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Chia (Spanish sage). Legends, myths, symbolism, description, cultivation, methods of application

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Content

1. Photos, basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism
2. Basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism
3. Botanical description, reference data, useful information, illustrations
4. Recipes for use in traditional medicine and cosmetology
5. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing

Chia (Spanish sage), Salvia hispanica. Photos of the plant, basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism

Basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism

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Family: Cone (Lamiaceae)

Origin: Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua

Area: Chia is common in Central and South America, as well as in some regions of Australia and the USA.

Chemical composition: Chia seeds are rich in healthy fatty acids (especially omega-3s), protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Economic value: Chia seeds are used in the food and cosmetic industries, as well as in medicine. They are used as an additive in smoothies, yogurts, pastries, salads and other dishes. It is believed that they help lower cholesterol levels, improve digestion, and strengthen the immune system.

Legends, myths, symbolism: In the ancient Mayan language "chia" means "power of life". The Maya used chia as a dietary supplement to improve stamina and health. In addition, chia was part of the rituals and cult ceremonies of the Maya. According to legend, the Maya preferred to consume chia before battle or other physical challenges. It is also believed that chia was an important cultural crop for the Aztecs and Incas. The Aztecs used chia as food and as an additional source of energy for their fighters before fights. Inca chia was also known as a source of food and energy, and was also used to treat various ailments. Symbolically, chia is associated with vitality, endurance, health and longevity. In some cultures, chia is considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity.

Chia (Spanish sage), Salvia hispanica. Description, illustrations of the plant

Chia (Spanish sage), Salvia hispanica. The history of growing a plant, economic importance, cultivation, use in cooking

Recently, in stores positioning themselves as sources of health products, a product called "chia seeds" has appeared, the advertising of the beneficial properties of which confuses the minds of many adherents of "organic" food.

Chia is the food of representatives of the most ancient civilizations: the Olmecs, Mayans, Toltecs, Aztecs and other tribes that lived in the territory of South America, which is now occupied by Mexico, Guatemala and the countries bordering them. With only one high-yielding cereal plant, maize (corn), the people of these places were forced to supplement and diversify their food with chia, quinoa, and amaranth seeds,1 non-cereal plants (often referred to as pseudocereals).

Europeans learned about chia seeds from handwritten codices containing Aztec pictographic drawings with explanations in Spanish. After the conquest of Mexico by the Crown of Castile, such annotated codices were commissioned by the Spanish colonialists to obtain information about the life of the indigenous population.

One of the earliest Aztec monuments of this kind, well preserved to this day, is considered to be the Codex Mendoza2, presumably written in Spain in the 30s-40s of the 371th century on the basis of the original sent from Mexico. The second part of the "Code of Mendoza" contains a detailed list of the tribute that the inhabitants of XNUMX villages paid to the supreme rulers of the pre-Hispanic country of Mexico City. Among the products and household items that make up the tribute, along with maize, beans and amaranth, chia seeds were necessarily mentioned: "Two chests, one with maize and the other with whatley, which is amaranth seeds. Two chests, one with beans and the other with chia." With a certain degree of certainty, we can say that all four cultures were the main foods of the Aztecs, Mayans and other tribes.

Chia seeds are mentioned as a food item in another manuscript called "The General History of the Affairs of New Spain, or the Florentine Code". It was compiled by a Spanish missionary, a monk of the Franciscan order, Bernardino de Sahagun (1499-1590), who sailed to Mexico in 1529, eight years after the conquest of the country by the Spaniards. Between 1570 and 1585 this extensive work was published in Spanish in 12 volumes, which was a survey of the customs, religion, social and political institutions, flora and fauna of the pre-Hispanic world of Mexico. In particular, the 11th volume of "Natural History..." contains descriptions and stylized drawings of animals, birds, trees, herbs, including chia grass.

In 1753, the plant, which the Aztecs called chian, or chien, was delivered to Carl Linnaeus. The famous Swedish botanist named it Spanish sage (Salvia hispanica) and placed it in the Lamiaceae family, which later became known as the Lamiaceae family.

Chia, or Spanish sage, is a herbaceous annual that grows wild in mountainous areas with arid and semi-arid climates in Central and Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Bolivia and Argentina. The plant does not tolerate air temperatures below +5 ° C. In a suitable climate, it reaches a height of 60-90 cm. Leaves up to 8 cm long, pointed, light green. Inflorescences are dense racemes with blue flowers. The fruit is a capsule with numerous small oval seeds about 1 mm long.

The name chia applies equally to both the plant and its seeds. Seeds are most often black, less often white and gray with speckles. Black seeds are usually cheaper than others, but the presence of brown tones in the color of the seeds may indicate poor quality.

Chia seeds have become popular not so much for their taste and health benefits, but because of their long history of being eaten by the population of Mexico and other Latin American countries. Spanish sage is now grown commercially in Mexico and Guatemala, as well as in Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua, northwestern Argentina, parts of Australia, and the southwestern United States. The duration of the seed production cycle depends on the location of the crops. For various ecosystems in Mexico, Bolivia, Argentina and Ecuador, it is 100-180 days. Productivity depends on a grade, a way and conditions of cultivation; on average, 450 to 1250 kilograms of seeds are harvested per hectare.

