08.14.07
Salba = Chia seed
Apparently Salba ($30/lb) is just a registered trademark for a particular variety of chia. You can also get generic chia seeds. See here. Note price difference. And it’s $6/lb here. [It was at the time---the price has gone up. - LG]
UPDATE: It’s only fair to note that Salba (the patented variety that really put chia on the map) was the subject of this nutritional study. Aviva sells both generic chia and Salba. And SourceSalba is the Salba home. This post has some interesting information, including links to videos about Salba and the difference between Salba and generic chia.
UPDATE 2: I notice that now Amazon.com offers chia seed, including some with no shipping charge.
Kayleen said,
15 August 2007 at 7:35 am
Salba is NOT just a registered trademark for chia seeds. That is like saying a yellow rose is the same as a red rose.
From http://www.salba.info :
The differences between Salba® and Chia are significant:
Salba® is nutritionally consistent
Salba® is higher in Omega-3 Fatty Acids than Mexican Chia
Salba® is higher in Protein than Mexican Chia
Salba® is more aesthetically appealing in food preparation
Salba® has higher water absorption capacity than Mexican Chia
Salba® is whitish grey in color/Chia is mostly black
Salba® has white flowers/Chia has blue/purple flowers
Salba® is grown under controlled conditions
Salba® is a registered variety
Most importantly,
Salba® is the only type of Salvia hispanica that has undergone intensive clinical examination
LeisureGuy said,
15 August 2007 at 7:43 am
Salba is the seed of the plant Salvia hispanica L. So is chia seed.
When you say Mexican Chia are you referring to a specific variety or cultivar, or simply the country of origin? Not clear.
You can readily buy white Chia seed—and it’s organically grown.
Some interesting nutritional information about chia seed.
A FAQ concerning chia seed.
While Salba may be somewhat better nutritionally than other varieties, I also must consider price. It’s $30/lb vs. the $6/lb that I paid: 5 times as much. Is it 5 times better? I wonder.
Margaret said,
18 August 2007 at 5:10 pm
LeisureGuy, I’ve been asking myself the same question.
I aim to eat an ounce of chia seed every day. I sprinkle it over my salads, mix it into a smoothie, or whip up a “chia fresca” on a hot afternoon. I use Salba and black chia seed interchangeably.
A month’s supply of black chia seed (2 pounds) costs me about $12. Salba would cost $60. Really, I think that’s too much money.
However, I’ve been to Toronto and met with the folks who invested their life savings in growing and marketing chia seed as Salba. They are passionate about their mission, and give me confidence that their product will meet the highest possible standards. They can’t really afford to make any mistakes.
I bought my black chia seed from other sources, (www.chiativity.org), and later began to worry about it. Had it been inspected? How could I really know if it was organic? What if it was contaminated in processing? WHO was I trusting?
Yes, when we buy bulk grains at our health food store, we rely upon some form of regulation, but even then, don’t we get meal moths larvae in our rice? (I know I do.)
Anyway, I’ll continue to eat both types, but for now, I won’t sell black chia seed for human consumption.
However, it still works great on a Chia Pet!!
Margaret said,
18 August 2007 at 5:21 pm
MORE:
Kayleen said, “Salba is NOT just a registered trademark for chia seeds. That is like saying a yellow rose is the same as a red rose.”
That’s not quite right.
I’m a botanist. Botanically, the two forms of Salvia hispanica (black seeded and white seeded) are simply varieties. But the black seeded type (which includes about 1/4 white seeds) seems to be the “wild type.” It seems that the white seeded variety has been selectively bred from the wild type until no more black seeds appear.
So to improve on Kayleen’s analogy:
“Salba is NOT just a registered trademark for chia seeds. That is like saying a wild rose is the same as an American Beauty Rose.”
LeisureGuy said,
18 August 2007 at 7:55 pm
Well, you can buy white chia seed at a lower price than the $30/lb for Salba: it’s $12/lb here. (This same link is in the post.)
Omega26 said,
26 August 2007 at 11:26 am
While so-called ‘black’ and ‘white’ chia seeds may differ in certain respects, there is absolutely no substantial nutritional difference. In fact, the increasing availability of the white seeds just confirms what studies show: if you plant white chia seeds, you get white chia, and if you plant black seeds, you get black chia. As you sow…you reap.
In fact, most natural chia contains a blend of brown, black, gray, and white chia. These colors are quite beautiful.
Chia has been grown for centuries. And organic chia was available long before anyone decided white seeds should be selected out and cultivated. The Aztecs certainly didn’t alter Nature’s design. Moreover, the health benefits (essential fats, fiber, etc.) can be gained by eating chia of any color. Since the same health benefits exist for any color, pick whatever color you like. But seriously why pay more for white, if it costs so much more?
I’ve tried many different brands of chia, which I eat every day. I’ve been very satisfied with several brands of high-quality organic chia. I favor the natural mix of colors.
Here is one source providing excellent quality chia:
http://www.integratedhealth.com
Omega26 said,
8 September 2007 at 1:20 am
By the way, here is a link to another site that may help consumers make better decisions regarding chia.
It appears that chia (of any color) takes its nutrients from the soil where it’s grown, so that soil type and climate are the most significant factors behind the nutritional value in chia. This means that it matters more where and how chia is grown than any color it may exhibit. It also means, for example, that organically grown chia from nutrient rich soils is best. Note that most white chia (including Salba) is not organically grown. That could change, but in the meantime, there’s every reason to consume the organic, natural chia seeds.
Salba dude said,
14 September 2007 at 1:23 pm
Salba is infact only a TRADEMARK.
White Chia seeds are white chia seeds.
The analogy above is not quite right, actually…
a wild rose is a wild rose is a more proper analogy.
If you have white chia seeds from Peru from the field across the road from where Salba purchase their seeds…what exactly would be the difference?
If these other white chia seeds have been certified organic…
Instead of selling under the Trademark Salba for $30 per pound and selling at a reasonable price is a sound practice.
Worse than that is selling Salba for $60 per pound in England.
P.S.
Having staff from Salba come on this blog under other names…well a great marketting plan…but truthful??? Well that is another question where only Karma will answer.
Nick Wiebe said,
19 September 2007 at 9:39 am
Ive just moved to Panama. Do you ship there?
LeisureGuy said,
19 September 2007 at 9:44 am
To whom is your question addressed?
Omega26 said,
20 September 2007 at 2:24 pm
Nick,
Since you’ve moved to Panama, you can probably grow your own chia plants there — because that region is ideal for growing chia.
In addition to consuming chia seeds, you can also grow fantastic chia sprouts (think chia pets!). I use several standard sprouters for growing chia sprouts in my own kitchen. They taste great on salads, sandwiches, or just by themselves.
Note: stray chia seeds spontaneously sprout in sink drainers and sponges. Fortunately, my cats enjoy eating these ’stray’ sprouts!
If you’re interested in chia seeds being shipped to Panama, I think most purveyors would be happy to ship there. You can google around for shipping rates. I get mine from IntegratedHealth.com. I believe they ship globally, so you can call or visit their website for rates to your location.
YD said,
24 September 2007 at 1:32 pm
Hey.. do you know what its called when you leave chia in contact with water for a few days?, because i did it, and it started smelling really funky, and developed a sort of white moss or mist inside the water.
LeisureGuy said,
24 September 2007 at 1:41 pm
Sounds as though the chia had started to sprout, with the white moss being root tendrils. Just a guess, but it is seed, and with water, it will sprout. A seed’s gotta do what a seed’s gotta do.
Omega26 said,
27 September 2007 at 5:53 pm
The key to fresh, great-tasting chia sprouts is using an effective sprouting device. Kitchen sprouters are available in most health food stores and everywhere online, or you can make your own sprouter (e.g., a small box with a mesh screen). An effective chia sprouter will offer reasonably good capacity (so you can evenly spread the seeds) and holes small enough to contain them. A lid is always a plus.
