11.6.1 Chia Seeds and Cardiovascular Diseases
Although the dietary habits of the population are changing, still many consume high
amounts of obesogenic foods, rich in sugars and saturated and trans fats, which
promote the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the main cause of death
among individuals (Temple 2018). According to the World Health Organization,
cardiovascular diseases is the world’s number one cause of mortality (WHO 2017).
Approximately 17.7 million people died from CVDs in 2015; of these deaths, an
estimated 7.4 million were due to coronary heart disease, and 6.7 million were due to
stroke.
The consumption of fatty acids of the omega-3 series, such as eicosapentaenoic
acid (EPA, C20:5) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6), both mainly from fish,
and α-linolenic (ALA, C18:3), derived primarily from plant sources act as major
protectors of CVDs. However, the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are
then synthesized from linolenic and linoleic fatty acids, including arachidonic acid
(AA) from linoleic acid and EPA and DHA from linolenic acid (El-Badry et al.
2007).
Studies have shown that supplementation of 50 g of chia seed per day significantly increases the plasma linolenic acid content (Nieman et al. 2009) and the
ingestion of 25 g chia seed daily by healthy postmenopausal women significantly
increases the levels of EPA and plasma linolenic acid (Jin et al. 2012). Although
these studies have verified the increase of linolenic acid in humans by the consumption of chia seed cannot justify its protective effect against the CVD, and might only
suggest long-term cardio-protective effects.
Sierra et al. (2015) have found that chia oil can protect vascular function against
the deleterious effects of early hypercholesterolemia and may improve vascular
relaxation even in the presence of elevated cholesterol levels. The ability to protect
vascular function reinforces the idea that chia oil could be used as a functional food
and be a potential approach to limit the progression of vascular dysfunction.
11.6.2 Antioxidative Effects
Chia seeds present high content of phenolic compounds which have been scientifically proven to exhibit antioxidative functions. Antioxidants and phenolic compounds have been found to have health-promoting properties and also confer
protection from degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer,
diabetes, and diverticulosis (Guevara-Cruz et al. 2012). Chia oil contains a great
quantity of γ-tocopherol and small amount of δ-tocopherol, as well as trace amounts
of α-tocopherol (Bodoira et al. 2017). In chia oil, the main phenolic compounds are
chlorogenic and caffeic acids, followed by myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol,
which are not present in other oilseeds (Ixtaina et al. 2011).
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Although the dietary habits of the population are changing, still many consume high
amounts of obesogenic foods, rich in sugars and saturated and trans fats, which
promote the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the main cause of death
among individuals (Temple 2018). According to the World Health Organization,
cardiovascular diseases is the world’s number one cause of mortality (WHO 2017).
Approximately 17.7 million people died from CVDs in 2015; of these deaths, an
estimated 7.4 million were due to coronary heart disease, and 6.7 million were due to
stroke.
The consumption of fatty acids of the omega-3 series, such as eicosapentaenoic
acid (EPA, C20:5) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6), both mainly from fish,
and α-linolenic (ALA, C18:3), derived primarily from plant sources act as major
protectors of CVDs. However, the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are
then synthesized from linolenic and linoleic fatty acids, including arachidonic acid
(AA) from linoleic acid and EPA and DHA from linolenic acid (El-Badry et al.
2007).
Studies have shown that supplementation of 50 g of chia seed per day significantly increases the plasma linolenic acid content (Nieman et al. 2009) and the
ingestion of 25 g chia seed daily by healthy postmenopausal women significantly
increases the levels of EPA and plasma linolenic acid (Jin et al. 2012). Although
these studies have verified the increase of linolenic acid in humans by the consumption of chia seed cannot justify its protective effect against the CVD, and might only
suggest long-term cardio-protective effects.
Sierra et al. (2015) have found that chia oil can protect vascular function against
the deleterious effects of early hypercholesterolemia and may improve vascular
relaxation even in the presence of elevated cholesterol levels. The ability to protect
vascular function reinforces the idea that chia oil could be used as a functional food
and be a potential approach to limit the progression of vascular dysfunction.
11.6.2 Antioxidative Effects
Chia seeds present high content of phenolic compounds which have been scientifically proven to exhibit antioxidative functions. Antioxidants and phenolic compounds have been found to have health-promoting properties and also confer
protection from degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer,
diabetes, and diverticulosis (Guevara-Cruz et al. 2012). Chia oil contains a great
quantity of γ-tocopherol and small amount of δ-tocopherol, as well as trace amounts
of α-tocopherol (Bodoira et al. 2017). In chia oil, the main phenolic compounds are
chlorogenic and caffeic acids, followed by myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol,
which are not present in other oilseeds (Ixtaina et al. 2011).
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