleep helps the skin repair cell damage and keeps our skin healthy. Chia seeds have high levels of Tryptophan that help us sleep well. This element relaxes our brain and keeps anxiety-related sleeplessness at bay, overall improving our sleep cycles.
7. Improves Gut Health
The fibre content in chia seeds is highly water-soluble. This is very helpful in supporting gut health in many ways. It delivers gut-friendly bacteria to the intestines and further helps in regulating our bowel movements. This does wonders in keeping our digestive system healthy.
8. They Are Effective Stress-busters
As we read above, chia seeds are rich in tryptophan and magnesium compounds. These elements lower stress levels. The first adverse effect of stress appears on our skin in the form of breakouts and dullness. The lower the stress, the better our skin will be.
9. Reverses UV Damage on Skin
Consuming chia seeds or applying chia seeds-based products on the skin helps reverse UV damage caused to the skin. The omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants present in Chia seeds prevent sun damage and reverse UV damage by stimulating collagen production that aids in cell repair.
10. Support Heart Health
A healthy heart is one of the most important signs of good physical health. We all know that good physical health is the key to supple and glowing skin. The presence of essential fatty acids in chia seeds helps in boosting good cholesterol in our system, which promotes good heart health. This improves overall skin health as well.
11. Acts as an Essential Building Block for the Skin
Chia seeds are a complete source of protein. This superfood consists of all the nine essential amino acids and fatty acids that repair and grow our bodies. These proteins and lipids repair our blood cells, muscles, tissues and even aid in producing collagen that leads to healthier skin.
Our body can't produce all of these on its own, and we can only obtain the building blocks only from our diet. Chia seeds are a great dietary source of essential proteins that aid in obtaining healthy skin.
12. Beneficial for Managing Blood Sugar
If you have diabetes, skin woes can be common for you. Issues like dryness, flaky skin, sensitivity to the sun, etc., become aggravated if you don't have controlled blood sugar. Eating Chia seeds controls blood sugar levels.
This is so because it forms a gel when Chia seeds are soaked in any liquid. So when these seeds enter our bloodstream, a similar gel-like substance is produced that further helps in slowing down the speed of sugar released from other dietary starches. This prolongs the release of energy and manages sugar better than any other carb diet we eat.
Needless to say, well-controlled blood sugar will obviously keep any diabetes-related skin woes at bay as well. Hence, by acting as a catalyst in lowering blood sugar levels, chia seeds also help people with diabetes to maintain healthier skin.
Benefits Of Chia Seed Oil For Skin
The biological source of chia seeds is a plant called Salvia Hispanica L. These seeds are rich in healthy fats, antioxidants, and some vital vitamins and other minerals. The oils extracted from these super seeds are also quite helpful for our bodies. Chia seeds are cold-pressed to extract a nutrient-rich oil known as chia seed oil.
This oil is very versatile as an ingredient and is rampantly used in the skincare industry. This works as a powerful anti-ageing element in serums and lotions. They also work as a delicious alternative to many cooking oils in kitchens worldwide.
Here are 3 benefits and uses of chia seed oil for our skin:
1. Prevents Premature Ageing of Skin
Chia seed oil is a vital ingredient in the skincare routine. This is mainly because of its high omega-3 fatty acids content. These are a combination of alpha-linolenic acids (ALA) and other healthy fats, like oleic acid and stearic acid, that helps the skin fight premature ageing. Both consumption and application of chia oil are helpful. However, those with oily skin should avoid applying chia oil on the skin, leading to pore-clogging.
2. Hydrates Dry Skin
The nutritional content of chia oil hydrates the skin by providing a rich layer of lipids that help in sealing moisture. Chia seed oil also actively fights and prevents dry skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. One can get the best results by applying chia seed oil to the skin immediately after showering, as the skin absorbs water best at this stage.
3. Rich in Omega-3
Chia seeds are rich in various healthy fats, like omega-3 and omega-6. As a result, these magical ancient foods are linked to many skin, hair, and health benefits. The high-fat content in them improves skin health significantly by sealing in all the moisture, decreasing inflammation, and preventing extreme dryness. Furthermore, including chia seeds in our diet is also very beneficial due to their high fibre, vitamins, and omega-3s, which lead to improved brain and heart health, overall resulting in healthy skin.
References
- Jingkai Wei, Ruixue Hou, Yuzhi Xi, January 2018; The association and dose-response relationship between dietary intake of α-linolenic acid and risk of CHD: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29355094/
- M. Imran, S. Mehmood, A. Javid, and J. Hussain, April 2016; Nutritional and therapeutic perspectives of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.): a review - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4926888/
- Maira Rubi Segura-Campos, Norma Ciau-Solís, March 2014; Chemical and Functional Properties of Chia Seed (Salvia hispanica L.) Gum - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26904622/
