11.4 Antinutritional Factors
There are no reports available in the literature till date describing allergic reactions
due to the use of chia seeds, although there have been some cases of hypersensitivity
to plants of the same family (Lamiaceae) (Coates 2011).
11.5 Bioactive Compounds
The composition and the concentration of bioactive compounds depend on several
factors, such as climatic conditions, geographical origin, and the extraction methods
(Ixtaina et al. 2011; Capitani et al. 2012). Chia seed extracts present caffeic acid,
which is composed of a dihydroxyphenyl group linked with acrylic acid and plays an
important role both chemically and biologically (De Falco et al. 2017). Moreover, in
the metabolome of chia seeds, not only monomers of caffeic acid building block are
present but also condensation products such as polymers ferulic acid (Martínez-Cruz
and Paredes-López 2014), chlorogenic acid (Reyes-Caudillo et al. 2008; Coelho
and de las Mercedes Salas-Mellado 2014), and rosmarinic acid (Martínez-Cruz and
Paredes-López 2014). Caffeic acid dimers are also frequent in chia samples, and
among them rosmarinic acid is the most abundant one (De Falco et al. 2017).
Flavonoids identified in chia seed are myricetin (Taga et al. 1984), quercetin (Taga
et al. 1984; Reyes-Caudillo et al. 2008; Coelho and de las Mercedes Salas-Mellado
2014), kaempferol (Taga et al. 1984; Reyes-Caudillo et al. 2008), and daidzin,
glycitein, glycitin, genistein, and genistin (Martínez-cruz and Paredes-lópez 2014).
As previously mentioned, chia seed is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 bioactive
compounds. Essential fatty acids are not synthesized by human metabolism, so they
need to be ingested through food. The high omega-3 content, higher than any known
plant source, refers to the use of chia seed as a source of omega-3 functional food
(Ayerza and Coates 2011).
11.6 Health Attributes
α-Linolenic (ω-3) and linoleic (ω-6) fatty acids are fundamental in the prevention
and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, as well as having other important roles in
reducing the risks of hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, and autoimmune diseases
(Carvalho et al. 2003; Goyal et al. 2014).
290
S. S. Fernandes et al.
There are no reports available in the literature till date describing allergic reactions
due to the use of chia seeds, although there have been some cases of hypersensitivity
to plants of the same family (Lamiaceae) (Coates 2011).
11.5 Bioactive Compounds
The composition and the concentration of bioactive compounds depend on several
factors, such as climatic conditions, geographical origin, and the extraction methods
(Ixtaina et al. 2011; Capitani et al. 2012). Chia seed extracts present caffeic acid,
which is composed of a dihydroxyphenyl group linked with acrylic acid and plays an
important role both chemically and biologically (De Falco et al. 2017). Moreover, in
the metabolome of chia seeds, not only monomers of caffeic acid building block are
present but also condensation products such as polymers ferulic acid (Martínez-Cruz
and Paredes-López 2014), chlorogenic acid (Reyes-Caudillo et al. 2008; Coelho
and de las Mercedes Salas-Mellado 2014), and rosmarinic acid (Martínez-Cruz and
Paredes-López 2014). Caffeic acid dimers are also frequent in chia samples, and
among them rosmarinic acid is the most abundant one (De Falco et al. 2017).
Flavonoids identified in chia seed are myricetin (Taga et al. 1984), quercetin (Taga
et al. 1984; Reyes-Caudillo et al. 2008; Coelho and de las Mercedes Salas-Mellado
2014), kaempferol (Taga et al. 1984; Reyes-Caudillo et al. 2008), and daidzin,
glycitein, glycitin, genistein, and genistin (Martínez-cruz and Paredes-lópez 2014).
As previously mentioned, chia seed is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 bioactive
compounds. Essential fatty acids are not synthesized by human metabolism, so they
need to be ingested through food. The high omega-3 content, higher than any known
plant source, refers to the use of chia seed as a source of omega-3 functional food
(Ayerza and Coates 2011).
11.6 Health Attributes
α-Linolenic (ω-3) and linoleic (ω-6) fatty acids are fundamental in the prevention
and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, as well as having other important roles in
reducing the risks of hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, and autoimmune diseases
(Carvalho et al. 2003; Goyal et al. 2014).
290
S. S. Fernandes et al.