The value of chia seeds is that they contain 25-30% extractable vegetable oil. However, more often these seeds are used in culinary technology as a food additive, using their property, after swelling in water, to increase in volume several times, forming a jelly-like mass.

In 2009, the European Food Safety Authority announced chia seeds and oil as new food products in Europe, but limited their use. They can be added as a component to bread, bakery products, breakfast cereals, instant cereals, energy bars, nut mixes in an amount not exceeding 10%. It is also allowed to add up to 1,3% of the jelly-like mass obtained from them as a thickener to yoghurts, fruit juices and fruit juice mixtures. Since this product is not well studied, advertising is not allowed to mention its beneficial properties, and the packages must contain an indication that the daily intake cannot exceed 15 g.

Current research points to the potential health benefits of eating chia seeds, but so far the scientific evidence in this direction is sparse and inconclusive. Similarly, there are no statistically significant data on the beneficial effects of chia consumption on reducing risk factors for cardiovascular disease in humans4.

Let's compare chia seeds with flax seeds, a product that is close to them in terms of nutrient composition and has a very long-standing use in food.

Comparative analysis of the nutritional value of chia and flax seeds (per 100 g of product)

The table clearly demonstrates that there is no significant advantage for chia seeds compared to flax seeds. This fully applies to the content of vitamins, macro- and microelements in them.

The amino acid composition of chia and flax seed proteins is almost the same. There is practically no gluten fraction (gluten) in the proteins of both seeds, which, on the one hand, increases their attractiveness for people with severe gluten intolerance, but, on the other hand, limits the use of chia seed flour for baking bakery products - it use only in a mixture with real flour obtained from cereals.

Chia seed fats contain on average 10% saturated fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, etc.), 7% monounsaturated (myristoleic, palmitoleic, oleic, etc.), 83% polyunsaturated (linoleic, linolenic, etc.) and a small amount of trans fats. By comparison, flaxseed oil contains, on average, 10% saturated, 22% monounsaturated and 68% polyunsaturated fatty acids5.

Nutritionists certainly note the presence of beneficial omega-3 and omega-6 components in flax and chia fatty oils, not suspecting that fatty acids that are part of all vegetable oils are hidden under them. In the case of omega-3, we are talking about polyunsaturated derivatives of linolenic acid, and in the case of omega-6, we are talking about derivatives of linoleic acid. The origin of these memorable names is related to the structure of fatty acids. In vegetable saturated fatty acids, the bonds between all carbon atoms in the chain are single. In unsaturated fatty acids, one or more bonds between carbon atoms are double bonds. In order to accurately indicate the position of the double bond in fatty acid chemistry, it is customary to denote the atoms in the chain by the letters of the Greek alphabet.

The carbon atom closest to the carbonyl group is designated by the first letter of the Greek alphabet, alpha, while at the other end of the chain, the methyl carbon atom is always assigned the last letter of the alphabet, omega. Thus, the mysterious names omega-3 and omega-6 mean that the double bond in the fatty acid carbon chain is at the third or sixth carbon atom from the end of the carbon atom chain, and nothing else. Who and when came up with the idea to use the method of locating the double bond in information about the dangers of cholesterol and the need to consume unsaturated fatty acids to combat it, science is unknown.

The carbohydrate content in chia seeds is higher than in flax seeds, and they are represented by cellulose, hemicellulose, starch, sucrose, glucose and fructose. Chia carbohydrates contain an increased amount of indigestible dietary fiber (polysaccharides of various structures) compared to the usual cereals. Some of them, once in the stomach, absorb water, increase in volume and thereby cause a feeling of fullness, allowing to reduce the feeling of hunger in healthy people. That's why they're added to energy bars, breakfast cereals, and instant cereals.

The seeds of both chia and flax contain mucus - natural glycoproteins, the carbohydrate part of which consists of 90% pentosans and 10% hexosans. These substances provide the water-holding capacity of chia seeds, which exceeds this indicator of flax seeds by an average of 1,5 times. They, together with pectin substances, upon contact with water, are able to form a gel, which is proposed to be used to improve the texture of food products.

Chia seeds contain a certain amount of biologically active polyphenolic compounds (chlorogenic, caffeic acid, myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol), but at the recommended daily dose of 15 grams of seeds recommended by the European Food Safety Authority, they are not able to have a significant antioxidant effect and a positive effect on metabolism. substances.

The health benefits of chia seeds are based on their high fatty oil content with a predominance of omega-3 and omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids, gel-forming polysaccharides, the presence of antioxidants, and "high quality protein." However, a simple comparison of the nutrient composition of chia seeds with flax seeds indicates that not only do they have no advantage, but they are inferior to flax in terms of total fatty oil content.

Increasingly, one can come across the statement that "chia seeds are a unique superfood that is gaining popularity all over the world." The now fashionable term "superfood" was coined as an alternative to fast food and is applied to foods that are considered especially beneficial to health. Many media outlets and Internet blogs have been blatantly claiming that eating "superfoods" will eliminate numerous diseases, prevent new ones, and prolong life.

