Assessment of the Phytochemical and Nutrimental Composition of Dark Chia Seed (Salvia hispánica L.)

Defatted chia (Salvia hispanica L.) flour peptides: Exploring nutritional profiles, techno-functional and bio-functional properties, and future directions

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is a summer-blooming herb from the mint family, known for its rich nutritional profile, including high-quality protein, fibre, and a balanced ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. With the rising demand for chia oil, defatted chia flour (DCF), a by-product of oil extraction, has gained attention as a valuable ingredient. DCF is rich in essential macronutrients and amino acids, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional protein sources and supporting global food sustainability and waste reduction efforts. Recent studies have highlighted the techno-functional properties of DCF peptides, showing excellent solubility, water- and oil-absorption capacities, as well as emulsifying, foaming, and gelling abilities. These properties enhance their application in diverse food systems, making DCF an important ingredient in the development of nutritious, innovative, and appealing food products. Beyond their functional roles, chia-derived peptides also exhibit significant bioactive properties, such as antioxidants, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anti-aging, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycaemic effects. These properties make them beneficial for improving health and wellness. Integrating DCF peptides into food products provides a natural approach to managing chronic diseases, promoting longevity, and improving overall health. To fully realize the potential of DCF peptides, future research should focus on understanding their bioactivities at the molecular level and exploring how they interact with various physiological systems. Interdisciplinary collaboration among food science, biotechnology, pharmacology, and nutrition is essential, along with careful evaluation of safety and potential risks. Regulatory frameworks will be crucial for the broader use of DCF peptides in food and nutraceuticals. Additionally, advancements in peptide production, extraction, and purification technologies will be necessary for large-scale, sustainable applications. Focusing on these areas will maximize the benefits of chia peptides for human health, nutrition, and environmental sustainability.

The nutritional profile of chia seeds and sprouts: tailoring germination practices for enhancing health benefits-a comprehensive review

Chia seeds have gained significant attention due to their unique composition and potential health benefits, including high dietary fibers, omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, and phenolic compounds. These components contribute to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects, as well as their ability to improve glucose metabolism and dyslipidemia. Germination is recognized as a promising strategy to enhance the nutritional value and bioavailability of chia seeds. Chia seed sprouts have been found to exhibit increased essential amino acid content, elevated levels of dietary fiber and total phenols, and enhanced antioxidant capability. However, there is limited information available concerning the dynamic changes of bioactive compounds during the germination process and the key factors influencing these alterations in biosynthetic pathways. Additionally, the influence of various processing conditions, such as temperature, light exposure, and duration, on the nutritional value of chia seed sprouts requires further investigation. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the nutritional profile of chia seeds and the dynamic changes that occur during germination. Furthermore, the potential for tailored germination practices to produce chia sprouts with personalized nutrition, targeting specific health needs, is also discussed.

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.), a Pre-Hispanic Food in the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus: Hypoglycemic, Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Inhibitory Properties of α-Glucosidase and α-Amylase, and in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered one of the major health diseases worldwide, one that requires immediate alternatives to allow treatments for DM to be more effective and less costly for patients and also for health-care systems. Recent approaches propose treatments for DM based on that; in addition to focusing on reducing hyperglycemia, they also consider multitargets, as in the case of plants. Among these, we find the plant known as chia to be highlighted, a crop native to Mexico and one cultivated in Mesoamerica from pre-Hispanic times. The present work contributes to the review of the antidiabetic effects of chia for the treatment of DM. The antidiabetic effects of chia are effective in different mechanisms involved in the complex pathogenesis of DM, including hypoglycemic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, and the inhibition of the enzymes α-glucosidase and α-amylase, as well as in the prevention of the risk of cardiovascular disease. The tests reviewed included 16 in vivo assays on rodent models, 13 clinical trials, and 4 in vitro tests. Furthermore, chia represents advantages over other natural products due to its availability and its acceptance and, in addition, as a component of the daily diet worldwide, especially due to its omega-3 fatty acids and its high concentration of dietary fiber. Thus, chia in the present work represents a source of antidiabetic agents that would perhaps be useful in novel clinical treatments.