I recommend frequent rinsing of chia sprouts to keep them fresh. Excessive moisture causes mold growth. But if they lack moisture, they will dry up. Find the right balance.
Alternatively, use a chia pet or a small planter. Experiment for yourself, and soon you will enjoy fresh, organic chia sprouts. They are excellent on salads, sandwiches, wraps, or just all by themselves!
Elizabeth Parrillo said,
4 October 2007 at 11:40 am
Good Day,
I wanted to write a short comment to clarify a few things on this blog. For anyone who may think that we have employees writing on this blog, I promise you that we do not. In fact, today is the first time this blog was brought to my attention.
To clarify just a couple of things about the Salba Grain. Salvia Hispanica L. is the seed name. It would in fact be like saying ‘Rose’ and not the actual varietal name that you are referring to…meaning it is a broad name/term. Salba includes two Registered Varieties of Salvia Hispanica L., Sahi Alba 911 and Sahi Alba 912. These two varieties currently have patents pending. These are the only two varieties on which the clinical studies have been performed.
The very consistent nutritional factors and the consistent white color of Salba are due to a 14 year cultivation of the Salvia Hispanica L. seed and continual perfection of our registered varieties of this seed that make Salba.
Simply said, Salba can make certain claims based on scientific research. If there are studies by others who have different varieties of Salvia Hispanic L., I am simply unaware, but no one in this company claims what other products do or don’t do. We only claim what Salba has been clinically proven to do.
I hope this clarifies some of the debate. Salba truly is a unique product. There is no other product like ours and that is simply a fact. There are many great ancient grains, many of which I incorporate into my diet as well, such as Amaranth, Quinoa, and Millet. I would suggest anyone who is interested in creating a totally healthy diet to increase their intake of all these grains, which - coincidentally are all gluten-free. Salba is certified Gluten Free as well. A combination of the grains makes delicious breads and other baked goods too! If you go to http://www.SalbaUSA.com, you can find other great recipes for use with Salba!
Thank you all for your interest in our grain. We truly feel good about what we do. I hope this short bit of information clears up any confusion about our Grain vs. Chia.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Parrillo
National Sales Director
5703 Red Bug Lake Road, Ste 190
Winter Springs, FL 32708
407-671-5525 x 903
elizabeth@corenaturals.com
Have a truly Healthy, Happy and Blessed Day!
LeisureGuy said,
4 October 2007 at 11:58 am
Thank you, Elizabeth. The information you’ve provided is quite helpful.
Alain Kaczorowski said,
19 October 2007 at 2:33 pm
I am not an objective observer because I am in the Chia business, see our website http://www.benexia.com. What I can say though is very easy:
1) Compare the nutritional contents of Salba and regular Chia.
2) As differences are not dramatic (they are actually insignificant), you can take a bit more of the regular chia. There is no limit to consumption anyway.
3) You will see that regular chia, from certified origin, remains a lot cheaper even if you take more and brings the same benefits as Salba.
Salba is more expensive because it is grown intensively and demands artificial irrigation. Our chia is grown extensively and with rain.
To get white seed, you can select the white seed and sow them only, or you can use a machine with a laser that can select white from black seeds.
No rocket science is involved.
The accurate information is always at hand, you just have to check the claims.
Regards,
Alain Kaczorowski
Amanda said,
19 October 2007 at 3:40 pm
Patents pending or not, the scientific evidence shows no substantial difference between white chia and chia having other colors.
The “book” on Chia seeds was written by Ayerza and Coates of the University of Arizona, not by an agribusiness set on global dominance. You can find their excellent book here.
While the corporations pushing sales of white chia may not themselves make false claims, what about their distributors? For example, I’ve seen at least one ad claiming that researchers found “nothing remarkable” in black chia seeds, but that “white ones tested off the charts.” Nothing could be further from the truth. This is false advertising at best, and basically an outright lie.
Ayerza and Coates tested the nutritional content of white and black chia seeds, and found no significant difference. Here are their results.
Ignorance of valid scientific studies showing the effectiveness of all colors of chia is no excuse for looking at all the facts.
Moreover, the notion of a patent on a natural seed is a curious one. Not so long ago, seeds were basically not patentable. The Founding Fathers put in strict prohibitions on the patenting of life forms. Is not life fundamentally sacred?
But the agribusiness corporations (like Monsanto) eventually got their way, despite dubious legal precedent. Now we’ve got all kinds of patented plants and animals, many of which are transgenic, i.e., genetically modified or GMO. The goal is, of course, ownership of living matter and…profits.
There is no doubt that chia (black or white) is good for you. Just don’t blindly believe claims for the superiority of a particular color. Such claims are bought and paid for. The extra dollars you may shell out for white chia pays for those marketing budgets.
Educated consumers will pay more for better products. But if the product is no better, they won’t or at least shouldn’t. In an age of nutritional confusion, first seek out the facts, so you can make better informed choices.
Susan said,
23 October 2007 at 7:42 am
Thank you all for these comments.. I receive a newsletter that made claims about Salba and I was concerned that a natural grain had a trademark!!
All of this information has confirmed my concern!!
Will go look for chia seeds at my local co-op!
Susan
Jean said,
23 November 2007 at 5:45 am
Is it true that Chia, taken daily, will reduce cholesterol. If so, what’s the daily recommended dose. I just heard about Chia yesterday so don’t know much about it.
LeisureGuy said,
23 November 2007 at 7:19 am
Since it’s a food and not a medicine, it doesn’t really have a dose as such. A serving is 2-4 Tbsp (I’ve seen it defined both as 2 Tbsp and as 4 Tbsp (= 1/4 cup). I put 2 Tbsp in with my cereal. The cholesterol-lowering activity is due, I imagine, to a combination of the omega-3 content and the soluble fiber content. (Oats also work to reduce cholesterol, and their action is via the soluble fiber—my daily cereal is cooked oat groats.)
I’m just finishing up a book that will include a list of foods with significant health benefits. It may be of interest. Should be available a week from today. Check back.
Larry said,
26 November 2007 at 7:19 pm
It comes down to eating healthy. If you eat from the four food groups 1)whole grains 2) Legumes 3) fruits 4) vegetables you will get all the nutrients for long healthy life. There is no One magic food. Supplements are a medicine at best and a toxin at worse. Chia/Salba/other grains should be eaten daily. I’m not a nutritionist or dietician, I’m a physician (and most physicians know very little about diet and health), but I have been putting people on whole foods as grown diet with no added oils and have seen the reversal of diseases including atherosclerosis, diabetes, hypertension, depression, arthritis, to name a few. After all those years of college, medical school, residency, it turns out you don’t have to be a Dr. to help people be healthy
LeisureGuy said,
26 November 2007 at 7:22 pm
Hear, hear!
Theresa said,
26 November 2007 at 10:59 pm
To whom It may concern,
My husband and I take Salba from Northstar nutritional, We just started to take It for a week and so far we like It. I appreciate knowing all about Salba from other sources. I didn’t know that there is organically grown Salba
Thank you for reading my comment,
jimntess2001@yahoo.com
Anthony Cameron said,
6 December 2007 at 2:12 pm
I find the way this product, Salba is promoted to be deliberately misleading and dishonest.
The various nutritional comparisons with other foods are pointless when the cost is taken into account. You certainly would not look at it as a protein source, there are many good, high quality nutritionally ideal sources of protein at a realistic cost. It is claimed to have more Omega3 than flaxseed. So? I pay AU $2.98 for 500 gms, (which is a little over a pound) for flaxseed. I can eat another small spoonful per day and surpass the ridiculously high cost of Salba. They claim fifteen times more Magnesium than Broccoli. So what? Broccoli is not by any means the highest source of Magnesium in common foods. Why compare it to Broccoli? This is deliberately misleading. They don’t mention that in order to get your RDA of Magnesium from Salba, you would need to eat more than a pound of it, so why mention it at all?
