To continue with food trends that have been popular on TikTok — and that you probably didn’t know were Mexican — we present chia seeds.
What exactly are chia seeds?
Chia is an herbaceous plant native to southern Mexico and northern Guatemala, belonging to the same family as mint and lavender. We know that its domestication began approximately 6,000 years ago. Unlike today, for pre-Columbian cultures, chia wasn’t just a dietary supplement — it was one of the most important foods.
From Mesoamerica to the world
According to dictionaries, the word “chía” comes from Nahuatl and means “seed from which oil is extracted.” It is believed to derive from the Mayan word “chiháan,” meaning “strong” or “strengthener,” due to its powerful properties.
Chia is thought to have ranked third in importance among crops, surpassed only by maize and beans. In Tenochtitlán, the pre-Columbian version of Mexico City, between 5,000 and 15,000 tons of chia were received as tribute from conquered peoples. Chia was even used as currency in tributes and commercial transactions.
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Beyond being a staple food, chia was used in various ways. It was ground into flour to prepare different dishes and was also used to make a drink called cinapinolli, which mixed chia powder with water. The seeds were also offered to the gods — replanted as a sacred act to bless future harvests — and chia oil was extracted for use in body paint and pottery decorations.
Chia flour had an incredibly long shelf life, making it an ideal food source during droughts and long expeditions. It was said that a person sustained by a small pouch of ground chia could run from the Colorado River to the Pacific Ocean — or chase down prey until it collapsed from exhaustion. I find that hard to believe, but perhaps some of our marathoner friends can try it out and tell us if they feel more energized!
A rediscovered treasure
During the colonial era, chia nearly disappeared because its cultivation was associated with indigenous “pagan” rituals, and the Spanish replaced it with other cereals. However, some remote communities continued growing it, allowing it to survive to this day — though without the same significance it once held in pre-Columbian cultures.
Today, the world’s largest consumer of chia is the United States. Interest in chia grew in the 1990s when health food brands began marketing it for its supposed weight-loss benefits. But as someone who has been drinking lemon water with chia since childhood, I can confidently say — without any proof, but also without any doubts — that I haven’t lost a single gram because of chia.
That said, it is one of the most nutritionally complete foods you can eat. Per 100 grams, chia seeds contain:
Benefits
Recent studies confirm that chia is an excellent ally for cardiovascular health and reducing inflammation. It promotes good digestion and contributes to an unparalleled gut health experience. Due to its high fiber content, it helps maintain a feeling of fullness longer and improves hydration efficiency.
And most importantly, indigenous knowledge was right — chia is one of the best foods for athletes, as it aids in muscle repair and growth.
Warnings
Chia absorbs 10 times its weight in water, so my recommendation is to soak it first in any liquid — water, milk, or juice. Like most Mexicans, you can drink it in agua de limón con chía. You can also add it to smoothies and juices. Those with a sweet tooth can also try chía jam!
You can eat it raw by sprinkling it over salads or fruit, but be careful not to overdo it—remember, it absorbs liquid! Speaking from experience, it can be quite uncomfortable when those little seeds expand inside you.
You can also make chia flour. Just blend or process it into a fine powder and use it as a substitute for breading or baking breads and cakes.
The possibilities with chia are endless — just don’t go overboard, like some young women I’ve seen on social media who have ended up in a hospital bed with a “chia baby” in their stomachs.
If you’re a high-performance athlete, have you incorporated chia into your diet? How has it benefited you? Let us know!
María Meléndez is a Mexico City food blogger and influencer.