Chemical Composition, Fatty Acid Profile, Phenolic Compounds, and Antioxidant Activity of Raw and Germinated Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Seeds

The consumption of chia seeds has become popular due to their beneficial health properties and the germination of chia seeds seems to further enhance these properties. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in the nutritional composition of chia seeds after germination for 3 and 6 days. Chemical composition, fatty acid profile, phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were determined. The indices of lipid quality, atherogenicity, thrombogenicity, and the n-6/n-3 ratio were calculated. Chia sprouts presented a significant increase in minerals, proteins, and a reduction in total lipid content with maintenance of lipid quality. Total phenolic content decreased significantly as germination time increased, but there was a significant increase in the amount of rosmarinic acid. Chia sprouts showed a significant increase in antioxidant potential when compared to raw chia seeds. As a conclusion, the results of this study demonstrated that chia seed germination is a simple, economical, and short-term process capable of improving the nutritional composition of the seeds.

Chia Phenolic Extract Appear to Improve Small Intestinal Functionality, Morphology, Bacterial Populations, and Inflammation Biomarkers In Vivo (Gallus gallus)

Phenolic compounds can act as a substrate for colonic resident microbiota. Once the metabolites are absorbed and distributed throughout the body, they can have diverse effects on the gut. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the intra-amniotic administration of a chia phenolic extract on intestinal inflammation, intestinal barrier, brush border membrane functionality, intestinal microbiota, and morphology in vivo (Gallus gallus model). Cornish-cross fertile broiler eggs, at 17 days of embryonic incubation, were separated into groups as follows: non-injected (NI; this group did not receive an injection); 18 MΩ H2O (H2O; injected with ultrapure water), and 10 mg/mL (1%) chia phenolic extract (CPE; injected with phenolic extract diluted in ultrapure water). Immediately after hatch (21 days), chickens were euthanized and their small intestine, cecum, and cecum content were collected and analyzed. The chia phenolic extract reduced the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and increased the sucrose isomaltase (SI) gene expression, reduced the Bifidobacterium and E. coli populations, reduced the Paneth cell diameter, increased depth crypt, and maintained villus height compared to the non-injected control group. Chia phenolic extract may be a promising beneficial compound for improving intestinal health, demonstrating positive changes in intestinal inflammation, functionality, microbiota, and morphology.

Chia flour combined with a high fat diet increases propionic acid production and improves the microbial richness and diversity in female Wistar rats

Chia is a functional food because of its positive impact on reducing the risk of metabolic diseases. These benefits are due to its nutritional composition as a source of dietary fiber and bioactive compounds. In our previous study, chia consumption increased the richness of the microbiota and the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) when consumed by male Wistar rats, so, the objective of this study was to assess the effects of the consumption of chia with a high fat diet on gut health in female Wistar rats. 32 adult female Wistar rats were allocated into four groups and received one of the following diets: standard diet (SD), standard diet + chia (SDC), high fat diet (HFD) or high fat diet + chia (HFDC) for 8 weeks. At the end of the study, the intestinal microbiota, SCFA content, cecum content pH, immunoglobulin A (IgA) quantification and brush border membrane functionality were evaluated. There was no difference in the relative abundance of the gut microbiota, but chia consumption increased the microbial richness and diversity, increased the production of acetic and butyric acids in the SDC group and propionic acid in the HFD group, and decreased the pH of cecal content. The HFDC group demonstrated a lower IgA concentration compared to the HFD group. The SDC group increased SI and AP gene expression and decreased SGLT1 and PepT1 compared to the SD group. The consumption of chia can be beneficial for the functionality of the microbiota, improving SCFAs and intestinal pH, and the effects of chia in the microbiota can be more pronounced in HFD.