They also claim that it controls BG levels in diabetics. It doesn’t. That is a patently false claim. It claims to reduce hypertension. It doesn’t, another false claim. It goes on to claim forty times the anti-oxidant value of red wine. Why? Who drinks red wine purely as an anti-oxidant. A very small handful of blanched almonds would far surpass Salba in anti-oxidant value.
The whole thing is a scam, it is promoted in a deliberately misleading manner. If this product was as inexpensive as conventional grains, then yes, it would be of value, but at the prices charged, the amounts that can be consumed go nowhere toward providing a realistic increase in health benefit. The whole approach is to compare apples with bananas. They mention a number of foods conventionally regarded as being healthful and select only those where this product can surpass (weight for weight) those products in some way. They don’t mention for instance, that a normal sized meal containing Broccoli WILL contain more magnesium than Salba at the supplement level recommended.
Anyone who buys this expecting an increase in health is wasting their money, all of the nutritional value in Salba can be obtained for a fraction of the cost from other healthy and far more inexpensive foods. As for patenting the plant, good luck. It won’t stand here, (Australia) I can already purchase Chia from any number of sources, and it is still only Chia, regardless of how they are growing it. Many people I know sprout Chia and either eat the sprouts in salads or cold press them for a drink that nutritionally far surpasses wheatgrass or anything that Salba can claim, and at a minute fraction of the cost.
Regards
Tony Cameron
LeisureGuy said,
6 December 2007 at 3:48 pm
I think chia seed is a pretty good food, but you want to buy it at a reasonable price. To get the omega-3 from flaxseed, you pretty much have to grind it (and of course many people do); otherwise the seeds survive the digestive tract. Wikipedia notes, “Chia seeds typically contain 20% protein, 34% oil, 25% dietary fiber (mostly soluble with high molecular weight), and significant levels of antioxidants… The oil from chia seeds contains a very high concentration of omega-3 fatty acid — approximately 64%.” Unlike flaxseed, chia seeds are digestible without grinding. The protein from chia seed is a complete protein, containing all essential amino acids. So it’s not a bad thing to have in the diet—but certainly not worth US$30/lb.
Anonymous said,
7 December 2007 at 6:00 am
Sure the Salba website says that but remember that anyone can say anything about anything on the internet. If you want to make money you obviously will try and say something that will help, whether it is true or false.
LeisureGuy said,
7 December 2007 at 8:20 am
You can also search the USDA Nutrient database for nutritional information on chia.
Phil Hughes said,
27 December 2007 at 5:20 am
For the guy in Panama, trot down to your local public market. You will probably find chia there is bulk. In Estelí, Nicaragua lots of vendors have it. Frescos made from chia are pretty common here as well.
I will check buy my wife guessed it is between $1 and $1.50/lb.
Sky said,
27 December 2007 at 7:02 am
Just wondering how difficult it would be to purchase the white seeds (salba) once and grow them into adult plants so they can produce their own seeds for consumption. Have any of you tried this? Any ideas on this subject?
Medardo said,
8 January 2008 at 12:02 pm
is there a nutrional difference between Hyptis suaveolens and Salvia hispanica. Also, which chia seed would you recomend has the best nutrional content?
Thanks
Omega26 said,
11 January 2008 at 9:29 pm
The Latin American plant CHAN (”Hyptis suaveolens L.”
contains approximately 77-80% linoleic acid (omega-6), but offers little or no linolenic acid (omega-3).
This means chan is not a balanced source of essential fatty acids. Moreover, chan’s total oil yield is low compared to other commercial oil crops, including CHIA (Salvia hispanica L.).
In contrast to chan, chia seeds contain both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in a very favorable ratio. In fact, chia provides up to 60% linolenic acid (omega-3) and a total oil content as high as 39%. Very impressive for a tiny seed.
Nutritionists for years have touted the benefits of omega-3s. However, a real benefit of chia is that it offers balanced omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, because both types of fats are required for our health. While Western diets lack omega-3s, overcompensating for this lack by overconsuming omega-3 relative to omega-6 creates its own health challenges. We need both types of fats.
There is consequently no comparison between chia and chan, at least not in terms of suitability as a balanced source of essential fats.
Chia wins this contest hands down. Balanced essential fats are just one more reason individuals interested in good health are consuming more chia seeds — especially organic chia seeds — and why chia is finally gaining much deserved recognition as a superstar among superfoods.
Doug said,
14 January 2008 at 2:48 am
Thanks to all for your very useful and interesting information concerning Chia.
Anonymous said,
19 January 2008 at 8:21 am
Check out http://www.GetChia.com
I didn’t see recipes, but they say thay have food items with chia coming soon and their pricing is unbeatable and has free shipping!
Mahalo
Carol said,
19 January 2008 at 11:20 am
I would like to sprout chia. Anyone know of an easy and inexpensive way with out having to buy a chia pet head….lol.
The dialogue here has been most helpful and interesting to say the least.
Charles said,
28 January 2008 at 7:47 am
I’ve watched products like this over and over…. come and go, come and go. They always have the same claims…. because their patented nostrum is tested, therefore its better, and warrants the outrageous price. That’s like arguing that air samples taken 100 feet apart from the desert, has only been tested in one of the two locations, so that this ought to conclude that the untested sample is this risky uncertainty which should compel you to only breath the patented air, at a gouging and immoral price. I’ve seen this over and over in the health industry. Consumers should disregard all such dollar-driven hype, and hear those who are out to help them, not rob them. So often natural health people are no different than the allopathic for motives and blindness to their greed-driven paradigm.
Barbara Dourrieu said,
3 February 2008 at 3:50 pm
First time comment. Whether chia or anything else, anything taken as something “supplemental” to our regular diet should be weighed carefully as to its benefits versus any possible harm it could cause. My husband has taken almost every supplement ever known to man and he now has incredibly bad kidneys. I have no scientific basis as far as definitely pointing to supplements - just common sense. If your body has to process it, your kidneys have to filter it at some point. Balance in all things is my rule of thumb. Make a life change to create the amount of what has been proven by time to be what YOUR body needs, live that lifestyle consistently and you won’t need very much, if any, supplementation of any sort. Anything else is wasting your money at the very least, and ruining your health at worst. I totally agree with Anthony Cameron on his comments. Fast food, for instance, would be something that your common sense tells you won’t keep you healthy. But a bit here or there probably won’t kill you if you balance it out with good nutrition.
Whether it is the pharmaceutical industry or the vitamin/supplement industry, my opinion and advice would be know that a product in and of itself will not allow you to eat whatever you want and not gain weight, and never exercise and expect a pill to make your body healthy. That’s from 10 years of watching my husband of 300+ pounds, no exercise and enough food to feed 3 people take every supplement known to man and I have seen NO change except for the worst. My theory has always been that he is looking for something that will let him eat a gallon of ice cream, all the food he wants of any sort, not exercise at all, and still be healthy, wealthy and wise. Not happening as far as I am aware. The money would be better spent on finding out why one is driven to buy these things with no actual health benefits or results. And if you think because things are on the internet, or have “Dr.” somewhere in the advertisement, check your gullibility meter.
White chia black black chia, anything in between, DO YOU NEED IT? How does it benefit you? Does it cause any harm to you? Substitute whatever product you may be buying for “chia” and give it the same test. Buyer beware of any product, especially if someone is making big bucks from something they don’t spend a lot of money to produce. Trust me, it is not your health they have in mind, its their wealth.
