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San Diego Reader | Where Chia Pets Came From

San Diego Reader | Where Chia Pets Came From.

Where Can You Buy a Chia Pet?

You can buy them online, of course, but you might need to buy one faster than that. You'll need to go to a real store!

To find a nearby store that carries Chia Pets, go to this website.

Fill in your zipcode and the distance you can travel.
You'll get a list of nearby stores that usually have Chia Pets in stock!!

Good luck!! And Happy Holidays!

Who uses chia seeds?

Chia seeds are the main ingrediant in "iskiate," the chia seed drink of the Tarahumara people of northern Mexico.

Recently the New York Times published this series of images of the Tarahumara people by photographer Ruben E. Reyes who kindly gave me permission to republish one of his images, below.

From the article: Though his father’s family had come from an area about 50 miles away, Mr. Reyes was an outsider in the Copper Canyon, among the mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental. He found the Tarahumara, who are known for their running prowess, living lives not wholly unlike their ancestors centuries ago, who fled to these elevations from the Spanish.

“They still had their own culture,” Mr. Reyes said. “It wasn’t Mexicanized.”

However, by the time he returned for several months in 2009 to photograph, Mr. Reyes saw signs of a cultural shift among the Tarahumara (also known as the Rarámuri). Men who had previously worn loincloths now wore jeans. Children, most of them now in school, were speaking Spanish, while their grandparents spoke only Tarahumara. People were leaving the canyon to seek work in the cities. 

Mr. Reyes did not photograph or see anyone consuming iskiate during his visit.

 

Your Chia pet is good for you - Health - Macleans.ca

As much as I hate to send you away from my blog, this Macleans article is worth a visit.

 

Chia Tea

This video gives you a sense of how chia seeds behave when added to a beverage. The seed coat expands to form a gel, and the seeds float throughout the drink, making a refreshing beverage similar to bubble tea.

"Chia seeds are a superfood that is receiving increasing attention, in part because of the Christopher Mcdougall book, Born To Run. I get mine at PuritansPride.com They are taste neutral, so I add them to tea, and they are neutrally buoyant, which makes them really cool to look at! Each tablespoon contains a gram of Omega 3, 2.5 grams of Omega 6, and because of their amazing water-absorbency, they provide long-term carbohydrates, with no spike or letdown, and a fantastic sustained hydration. I also think it is fun to chew on them!"

A Primary Source

Download the original article as a pdf

Bulletin de la Societe Botanique de France, 1882, Book 29. Pg 138-139.
Chia seeds, by M. Hiland Flowers (the American Journal of Pharmacy, May 1882).

(Translated from the French) These are the seeds of Salvia hispanica which, despite the name, is from America, as is common knowledge.  It grows in the northern regions of Mexico.  The oil extracted from this seed is even better than flax oil for certain industrial uses. 
It is also used in preparing a refreshing beverage.  To one glass of cold water, add a spoonful of seeds and a bit of orange blossom water. This beverage is an emollient and a soothing agent in any illness accompanied by fever. The gelatinous substance that the seeds produce is used for the same pharmaceutical purposes for which we use flax seeds.  For the aforementioned reasons, and for that of trying to lower its price (now 60 cents per pound), people are starting to cultivate it in the United States, specifically in Pennsylvania.

Footnote: This sage is probably not the only seed in America whose seeds produce a gelatinous substance and which are used for medicinal or nutritional purposes.  Dr. Edward Palmer, who is responsible for important recent botanical explorations of the northern regions of Mexico and the western states of the American Union, wrote a paper on plants used by the Native Americans.  He established that the chia of Mexico, of New Mexico and of Arizona is produced by  Salvia columbariae Benth.  Mr. A. Gray, in his Botany of California, vol. 1, p 599, holds the same opinion, as does Mr. Rothrock in his Report Upon United States Geographical Surveys West of the One Hundredth Meridian, vol. 6, p 48.   Rothrock’s book explains that prospectors in California made good use of the seeds called chia, which are those of  Salvia columbariae.   Large quantities were found in graves dating from several centuries back (see Bankroft, The Native Races of the Pacific States, vol.2 pp. 232, 280, 347, 360).  It appears that the Aztecs grew chia regularly, much as the Egyptians grew flax, the containers of which are found in their graves.  The Nahuatl name for this plant is actually "chia", or more correctly "chianzotzotl".  Thus was it described under the name of Salvia chian by La Llave. 

