The Tarahumara are a group of indigenous peoples who live in northwestern Mexico and are renowned for their long distance running ability. These people have a tradition of running close to 200 miles over the course of a few days to reach different settlements they had. How were they able to accomplish this? The answer is their diet! Specifically the chia seed, which is a staple in every Tarahumara meal. Chia seeds come from the Salvia hispanica and Salvia columbariae plants. The Salvia columbariae is the plant that is native to the region of the Tarahumara people.
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| Salvia columbariae plant (source) |
Now, I bet you’re wondering: What could possibly make these tiny seeds so special? Well, these seeds are chock full of NUTRIENTS! That's right, chia seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, and protein.
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| Examples of omega-3 fatty acids (source) |
Omega-3 fatty acids are extremely beneficial for the average runner as they help to relieve stress off your joints during and after a run. By relieving pressure off your joints, chia seeds reduce your likeliness of getting an injury. Omega-3 fatty acids also boost HDL cholesterol levels which protect against heart disease and stroke. Chia seeds are full of antioxidants that help keep the fats in the seed from going bad. However, antioxidants are also beneficial to the human body by reducing the production of free radicals which can damage cells. Chia seeds also contain soluble fiber. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that we eat, but that the body cannot completely break down. Soluble fiber is important to the body as it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. It does this by slowing down the digestion rate of other nutrients to prevent spikes in blood sugar levels and reduce the likeliness of heart diseases. Soluble fiber helps feed the "good" bacteria in your stomach that breaks down food. The high levels of soluble fiber also allows chia seeds to absorb 10 to 12 times its weight in water. This is why chia seeds can be used as an egg substitute in vegan baking. Protein composes approximately 14% of chia seeds by weight. This is pretty high in comparison to other plants. Protein is important as it reduces appetite and is helpful for weight loss. The high protein levels of chia seeds is what gave the Tarahumara people sustenance on their lengthy journeys.
Chia seeds also have an interesting reaction when placed in water. When mixed in a glass of water, chia seeds will develop a gel-like substance surrounding the 1mm in diameter seed that is approximately 12x the original size of the seed. This happens because chia seeds have a high amount of mucilage (a soluble fiber), a hydrophilic shell, and the ability to absorb over 10x their weight in water. This gel-like substance is formed for a variety of reasons. First of all, it is used to cover wounds that the seed has endured to block the entrance of pathogens and other bacteria into the seed. Mucilage also works to spread seeds through the roots of the Salvia columbariae plant. Finally, mucilage works to incubate the seed while it germinate. When the seed comes into contact with water, mucilage absorbs some of the water to surround the seed with moisture while it germinates. Mucilage also has some pharmaceutical applications. Chia seeds can be used as an organic ACE inhibitor because of it's mucilage content. An ACE inhibitory enzyme is activated when chia seeds are soaked in water. ACE inhibitors are produced synthetically to treat high blood pressure and other heart diseases. What ACE inhibitors do is that they inhibit the production of angiotensin II which is a substance that narrows your blood vessels.
Chia fresca drink
This gel-like substance that surrounds chia seeds is also the basis of a popular drink of the Tarahumara people called chia fresca. I recreated this drink by mixing 1 Tbsp. of chia seeds into 10 oz. of water and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes (the longer it sits, the more gel-like it will become). Honey or citrus can be added for flavoring as well.
Although it is refreshing, I found the texture of the gel to not be very appetizing and instead opted for sprinkling some chia into a morning smoothie.
Chia seeds are an extremely versatile, nutrient-rich seed with origins in ancient warrior fuel that can improve not only your running capabilities, but your overall health as well.
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I liked your post a lot! I thought it was very informative and helpful as it also relates to our own health. I love chia seeds and love putting them in my smoothies or on my yogurt but never really knew their benefits... Now I do!
ReplyDeleteLet me guess... "Born To Run"? I love that book, and it got me hooked on ultra-running, trail-running, and more. Chia seeds are undoubtedly extremely healthy and can fuel incredible athletic performance. However many of the worlds most accomplished ultra-runners don't eat diets consisting of such super-foods. Karl Meltzer is one of the most accomplished ultra-runners in the world, he has more 100 mile race wins than any other runner in the world and ran the 2189 mile Appalachian Trail in a record (now broken) 45 days and 22 hours. His diet while running the AT consisted of KFC, Steak, Snickers, Pizza, Ice Cream, and multiple red bulls every day. Many accomplished ultra-runners swear by eating chips, pizza, or whatever they want at aid-stations in races. Other accomplished racers eat only finely tuned diets. My point is not that Chia seeds are not extremely beneficial, but rather when mid-race or ultra event the food that is best is what you can eat. If you do not want to eat chia seeds, your body may likely reject them. Many ultra-runners just eat whatever their body is craving and find that that is what helps their performance the most.
ReplyDeleteThis is super cool! I've heard of these people before through stories my dad tells me. Whenever I ask for a new pair of running shoes, my dad tells me, "Carlos, you don't need any fancy sneakers. Those indigenous people in Mexico run hundreds of miles every month BAREFOOT!" Well, now I know how they do it. Maybe I'll start eating chia seeds now.
ReplyDeleteI love chia seeds and put them in my drinks during swim meets! They provide great nutrients and help you stay hydrated!They are definitely a super food!
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely something to take note of. If chia seeds can increase my running capabilities and help my health, I'm all for it! I hope the Omega-3 fatty acids can also help with shin splints...
ReplyDelete"not very appetizing" this made me laugh. Very informative and super cool!
ReplyDeleteI really liked learning about why chia seeds become really different in water. Whenever my mom has them with her breakfast I find them really hard to clean up. Maybe I'll start eating them more now too, I did not know they were so good for you!
ReplyDeleteI never knew this about chia seeds. I have been having them in my smoothies for a long time now, yet I was never sure of all the health benefits they had!
ReplyDeleteThis was really interesting to read about, I have always been skeptical about trying chia seeds because I am super picky about food but I never knew about their health benefits so maybe I'll try them.
ReplyDeleteI love chia seeds and eat them almost everyday! Last year the girls cross country team made a chia seed drink from Born to Run (which Owen mentioned in his comment) and it was surprisingly good! It was an interesting gel like texture.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting, I don't care for chia seeds too much but it was nice to learn their benefits to a healthy body.
ReplyDeleteI’m really glad I read this! I’ve always tried to apply what I’ve learned in biology to my running, and this has been very helpful. I’ve never actually tried chia seeds, but I might have to now that I’m more knowledgeable about the health benefits. Perhaps we should start serving them at pasta parties...
ReplyDeleteI've always loved chia seeds, but I always thought they were nutritionally void because of their size. It's really good to know that they are so packed with nutrients-- it makes their mucilaginous coats more worth it, thanks for the recipe too!
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