Barbara
Dawn said,
4 February 2008 at 9:12 am
Chia or Salba (same thing) is a food not a supplement.
Clay said,
4 February 2008 at 8:42 pm
I’m very interested improving my diet, consuming flax oil, quinoa and raw veggies more often. I saw adds for Salba and thought it odd that one could patent a grain/seed or anything that grows from the earth. I find it shocking and scary.
Would their be legal issues if I bought Salba and planted the entire bag to grow for the consumption of my friends, family and myself? If Salba is so superior to chia seed, then I would certainly do so.
LeisureGuy said,
5 February 2008 at 9:07 am
Patenting plant varieties is pretty common. But why not just get regular chia seed? Or consider that a complete and healthful diet does not depend on having any one food—lucky for us. Many people manage without chia, and if you do want to add it to your diet, just get one of the regular variety.
firemanbob said,
5 February 2008 at 5:53 pm
Just saw Oprah about Chia. Not really looking to eat a handful. It seems Chia Oil works, but I read you lose the fiber. Anybody know if a pill is available?
LeisureGuy said,
5 February 2008 at 5:59 pm
What are you looking for from chia? If it’s the omega-3, you’re better off taking fish-oil capsules (wild salmon is my own choice there). I eat chia as part of my morning hot cereal—and I like getting the fiber.
mcharris said,
6 February 2008 at 2:08 am
I became interested in Chia hoping that adding it to gluten free flour would assist with binding and bulking…….. IT DOES…… then I became facinated with its story, its history, and the mad cap industry that is setting up around the so called ‘better’ grain - SALBA……. chia seeds of mixed colours work just fine for me and are easier on the $$$$ also. They are only just becoming known here in Australia, but I have found a source and will keep on using it in baking and in my morning juice.
Margaret said,
6 February 2008 at 12:12 pm
Seems I’ve missed 6 months of interesting conversation. I’ve got alot to say, but will start with this.
I don’t believe in “superfoods” and I’m really not crazy about Goji berries and all the fad foods that are out there. However, chia is different. It is a delicious, inexpensive, healthy whole grain, with a long tradition of human consumption.
Foods like chia, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids, are presently missing from our diet, partly because the fat we get from animal products is no longer high in omega-3 fatty acids (since we started feeding cows on corn rather than grass). Omega-3 fatty acids are involved in a number of fundamental biological processes in the human body, not the least of which is the creation of stress hormones. You’ve probably read about this somewhere else.
We are also deficient in fiber, especially soluble fiber (as in beans and oatmeal) which has been shown to be important for heart health and for slowing digestion and preventing the blood sugar spikes that can lead to diabetes.
Chia was once a critical part of human diets in the area where it was first cultivated thousands of years ago. In fact, we now know that chia was the second most important crop of the Aztecs (less important than corn but more important than beans, amaranth, chiles, and chocolate).
And on another matter:
Someone asked: can you plant chia (or Salba) seeds and grow them for your family? The answer seems to be “not yet.” Chia requires a 150 day growing period (at a minimum) and must have a certain daylength to begin flowering. On Long Island, that means that flowering is delayed until the end of October, right about the time of the first frost. There are efforts to breed chia seed that is daylength insensitive, and when that happens, you will be able to grow it at any latitude, but for now, chia can only be grown in the dry subtropics.
Sorry for the length of this post. I have lots more information on my website http://www.chiativity.org. I don’t sell chia seed, but have a blogroll of chia distributors.
Please come and leave me a comment.
Margaret
Margaret said,
6 February 2008 at 12:16 pm
Oh yes, someone asked about a chia pill.
http://www.chiaseedandoil.com sells a chia seed pill, but it contains only the oil; the fiber has been removed. I agree with Leisure Guy that fish oil capsules are a better alternative as a source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Margaret said,
6 February 2008 at 12:41 pm
(At the risk that Leisure Guy is going to kick me off for multiple posts -LOL)
Getting back to the rose analogy:
Salba is a variety of Salvia hispanica. It was bred over a period of 14 years to have specific qualities. The breeders have applied for a patent (and yes, plants may be patented) and have protected the name, Salba, with a trademark.
Chia seed (white or black) is the “wild type.” It has had little or no human intervention, so one seed is genetically different from any other seed. There is no protection or quality assurance provided.
Like Salba, American Beauty Roses (and other varieties of rose hybrids) were bred over many years to have specific characters. Most of these roses are both patented and trademarked to protect the breeder’s financial investment in creating these varieties.
If I go down to the beach and pick a “wild rose,” it’s very different. No one can own the rights to wild roses. No one spent thousands of dollars breeding them.
Salba is a patented trademarked variety of chia seed.
The American Beauty Rose is a patented trademarked variety of wild rose.
Margaret (that’s all for now, sorry.)
Rosemary said,
13 February 2008 at 6:10 am
I have sprouted some Salba and want to know whether I can get the same benefits from the green leaves in salad and on a sandwich, etc.
Margaret said,
14 February 2008 at 3:40 pm
Rosemary, although I know of no published studies on this topic, the answer is probably no, you get very different benefits from eating sprouted chia. Neither the omega-3 fatty acids nor the fiber are retained in the sprouts.
Why? Seedlings, as they sprout, use the nutrients stored in the seed in order to build new cells and tissues. Omega-3 fatty acids are most likely used as energy in order to create cellulose and other components of whole plants. The beneficial fiber remains as part of the seed coat, and so you don’t eat that either. The potassium and other minerals don’t go anywhere, so at least you will benefit from them.
dani said,
17 February 2008 at 5:55 pm
Dani.
Interesting read.i am not a health food freak but like to try different things that could be of benefit without the ridicilous cost that these people sell their products.
I live in Argentina but don’t get the info about the health food industry that you in USA get.Could be a good thing?
Maybe I can buy some chia seeds here cause we pay import tax on goods sent here,more expense.
Some bloke on here says this salba stuff is $60 a pound in UK,perhaps I could get hold on some and take it back to England with me,better still take the seeds….
suerte…
Nancy said,
23 February 2008 at 6:35 pm
I am thinking about purchasing Chia Seeds and an unsure of how to store them. I plan on mixing 1 Tablespoon with a glass of water or juice. Should they stay refridgerated? I read that they need to be hydrated, but don’t want them to start sprouting. What do I do?
Margaret said,
24 February 2008 at 3:50 pm
Nancy, you can just put your chia gel in the fridge. I’ve read that it will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge. The seeds won’t grow at this temperature.
Until you hydrate them, you can store the seeds at room temperature, like you would rice or any other grain.
Jack said,
26 February 2008 at 1:43 pm
On another website, I saw where they are selling Chia seeds for human consumption and also another for dogs. Since they were both priced approx $11 per pound I wrote them and asked what was the difference between the human and dog Chia seeds? They wrote back and said that they were both the same just different labels so that people would know which was theirs and which was for the dogs…because some people don’t want to eat from the same package as their dog.
That doesn’t make any sense to me and now I’m leery of the product and certainly concerned about the quality of it. I don’t it would bother my dog to eat from same package…(grin)
Margaret said,
27 February 2008 at 11:05 am
It’s true that there are different grades of chia seed. Some is sold only as chicken feed (for those great omega-3 eggs). In my experience, the main difference between the grades is the amount of chaff (aka twigs and leaves).
But $11 a pound is high for anything other than the very best grade of chia seed.
I suggest that if this is a concern, you should go with Salba. Although it is more expensive, it’s of the highest quality.
P.S. I’d be grateful if you could provide a link to the chia dogfood website. Thanks.
Charro said,
3 March 2008 at 3:55 pm
I have gone through most of the posts in your blog for this year. There is a lot of discussion about Salva and Chía and about black and White Chía.