In France Guibourt classified the seeds in question under the name of Salvia hispanica L. (see his Natural History of Simple Drugs, 4th ed. 11, p. 432  and his Observations on the Products of Mexico, published in 1866).  He even had the plant cultivated in the gardens at the School of Pharmacy where, unfortunately, it did not take.  The Pharmacopoea Mexicana which appeared in the town of Puebla, Mexico in 1832 also speaks of Salvia hispanica.  Let us add to the information provided in the same issue of the American Journal of Pharmacy by Mr. John M Maisch, that the best proof of chia’s origin is that there are 3 distinct varieties (Fray Bernardino de Sahugun, General History of Things from “New Spain,” p. 537 and 624).  These difficulties present a promising thesis subject for a young pharmacist.

MY COMMENTS: In American schools, students are now being taught to consult primary sources such as scholarly articles, research papers, correspondence, maps, and photographs.  It is no longer sufficient to rely upon the encyclopedia (or Wikipedia).  This historic article, which was published in the Journal of the Botanical Society of France, is an excellent primary source.

So what does this article mean? The main paragraph summarizes some uses of chia that were common in 1882. The footnote, however, is a muddle, at best. It describes the confusion about which species of chia is  used. 

Apparently some "young pharmacist" did come along and sort out "these difficulties" because we now know that Salvia hispanica was used throughout Mexico and that Salvia columbariae was used by native Americans in the United States. (But remember that when this article was written there were only 38 states! )

Anyway, I've been collecting primary sources addressing the uses of chia seeds, and I'll add some of them here from time to time. I hope you find them interesting.

Note: Credit for this translation goes to my very talented friend Caroline in Madison.

I am presently seeking someone who can help me translate papers from the Spanish. Please email me for more info.

Chia seeds on a sponge timelapse!

Book Review

(republished from Plant Science Bulletin 25(2) 2006)

Chia: Rediscovering a Forgotten Crop of the Aztecs. Ayerza, Ricardo and Wayne Coates. 2005. ISBN 0-8165-2488-2 (Paper US$14.95) 216 pp The University of Arizona Press, 355 S. Euclid, Ste. 103, Tucson , AZ 85719 .

Chia by Ricardo Ayerrza Jr. and Wayne Coates arrives from the University of Arizona Press intended to provide a wide range of information on a lost crop of ancient America, Salvia hispanica. Chia is a paperback, illustrated by a few black and white images but largely reliant on the text and textual figures to make its case. In this it succeeds, admirably raising chia seeds in the reader's consciousness far above the one place most BSA members might have encountered it, in a 3AM infomercial selling Chia Pets.

Chia was a crop of the great civilizations of North and South America , including the Maya and the Inca, though it was most prominently cultivated by the Aztecs. It has a number of remarkable properties made use of by those ancient cultures and which have potential for agricultural improvement today. Not least among the properties of chia is possession of abundant mucilage, making the seeds very sticky, either for making statues (ancient religious practice) or those Chia Pets though the oil from its seeds has much greater relevance.

Chia opens with a discussion of agriculture and food shortages around the world, especially among the native peoples of the Americas. Credit is given to Norman Borlag's Green Revolution and to the tremendous advances it made possible in food production. However, problems with the modern Western diet are also highlighted, one of which, the nature of consumed fats, consumption of chia might ameliorate. Chia is especially rich in the omega-3 fatty acids which are important aids to health and which are consumed in flax- and fish-based health supplements. In fact chia is even richer in these oils than flax. Chia oil is also very valuable for making oil paints as it provides extraordinary longevity to the colors used.

The chia crop is considered from an historical perspective, both its use in the Aztec Empire as a staple crop and a means by which conquered peoples paid tribute and its decline with the coming of the Spanish. The authors make the point that chia fell much more deeply into disuse than other Aztec staples such as amaranth due in part to certain pagan religious associations of chia. Along the way, the authors are relatively even-handed, not falling into politically correct stereotypes of Christanity's entry to the Americas, and they even point out the loss of some parts of Aztec heritage due to destruction of codices by the Aztecs themselves under a king who predated the Spanish arrival. One other possible reason for the disuse of chia is the fact that unlike many other Aztec crops, it could not be successfully added to European agriculture. This is because chia is a short day plant which flowers too late for agronomic production in Europe .

Chia comes as the crop for which it is named is experiencing a renaissance, both in its original homes as well as in the US . Though the book chapters could be better ordered, as the presently jump from topic to topic in their present order, and more illustrations, perhaps in color, would make a significant improvement. Chia is an excellent book which belongs in college and university libraries, as well as the libraries of those interested in nutraceuticals or just simply in using this heart-healthy crop.