However, back in 2007, the European Food Safety Authority banned the labeling of food products as "superfoods" due to the lack of a medical opinion on the proven benefits and effectiveness of the product. The use of this term is considered an advertising gimmick with the intent to draw the attention of consumers to an unmarketable generic product that is being sold at an outrageously high price. There is no official list of "superfoods". Their advertising list is randomly generated and changes depending on which product needs a sales boost.

As for chia seeds, they are advertised without any reason as a means to reduce weight, normalize blood sugar levels, increase body endurance due to the high levels of protein, fiber, calcium, potassium, magnesium, omega-3 and omega acids. 6.

Those readers who decide to eat "superfoods" should remember the sense of proportion, according to the Russian proverb: "Know your own measure in everything" or the saying of the Chinese philosopher of the XNUMXth-XNUMXth centuries BC. e. Lao Tzu: "The wise man avoids all extremes." Any healthy product and the tastiest food, in the absence of a sense of proportion, can turn into its opposite.

Chia seeds in modern cooking are beginning to be used in soups, salads or desserts as a topping - "a culinary tool that can give dishes an exquisite taste and a colorful, original look." What "topping" has to do with chia seeds, which have neither expressive taste nor aroma and are capable of forming only a tasteless slimy jelly-like mass, remains a mystery.

The author, before writing the article, purchased chia seeds, cooked them according to the recommendation and, having tasted them, came to the firm conviction that the resulting dish of a peculiar consistency is clearly inferior in taste to almost all cereals familiar to us.

So far, overseas chia seeds should be treated only as an opportunity to occasionally diversify your diet. At the same time, it is worth listening to the not unfounded opinion that vegetables, fruits, berries, cereals, seeds, nuts growing in the homeland should be preferred to exotic food, since the body and its enzyme system in the process of evolution are adapted to their normal assimilation. An affordable alternative to chia seeds is flaxseed, which has a very similar nutrient composition and similar culinary properties.

Author: Sokolsky I.

Chia (Spanish sage), Salvia hispanica. Recipes for use in traditional medicine and cosmetology

Ethnoscience:

• Lowering blood cholesterol levels: Mix two tablespoons of chia seeds in a glass of water and steep for several hours. Drink the resulting infusion twice a day to lower your blood cholesterol levels.
• Improving digestion: Mix two tablespoons of chia seeds in a glass of water and leave for 30 minutes. Drink the resulting infusion before meals to improve digestion.
• Treatment of diabetes: Mix one tablespoon of chia seeds in a glass of water and drink the resulting infusion every day. This will help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
• Reducing Inflammation: Mix two tablespoons of chia seeds with honey and apply the resulting mass on sore or inflamed areas on the skin. This will help reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
• Strengthening heart health: Mix one tablespoon of chia seeds with a little honey and add to a glass of hot water. Drink the resulting infusion every day to improve heart health.

Cosmetology:

• Mask for the face: Mix two tablespoons of ground chia seeds with two tablespoons of honey and two tablespoons of olive oil. Apply the resulting mass on the face and leave for 15-20 minutes. Then wash off with warm water. This mask nourishes the skin, making it softer and more hydrated.
• Body Scrub: Mix two tablespoons of ground chia seeds with two tablespoons of brown sugar and two tablespoons of olive oil. Massage the resulting mixture all over your body, then rinse with warm water. This scrub helps to remove dead skin cells, making it softer and smoother.
• Hand cream: Mix two tablespoons of ground chia seeds with two tablespoons of coconut oil and a little lavender oil. Apply the resulting mass on your hands and massage until completely absorbed. This cream nourishes and moisturizes the skin of the hands, making it softer and smoother.
• Rejuvenating Tonic: Mix two tablespoons of ground chia seeds with two tablespoons of green tea and two tablespoons of rose water. Apply the resulting mass on the face with a cotton pad. This tonic helps to refresh and rejuvenate the skin.
• Aromatic oil: add a few drops of chia oil to a diffuser or water to humidify and freshen the air in your room. It can also help relieve stress and improve mood.

Attention! Before use, consult with a specialist!

Chia (Spanish sage), Salvia hispanica. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing

Chia (Salvia hispanica) is a plant native to Central and South America that is grown for its edible seed. Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber and other nutrients.

Tips for growing, harvesting and storing chia:

Cultivation:

• Chia is best grown in a sunny location with well-drained soil.
• Plants require regular watering, but will not tolerate waterlogging.
• Chia seeds should be sown 1-2 cm deep into the soil from early spring to mid-summer.
• Chia starts flowering 8-12 weeks after sowing and then produces seeds 2-3 months later.

Workpiece:

• After collecting the seeds, they must be dried and cleaned of residues.
• Chia can be stored under dry conditions to preserve its freshness and flavor.

Storage:

• Chia should be stored in a dry, cool and dark place to preserve its freshness and nutritional properties.
• The ideal place to store chia is in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place such as a pantry or refrigerator.
• Chia can be stored for up to 2 years under proper storage conditions.

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