Chía is not a “wild” plant as some Salva defendants claim. Chía has been grown and selected through more that 3,500 years! Salva, has gone through this process just for the last 14 years and the point of departure is Salvia hispanica (Chia). If 14 years of modern crop selection can match or overcome 3,500 years of Chia cultivation and selection, I can’t say.
There are growers in Mexico which are cultivating white chia. They simply select the white seeds from the black seeds and sow the white seeds. In no time they get white chia. Color genetics in Chia has not been studied as far as I know and these growers are just following the lead of Salva for the color. What really matters is what is inside.
Price difference between Salva and Chia is more noticeable than the nutritional difference, no question. If Chia works for me, why should I go for Salva?
One last point. All Chia I have seen growing in South America and Mexico, is sowed as a crop rotation program after Corn. This is, if one year Corn has been sowed in a field, the next year they may switch to Chia.
I have not seen such a thing as “organic” corn growing in Mexico or South America and I could be wrong, but to get an organic certification, you have to show evidence that no chemical fertilizers or pesticides have been sprayed in the field. Chia does not require pesticides, however, it is fertilized with chemical fertilizers and no one can produce a legitimate organic certificate for the above reasons.
Margaret said,
5 March 2008 at 3:22 pm
Correct. There is presently no certified organic chia seed or Salba produced anywhere in the world for exactly that reason.
But let me clarify my earlier statement. By “wild type” I meant the non-trademarked, non-patented chia seed that is sold as chia seed rather than Salba. Various strains of this “generic” chia have been in cultivation, as you pointed out, for thousands of years. These strains of chia are now being tested and sold.
I made an analogy between the wild rose vs. American Beauty Rose and chia vs. Salba. Another analogy would be tomato vs. Burpee Big Boy Tomato. In each case, the plant breeder has sought a trademark or patent to protect the variety of plant, to distinguish it from the “generic” type. In some cases the trademarked variety is demonstrably better than the generic.
Jack said,
6 March 2008 at 9:14 am
I think I’ll go ahead and buy 3 lbs of Chia and share it with my dogs. The website you ask about is chiaforhealth.com and that’s where I plan to buy the chia. It’s not a bad price and I trust that it’s good quality.
LeisureGuy said,
6 March 2008 at 9:30 am
I suggest that you serve them separately: they don’t like it when others eat out of their dish.
troy said,
12 March 2008 at 1:55 pm
I am in Toronto, Canada and have begun purchasing Salba for $28 for a 360 gm package. When I went out checking for chia seeds, the price was not much different. Anyone know where I can buy them cheap in Toronto?
Jeff said,
18 March 2008 at 10:49 am
I was looking for a Chia Pill instead of sprinkling the seeds and when I did a google search, this is the first site that came up. Does anyone know if Chia comes in a pill format…aside from just the Chia Oil. I’m looking for the fiber, too.
Anwar said,
18 March 2008 at 8:45 pm
Hi, It’s my first time posting on here. Great blog by the way on Chia/Salba. I bought Salba last year for $27/pound and found that to be a little too much. I then searched for other sources and found that Chia seeds are pretty much the same thing as Salba. I found a few stores on ebay that sell 100% Organic, Natural, Certified Kosher, Gluten Free, etc. on ebay for great prices. They ship to most places in the world:
http://search.ebay.ca/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=chia+seeds&category0=
I’ve been purchasing Chia seeds from ebay for the past 9 months. I had no problems at all. The Chia seeds are fresh and great quality. I hope this helps.
James said,
19 March 2008 at 8:37 am
Hey guys. Just new to the site but loved hearing all of the difference perspectives. I eat Chia seeds every day. For a while I used to eat the seeds by Salba. I was spending a ridiculous amount of money for pretty much no reason. One day a few months ago, I was looking for quinoa. I stumbled upon this site called NutsOnline.com. Unreal! They had chia seeds for $4.99 a pound. http://www.nutsonline.com/seedsspices/chia-seeds.html
I haven’t even seen chia this cheap in my local health food store. I was a little skeptical at first but after reading up on them they seemed like a legit family business. None the less, I ordered the Chia and quinoa. Let me tell you something, no more Salba for me. These were just as good and the desired results were equal to the Salba. I highly recommend this place.
Jean said,
22 March 2008 at 7:42 am
‘The proof is in the pudding’-for all you people out there consuming chia/salba seeds, are you better off/healthy ?. Can you tell a difference in how you feel? Do you have any medical test results that suggest better results because you have consumed the chia/salba seeds? Any TRUE testimonials?
Lisa said,
25 March 2008 at 3:02 pm
what is the daily recomended amount of seed. I read 20 gr twice a day. Is that dry or mixed with 9 parts water? Is 20 gr the same as 20 ml?
John said,
29 March 2008 at 8:01 pm
There is no set recommended amount. Everybody’s body is different so it will depend on a few things as to how much you should use. Slim build and fast metabolism may only need between 5 to 10 grams in order to feel the benefits and a heavier slower metabolism person will need 10 to 25 grams for it to be of any noticeable difference. Take it for 30 days and if you don’t feel: more energy at the end of the day, (and I don’t mean you’re jumping out of your skin like with too much caffeine) better concentration, better mood, (ask your wife or husband) and just over all you just feel better then you need to adjust how you use it. It does work better when you have it in water or juice and it has been hydrated enough.
Keep your eye on the price because if it is too cheap there is a reason like it is not fresh, or it was a bad harvest because of late rains or early frosts you get what you pay for. For good quality chia seeds you should pay around $10 to $20 a pound in the US and from $15 to $20 per 500 grams in Australia.
I have personally worked with over 1000 people using chia seeds with just about every kind of body type and for about every reason for taking them you can imagine and we work close with ALL our customers to see they get the best use from the right amount. We have plenty of testimonials but we don’t advertise them or use them to get sales. If you give it an honest try you will feel them working and why you feel them is another story in itself.
You can read some of the reasons why at http://www.chia4life.com.au/blog.htm
We sell world wide at http://www.chia4life and http://www.chiaseeds.au In Australia we sell only premium Australian Grown Chia Seeds and will be soon throughout the rest of the world but for now our US and other country sales are premium chia seeds grown in South America because it is more cost effective to mail from the USA. We will be happy to help see you receive the best from using them in your diet whether you are our customer or not.
John said,
29 March 2008 at 8:04 pm
Note: that’s http://www.chia4life.com.au & http://www.chiaseeds.com.au
Joseph Ricard said,
30 March 2008 at 9:05 am
Obviously Salba has to sell at that high price to pay for all its marketing efforts and patent applications.
In my opinion nothing naturally grown should be allowed to be patented.
I’ll go for the regular white chia.
If we believe that we need a company to extensively test a seed to assure its apparantly higher nutritional value then we would also need to believe that all other foods should go through the same process.
In the end all of our food supply would cost 6 times more.
Who do you think will pocket the difference?
Zane said,
2 April 2008 at 2:20 pm
Just ran into this discussion.
I am a certified nutritionist with 25 years of experience.
I have been researching Salba and Chia for several years.
I know personally most of the primary growers, co-ops, importers and marketers of all forms of Chia.
First, let me say that all of the current ‘chia’ products are GREAT.