-Douglas Darnowski, Department of Biology, Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, IN 47150.

Tarahumara Living

Melissa's cute video is informative and has a couple of good chia drink recipes and includes a great Tarahumara cartoon. It's part of a series that she made for a college project, I believe.

But it has one error. Her  mother remembers drinking a chia beverage in Vietnam many years ago (at 1:25), but that drink was almost certainly made from basil seeds, not chia seeds.

Clean Eating

Tiffany of the Gracious Pantry has a wonderful food blog that I'm going to start following!

She's got lots of recipes containing chia seeds including this interesting approach to making strawberry-chia seed jam!

 

From Chia Pet® to Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia® Omega-3™ Chia Seeds

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Chia seeds are fast gaining popularity amongst athletes, nutritionists and other health-conscious people. With more and more studies underway, it might soon emerge as the next big superfood. While Chia seeds have been cultivated and consumed for thousands of years by early civilizations like the Aztecs, Mayas, and other Native American peoples, it has recently been re-discovered and is about to start a new food revolution.

This is not surprising, considering Chia seeds contain essential fatty acids (an excellent vegetarian source of omega-3s), fiber, calcium, antioxidants, iron, and many other nutrients. You may have noticed the many companies now offering this product but why not trust the one company that has been dealing with this tiny seed full of power for decades? You know this company well: Joseph Enterprises, the Makers of the Famous Chia Pet®, the pottery that grows! Joseph Enterprises has over three decades of experience in identifying, buying, cleaning, and packaging Chia seeds. Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia® Omega-3™ Chia Seeds are just the logical evolution into a product that can lead to the new food revolution!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia® Omega-3™ Chia Seeds come in a 1-pound jar or as softgels, a dietary supplement. For more information and tasty Chia seed recipes visit http://www.chia.com. Look for Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia® in the name to ensure top quality and the highest level of nutrients! And what an abundance of nutrients there are: The excellent source of ALA Omega-3 promotes heart health, the fiber is for digestive health and calcium promotes strong bones.

Latest research of the NSRI (Nutritional Science Research Institute) shows Chia seeds are "the world's richest whole food source of omega 3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, calcium and antioxidants. These abundant nutrients support cardiovascular, digestive, bone, joint, neurological, visual and immune health."

Learn more about the benefits Chia seeds on http://www.chia.com.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia® Omega-3 Chia Seeds are sodium and gluten free and contain no cholesterol. The product is available now at Walgreens, CVS and Supervalu and online at http://www.chia.com

CONTACT:  Kyra Schlebrowski, ks@jeiusa.com

SOURCE Joseph Enterprises

Chia Recipes from Navitas Naturals

Wow! Check out this great collection of chia recipes, including a chia seed margarita!!

What's the difference between Salba and Chia?

From the Salba Website.....

What's the difference between Salba and Chia?

FACT: Salba has more nutrients than chia.

Here's why: In a world littered with products making false claims, we at Salba understand the importance of delivering on a promise. We also understand that people care about the quality of the nutrients they put into their body. At Salba, we are meticulous about maintaining the highest quality growing standards. The Salba agronomic teams have invested the past 15 years researching Salba (Salvia hispanica L.). During those 15 years, we found the perfect location, the perfect soil composition, the perfect climate, the perfect irrigation methods, the perfect crop life-span, and the perfect amount of sunlight. We perfected the art of Non-GMO selective breeding and studied each crop carefully. Salba seeds are hand-picked, and only the seeds with the highest nutrient density are harvested and replanted. The result? Higher quantities of the quality nutrients you need and guaranteed consistency from crop to crop. When you choose Salba, you choose quality of life.

 

From the Mailbag

Hi,

I was wondering if you had any information on the usefulness of chia if it's not ground first.

M> Hi! Chia growers claim that unlike flaxseed, chia seed is fully digestible when consumed whole. However, Mila distributors claim that chia seed must be "micro-sliced" to provide maximum benefit. I don't know of scientific evidence for either claim, so I can't give you an answer. Sorry.

Related question:  What is the main benefit of making the gel as opposed to simply downing it in a glass of water before it gets a chance to gel?

M> I don't think there is any nutritional benefit, either way. It's personal preference. 

 
Thanks in advance!
Alan

PS  Are you looking into any other superfoods at the moment?  

M> No. This website, and my business, are devoted solely to chia seeds (for food AND fun). And I don't really believe in "superfoods".

You're Welcome!

Margaret

 

 

Healthy, Hot and Happy

 
Madelaine from South Florida posted this terrific recipe for vegan chocolate chia pudding.