A Forgotten Health Discovery from the Aztecs

A Forgotten Health Discovery from the Aztecs

There's a forgotten discovery from the Aztecs that's
making a resurgence, and with good reason. It's filled
with vital omega-3s, minerals, and fiber. In fact, I
think it's the answer to some of the biggest dietary
challenges we face today—since it gives you so much
of what the modern American diet is missing.

The food I'm talking about is chia seeds. It amazes
me that such tiny seeds, scarcely bigger than a pepper
grind, can have such a huge impact on your health. But
back in the 1980's, eating chia never crossed my mind
You might remember, as I do, back in the 1980's
watching those late-night commercials and hearing
"Ch-ch-ch-chia!" advertising those little terra-cotta
Chia pets. The last thing that crossed my mind was
eating those chia seeds. Little did I know just how
nutritionally rich they are.

For decades, I traveled extensively throughout Mexico
and Central and South America in my investigations.
One of my favorite areas is in the southern part of
Mexico next to Guatemala, which also happens to be
where chia, Salvia hispanica, was first cultivated. These
beautiful purple-flowered plants produce one of the
richest foods known to nature—chia seeds. But while
I've long-known chia seeds were the Aztec and Mayan
cultures' secret to good health—we can actually thank
Dr. Wayne Coates, a retired research professor at the
University of Arizona for "rediscovering" them. He
spent 17 years researching the benefits of chia seeds,
and bringing their health benefits to the forefront—
and I'm more convinced than ever that this is the type
of "miracle food" we should all be eating. They're filled
with more vital omega-3s than any other plant food.

Omega-3s are vital fats that support your heart, blood
pressure, brain function, immune system, joints, and
more. But unfortunately, the average person today gets
just one-sixth the omega-3s as people in the 1800s. But
eating the right fats is only one part of it—you also need
to eat them in the right ratio. Most of us are eating far
too many omega-6s, and not enough omega-3s. But until
chia seeds became available, the oils from flaxseed, fish
and marine algae were considered to be the only other
viable sources of dietary omega-3s.While I still use and
recommend fish oil and flaxseed— chia seeds give you
3.4 grams of omega-3s per serving.

In these tough economic times, it's nice to find a single
food that gives you so many of these healthy oils. Plus,
in my opinion chia seeds give you one of the best ratios
of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids you can
find in nature. Just two tablespoons give you an amazing
supply of vital nutrients—and energy! Chia seeds supply
many valuable nutrients, including vital fats, vitamins,
and minerals. In just two tablespoons of chia you get 177
mg of calcium, which as you know is important for healthy
bones. Plus, chia gives you vital minerals like phosphorous
and magnesium. Chia seeds are also about a 16% complete
protein, supplying you with all of the vital amino acids.
But the benefits don't end there. These tiny seeds are also
an energy-boosting powerhouse. The outer layer of the chia
seed is made of soluble fiber, which slows down the release
of glucose into your bloodstream.

Glucose is the primary energy source used by your brain,
nervous system, and muscles. The other reason chia seeds
provide long-lasting energy is that they are 31% fat, which
as I mentioned earlier is from healthy oils. These beneficial
oils are digested much more slowly than carbohydrates or
simple sugars. But when it comes to buying chia seeds—you
need to separate the facts from the hype. While there's no
doubt that chia seeds give you a lot of bang for your buck
nutritionally, there's also a lot of misinformation out there.
But after much searching, I found an excellent source of black
chia called Raw Goodness Chia which comes from Ruth's Foods
in Canada .Not only is Ruth's chia extremely high-quality and
gives you all the health benefits I just mentioned, it's also an
excellent value! I keep a supply on-hand to mix into my y
ogurts and smoothies.

The only downside is that right now, Ruth's Chia can be tricky
to find. So, the team at Mountain Home contacted them directly
to get a supply for you. Click here to place your secure order
online.

Take care,

Dr. David Williams



*Contribution by Story Teller; I love this one, very educational.