Second, let me also say that while Salba is ‘committed’ and ‘passionate’ and all of that, it is still white Chia. Black Chia, on the other hand, contains quercitin, the white does not. While the overall nutritional profiles are basically identical, i.e. protein, fiber, fat, etc…the Black Chia seed has an ORAC rating quite a bit higher than the White. 10 points to be exact, which is highly significant. So, first recommendation is to purchase Black Chia if you can. Also, Salba is NOT the only importer/grower/processor of Chia that is doing it ‘right’. Check out http://www.benexia.com. And lastly, don’t forget about Flax. Most of the Chia information out there is making a false claim: that Chia has more Omega 3’s than Flax. WRONG. The content of Omega 3’s in 100 grams of White or Black Chia ranges from 17 to 19%. The content of Omega 3’s in Flax ranges from 23 to 29%. In fact, our last shipment of bulk, organic flax tested at 29.5%. Don’t get me wrong, Chia and Flax are not the same thing. But don’t get it wrong that Chia is ‘better’ than Flax or anything like that. They both have their strengths, they are just different. Also, watch for a new sprouted chia powder product. I have seen some of the testing going on and the ORAC rating of Chia goes up 2.5x when sprouted. That is HUGE. Oh and by the way, sprouted flax is WAY better than milled flax or flax oil as well.
Wen said,
4 April 2008 at 10:32 pm
Hi! I really enjoyed reading you all! What I’m very interested in is cultivating Chia in Canada… I know it’s Zone 9 and all but I started some seed in my house and hope to transplant them in my garden this spring when frost danger is past. Has anyone tried something like that? I need details on cultivation and maturity for timing my culture. We do the same process for tomatoes because they need a longer growing period and I think it might be worth it with such a great plant like Chia! Thank you for your help.
W
Margaret said,
7 April 2008 at 8:06 pm
Wren, visit my website and look at the “Field Tests” tag.
I have grown chia on Long Island, but it barely reached flowering stage before frost. Flowering in chia is determined by daylength, which limits its area of cultivation to subtropical latitudes. Since you are further north than we are, you are unlikely to be able to harvest seeds. But give it a try anyway.
Joan said,
8 April 2008 at 9:06 am
Interesting discussion on white versus black chia, thanks very much, and http://www.benexia.com is a good website because it has some good recipes so people can figure out how to integrate it into their daily diet.
As for the false claims, the salba site says it has 8 x more omega 3s than salmon, and shows a huge slab in the picture. Beware the hype!
But anything that gets people away from white rice and white flour and white potatoes has to be good for us!
Wen said,
8 April 2008 at 7:50 pm
Thank you Margaret. I’ve already found your site which I thoroughly enjoyed and seeing Chia grow this hight north is very encouraging. I started seeds inside like my tomato plants and we’ll see what comes of that. What are your plans for this years field tests? Do you plan to do the same and try to get a early start on the season… Do they flower with a certain amount if daylight hour or is it a specific number of days? It’s really hard to find anything specific on Chia cultivation. The salba seeds germinate very easily and are vigorous in their growth… Nearly all seeds germinate. Here we start tomatoes around the 10th of april inside and wait until the last danger of freeze are past to put them in the garden. Thanks you for your answer and keep up the nice projects with Chia and other forms of life!
Wen
wen.rolland@excite.com
Chuck said,
10 April 2008 at 9:41 am
One website to buy white chia seeds is http://www.purcellmountainfarms.com/Chia%20Seeds.htm
They have a much better price that at http://www.salbausa.com/ (which is VERY expensive and not worth the added cost)
Isaac said,
10 April 2008 at 11:13 am
Can CHIA be milled into a flour does it effect its properties?
Same Question for SALBA
LeisureGuy said,
10 April 2008 at 12:14 pm
Salba is a trademarked version of chia—i.e., Salba is chia seed. (See title of post.) I don’t have any information about milling, but if the temperature is not high when milled, I don’t see that it would affect the nutritional value.
Noel said,
10 April 2008 at 2:03 pm
Okay now I am totally confused. I saved an article from Toronto’s Globe & Mail on chia from November. It claims that white chia, called Salba, is the best choice, but I just don’t know whether to believe it since it’s only one study and the study was sponsored by a company that markets the white chia, Salba Nutrional Solutions. In an article in Toronto’s Globe & Mail newspaper, called “There’s more to chia than just growing pets” on Friday Nov 16, 2007, it is reported that Dr. Vladimir Vukasan, Associate Director of the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto (and lead researcher on a University of Toronto study on Salba and published in shortly after the newspaper article, in the U.S. journal Diabetes Care) found that an analysis of common chia grains show that their nutrional profiles are inconsistent. One could be loaded with vitamins, minerals and omega-3 and the next could show virtually none. He found that Salba, a white chia grown in Peru by Salba Nutrional Solutions, was more consistently nutrient-rich. Now, I would hope that Dr. Vukasan tested enough different-coloured chia seeds from different growers and that, given his post at the hospital, that he is unbiased, but who knows? His study seems to go against other studies I found on the Internet and look who was paying to have his study done.
Does anyone have anything to add to this?
LeisureGuy said,
10 April 2008 at 3:41 pm
If you like white chia in particular, many places sell it. I go with the regular chia, which seems fine. It is, after all, only one food among many that I eat.
Noel said,
10 April 2008 at 3:55 pm
It’s not that I like white chia. I am just trying to determine which one I should be liking!
Barbara said,
14 April 2008 at 10:46 am
Very informative website. Have been using Salba for nearly a year and am happy with it. I feel more energetic,it suppresses the appetite, and it adds fiber. As I eat low carb this really helps. However, the price is way too high and am looking for a consistently nutrient rich chia that is clean but am not sure what to buy. Am leery of bulk grains having dealt with larvae in the past.
LeisureGuy said,
14 April 2008 at 11:37 am
Links in the post and in the comments provide a variety of choices for vendors. I’ve been quite happy with the one I’ve used. $6 per pound is not bad.
Bud said,
21 April 2008 at 11:07 pm
Don’t have a thing that I could add.. yet.. except to say that I read this entire string tonight and REALLY appreciated each one of the contributions. All who have chimed in have been even and intelligent, and apparently all were seeking to contribute something of value in getting to the truth. A big pat on the back to you all.. and
Thanks! I hope you keep up the interest, and the great contributions. I’m off to find some good chia for myself and the cat.
BTW, the coming (in progress now) socio-ecomomic meltdown will require those of us who wish to survive to grow and store our own food. I hope I can grow good chia in middle Georgia and learn the best ways to use/store it.
I’ll be reading you,
Bud Tillery
Columbus, GA
PS Leisureguy, bring on the book.
JayT said,
22 April 2008 at 7:24 pm
I have been using chia for a few years, and I love it. Salba has just arrived, as have a few other “trademarked” chia varieties.
Comparing the two, based on their own assays, I cannot justify the price difference. The fact that they are the “only one tested” is a farce.Neither the Aztecs nor Cirildo Chacarito* tested their chia, and its effects were still excellent. (Google him, he ran a desert marathon race against Nike elite athletes and won by a long shot. Great story, not so good for the advertiser!)
I pay $6 a lb for my chia, and will not EVER again pay $24.95 for a lb of Salba. My body could not tell the difference in a 30 day trial. My checkbook can.
I do not doubt all of the “believers” in this product, but they are essentially all in the same boat as the magic-bullet-of-the-month club.
There is a lot of multi-level /networking profit to go around on a grain with a long shelf life that can be marked up over 400 percent. Selling this product was attractive to me, until I did my own comparison, and found no benefit worth 400%.
I do however hope that someone makes it a legal requirement that they call it “Salba{TM} brand of chia seeds. They way their marketing is going, there will be little knowledge of chia - it will be replaced by the trade name Salba.
Similar to the way I used “Google” in paragraphs above- instead of “do an internet search”
PS. Regarding pesticides and chia, the chia plant has its own volatile components in its leaves, and pests do not like them at all.
Lori said,
30 April 2008 at 10:58 am
I just found chia(mixed black and white seeds) at Costco for much less than Salba.I compared the nutritional facts and they were very close.I am switching to ChiaNutra by webber naturals since it is more economical-I hope Costco continues to carry it.
Ernest Holtsoi said,
19 May 2008 at 10:51 pm
I had been a long time Salba user and decided that I would try the generic chia after reading so many interesting points of view on posts like this one.
I bought some ChiaNutra white chia and I was horrified when I found that there were small red beetles and larvae in the seeds, and they were very apparent. After several calls I found out that this chia was grown in Mexico and Australia and there was an infestation in their storage facilities. I reported the incident and needless to say, I will be happy to spend more for a product like Salba that ultimately cares about quality control and cleanliness.
I understand now why generic chia is so much cheaper and it seems to me that with nutritional products you really do get what you pay for.
Thanks
LeisureGuy said,
20 May 2008 at 7:02 am
Ernest, I think your experience was an anomaly. I hope you reported the problem to the vendor from whom you got the chia. I assume you would immediately get a full refund. It’s an unusual problem, obviously, otherwise generic chia would not find many buyers. I’ve ordered generic chia several times (at $9/lb) with no such problem. I suggest you give it another try, using a different vendor.
jc said,
20 May 2008 at 10:43 pm
So “salba” is nothing but a patented salvia hispanica seed? In that case, those who care about health and the environment should BOYCOTT it! If you give your money to corporations that go around patenting wild seed varieties, you might as well start investing in MONSANTO, because the companies will continue to engage in such activity as long as people pay for it.
As Ray Karczewski says, BOYCOTT BOYCOTT BOYCOTT!
Anonymous said,
21 May 2008 at 5:29 am
Salba is not a wild seed variety.
BP said,
23 May 2008 at 8:44 am
Leisure Guy~
Very good little blog got goin’ on here - kudos 2 all posters! LG u mentioned buying chia for 6/lb many times then on 20May blog say 9…hmmm curious as to where you buy your generic chia and has price risen 50% as of late?? Another poster said 4.99/lb and that site is now 6.99/lb(good lookin site tho).
Thanks and everyone monitor their blood sugar -as it is your greatest long term threat 2 health(outside of high BP of course ;).
~bp~
btw black chia seeds if indeed they have quercetin would be the best choice~be well.
LeisureGuy said,
23 May 2008 at 8:49 am
Hi, BP. The $9/lb was a typo. I actually ordered it for $9/package, and the package was 1.5 lbs — $6/lb. But I notice now that the same site sells the 1.5 lb package for $20 — I imagine the demand has led to higher pricing.
Margaret said,
2 June 2008 at 5:45 pm
Yes, the price of chia seems to be rising fast. I’m not sure why.
A comment for jc: You might like to know that the Salba Company differs from the multi-billion dollar corporations like Monsanto, Cargill, etc. It’s basically just a couple of people who have invested their life savings. They have bred what they consider to be a superior seed (though they have not yet proven that it’s superior). They have invested their own money to fund important medical research. They have created a system of product quality control and have trademarked a brand name in order to protect their investment. I’m sure they haven’t made very much money, yet. These are not the bad guys. Please don’t BOYCOTT Salba, but rather, make your decision as best you can based upon whatever is important to you.
In my opinion, Salba is better than chia, but it’s not 4 times better. Maybe it’s 20% better. It really shouldn’t cost 4x as much!!
But the market will change. I predict that within the next year, either the price of Salba will come down, or the price of chia will rise until the difference in their price reflects the difference in their quality.
As chia consumers, we are in a position to exert some power. The future of the chia market will be influenced by our purchasing decisions today. So choose thoughtfully and wisely.
And please come visit my website for a growing and annotated list of chia suppliers. (Mostly ad free.)
Judith said,
3 June 2008 at 11:21 am
I suffer from Celiac disease, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. Oh, and I’m an A+ blood type. I’ve been vegetarian for a little over 12 years but due to the Celiac have eliminated all wheat products including corn and rice as well due to irritants over the past six months. Recently, I eliminated all dairy, eggs, chicken and fish. Thus I am completely vegan.
Reading through this entire site, I see there is quite a controversy over Salba vs Chia seeds and Price. Personally, while price is important to everyone including me, price is not the primary factor especially when food choices are so limited as is in my case. I resort to such nutritional foods like Salba, Nutritional Yeast, and Vega products because I need vegetable sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. I don’t like taking all sorts of supplements and seek to find the “Perfect Diet Blend” compared to the “Perfect Whole Food”.
It is my hope that while using various nutritional food sources I will receive all the vital nutrients my body needs to operate optimally. Of course price will always be a factor, when hasn’t it been? Our ever changing economy only serves to further promote gouging and overpricing of even the most essential staples. Salba is considered a luxury food item even though it’s not. And whenever the food item of the month classifies as “luxury” of course there is going to be a demanding price for it. Do you really think Audi is going to price their cars the same as Hyundai? It’s not about the food, per se, but the prestige of the product based on people’s beliefs.
It seems no one on this site refutes the health benefits of either chia or Salba, although there has been reference to false or misleading claims of value legitimacy. Maybe you don’t eat a pound of broccoli in a day. Perhaps most people don’t. But do we eat a variety of food in a day that might perhaps equate to the equivalent of magnesium found in a pound of broccoli? I don’t know.
I don’t know if Salba is a “Perfect Food” or not. However, I do know that when I combine Salba with other nutritional foods I eat, I am comforted by the fact that I have upped certain nutritional values without having to take supplements.
With the exception of deep breathing and at home yoga and meditation, peace of mind comes with a price. Salba has provided a price tag that consumers have proven “willing” to pay. And for those who are not so willing, there is always chia. This is neither a good thing or a bad thing. It’s just a thing. Besides, isn’t it great to have choices! Without choices I could very well be violently ill, or worse, dead. Personally, the price of Salba (and the other aforementioned products) is worth the peace of mind for me.
Thanks for indulging in my rant
Judith
LeisureGuy said,
3 June 2008 at 11:31 am
I don’t think your analogy of car brands quite works. The issue with luxury products is for others to know that you bought them—car brands are evident, and of course there are many fashion products with a highly visible designer logo so that others can see what you bought. Foods are consumed in private, on the whole, and who’s to know the difference? I could readily claim to be eating Salba while actually saving some money by going for generic chia.
But your point is well taken: some people definitely seem pleased to have the choice to buy Salba, and what’s the harm? It’s a choice. Others go for the generic chia. We get to choose. I personally am unconvinced that Salba has greater nutritional value than generic chia, but I quite understand that others would rather be safe than sorry and can readily afford Salba.
Margaret said,
3 June 2008 at 8:20 pm
Salba is certified gluten free and nut free, which is important for those with allergies.
Margaret said,
5 June 2008 at 4:49 pm
You can find a growing and annotated list of chia seed suppliers on my website. One that I happen to like right now is a family-owned company in New Jersey called “Nuts Online.”
rich said,
8 June 2008 at 1:26 pm
Thanks for this interesting forum…
Debate is fine… But please do not say anything derogatory about Dr. Coates. All of us owe him an incredible debt of gratitude.
Chia as a whole, whether chia seeds/Salba/The Signature Grain/etc are, to put it mildly, in their infancy stages in getting out to the public on a broader scale. It does not - repeat - does not help when people start slinging mud. Salba is a fine product. The Signature Grain is not even on the market as of yet. Both will do wonderful things for mankind. Chia seeds are great too…
Please, for the benefit of all of us do NOT start name calling. It might make sense for all of us not to turn people off as they are just learning about this. Here’s to continuing dialogue in a civil manner with the primary focus being on helping people.
Sincerely,
rich
LeisureGuy said,
8 June 2008 at 8:31 pm
I agree, Rich. I don’t want this blog used to launch attacks. Posts on the general subject of chia seed are welcome, posts on vendors are not.
Richmond said,
10 June 2008 at 8:08 am
I have never used chia seed before,but i know of many others that have helped me.
Laurie Mottle said,
12 June 2008 at 1:43 pm
I have a question that neither the sellers of Salba nor one seller of Chia seeds can answer: I am on a coumadin for various heart problems (i.e. warfarin a “blood thinner”
and neither group can advise me whether or not salvia hispanica is contraindicated for me (I think it is). What would you advise, except “ask the doctor”………..
Anonymous said,
12 June 2008 at 1:43 pm
“Simply said, Salba can make certain claims based on scientific research. If there are studies by others who have different varieties of Salvia Hispanic L., I am simply unaware, but no one in this company claims what other products do or don’t do.” by a Salba representative
I’d like to initiate further discussion on this claim.
It appears that in 2001, the head researcher for Salba’s exclusive scientific claims, Dr. Vladimir Vuksan, patented the use of Chia for such medicinal purposed. His application for patent was grounded in a research study which is titled SALVIA HISPANICA L. (CHIA) IN THE MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, DIABETES AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS.
Thereafter, Salba hired Vuksan to test the efficacy of Salba?
But in the meantime, the medical patent quoted by Salba as 60/274,256 makes no mention of the Salba form of Chia ….
and
Remember also, there is substantial monies involved in using a patented product (in this case: Chia) … and Salba hired on the owner/inventor of the very patent it uses to make medical claims.
Does this sound odd to anyone? Can you shed light on my possible misunderstanding?
Dr. Mommy
LeisureGuy said,
12 June 2008 at 1:50 pm
@ Laurie Mottle: I think you’d be much better off getting advice from a professional nutritionist than from the general public. And that’s my advice.
Seriously said,
12 June 2008 at 4:54 pm
Salvia hispanica L is a natural blood thinner. You should absolutely consult your Dr as the medication you are taking also thins blood. Good advice Leisure dude.
Ernest Holtsoi said,
17 June 2008 at 8:13 pm
Dear Leisure Guy…
I saw your update but just wanted to let you know that Source Salba is the home of Salba for Canada, but in the U.S. you may want to let your readers know that the latest information could be found at http://www.salba.com
Thank you very much for your time and for the recognition that Salba put chian on the U.S. map!
Ernest!
LM said,
19 June 2008 at 5:50 pm
Excellent information. I have been eating Salba for a few months now and really do notice an improvement in how I have been feeling (both mentally and physically) and looking. I love it but unfortunately I am also finding it expensive and will definitely consider Chia seeds after all of your comments. I wasn’t aware that there was a choice. I understood Salba to be grown from the white Chia seeds and that it was this process that gave the final product (Salba) the nutritional value. In the meantime for those that mentioned that they want some testimonials on Salba, check out http://www.sourcesalba.com. They have a contest going on right now and some of the entries are very informative and sincere. I have entered a poem called A Toast To Salba by Lesley M. and would appreciate votes from anyone who is so inclined. Thanks again for all of this great information.
jamie tucker said,
25 June 2008 at 7:00 pm
I bought 14 lbs from Amazon.com for 98 dollars SHIPPED.
This is no scam, this stuff reaaly is a miracle food.I have never felt better!
LeisureGuy said,
25 June 2008 at 7:08 pm
$7/lb is a good price. And here it is for $32 for 5 lbs = $6.40/lb (though you do have to pay shipping—$8 for shipping, which brings total price to $8/lb).
Here’s the 14 lbs/$98 and free shipping.
YU said,
26 June 2008 at 7:04 am
What a good blog!
It seems to me that salba can make claims, but might be
only structure/function claims , …… I have not seen any
proved qualified health claims for salba yet (maybe i am wrong).
In this case, any health ingredient have chance to label structure/function
claims, so what makes salba stands out?
In canada, there are only 5 approved health claims, and about
10 approved function/structure claims , Salba got no chance
to claim anything in Canada.
So from industry point of view, neither nutrition improvement or
market benefits do come from salba, unfortunately, at least for
canadian food industires.
Kevkel said,
26 June 2008 at 10:48 am
Basically, what I am looking for in the salba is a large increase in my Magnesium intake and more protein. Will the chia seeds do the same and if so, do I need to get black seeds, or will the white ones do just as well?
LeisureGuy said,
26 June 2008 at 11:33 am
I don’t know that there’s much nutritional difference between white and black
salbachia. Foods high in magnesium per weight include: rice bran, wheat bran, pumpkin seed, flax seed, cocoa powder, cumin, and tahini. (Source: Fitday program—see Fitday.com.) There are many sources of protein. Chia seed is one, but also look at beans (except for soybeans an incomplete protein but easily completed with dairy, corn, and the like).Anonymous said,
26 June 2008 at 6:56 pm
There is no such thing as black Salba. Salba is white.
LeisureGuy said,
26 June 2008 at 6:59 pm
Good point. Comment corrected. Thanks.
Kandy said,
6 July 2008 at 7:06 pm
As soon as I get any boxed or bagged floured products, spices or grains, I put them into the freezer for about four days to kill all the eggs that mostly all things carry.
I never have a problem when the humid heat hits, since I am w/o AC, except a window one in a couple of rooms.
Kandy said,
6 July 2008 at 7:08 pm
That would also include pastas and dehydrated foods.
Anonymous said,
7 July 2008 at 10:47 am
While I see quite a bit of a stir being made about the health benefits of chia the thing that always makes me suspicious is when something quite natural is patented and becomes the tool of a multi-level marketing scheme. I have friends that have paid large amounts of money to become exclusive distributors for Life Max and are now getting others the become distributors under them and those people are getting others to become distributors under them and so on. Correct me if I’m wrong but this looks like nothing more than a classic pyramid scheme. While the product may be very good indeed what I do see is that most of the people involved at the lower levels really have no clear idea of what exactly they are selling. I had one distibutor tell me that what they were selling was not a seed but a micro sliced grain that was definitely not an actual seed. Another email from a local supposed holistic practitioner made such outlandish claims for the product that you would have thought that they actually had found the fountain of youth. It is a good healthy food source and that’s about all that can be said about it. One thing that I noticed is that when I eat the whole seeds I get gas. If I run them through an electric coffee grinder I don’t…
Margaret said,
7 July 2008 at 9:00 pm
Life Max is seems to be a pyramid scheme.
sam said,
10 July 2008 at 11:04 pm
Hi, I just found out about chia seeds and have some questions about it. I’ve never tried it before, but I am thinking about buying some online. I read that people eat just the seeds themselves, or hydrate them and make chia gels. However, can the chia seeds be grown into the chia plants? Is there a difference in nutrient value if you eat him in seed, gel, or plant form?
Thanks
LeisureGuy said,
11 July 2008 at 5:55 am
Seeds in general have higher nutrition density than the plants that produce them. Chia seeds do indeed produce chia plants: that’s the basis of the chia pet products (small terracotta figurines with grooves for the seeds that subsequently sprout). The seeds do produce a gel when mixed with water—the nutritional value is the same as you’d get by eating the seeds directly. I personally mix the seeds into my hot cereal.
Melissa said,
16 July 2008 at 8:26 pm
Here are links to a two-part interview between Dr. Fred Liers and Dr. Wayne Coates, who perhaps is the world’s foremost authority on chia seeds. Dr. Coates reveals in Part 2 that nearly all chia seeds (black or white, including Salba) grown commercially derive from the SAME source, i.e., the seeds that he and Ricardo Ayerza planted back early 1990s! This is a must-read interview:
Part 1: http://www.naturalnews.com/022780.html
Part 2: http://www.naturalnews.com/023068.html
Read, learn, and enjoy!
Muriel said,
18 July 2008 at 2:05 pm
I’m a cancer patient and have taken regular chia seed (ground & made into gel) for the last 2