Information on Chia, Hemp & Flax

Several varieties of seeds are rich in protein, fiber and other nutrients. These seeds make a healthy, energy-rich snack or meal addition. Three types of particularly wholesome and invigorating seeds are chia, hemp and flax.

Chia

• Chia (Salvia hispanica) is a plant in the mint family native to the Americas. The Aztecs were familiar with its nutritious seeds, often using them to fuel the energy-intensive pursuits of runners, hunters and warriors. Chia seeds are high in protein and alpha-linoleic acid. Alpha-linoleic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid found in plants, prevents heart disease, high cholesterol, high-blood pressure and other maladies, according to th University of Maryland Medical Center. In addition, Chia seeds are high in calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and copper.

Hemp

• Hemp (Cannabis sativa) is illegal to grow in the U.S. Its nutritious seeds, however, may be imported in a sterilized form. Originally imported for birdseed, the nutritional benefits of this seed to humans began to be explored in the 1990s. According to Todd Dalotto in "The Hemp Cookbook," hemp seeds are high in protein, essential fatty acids and the amino acids: threonine, valine, methlonine and leucine.

Flax

• Flax plants (members of the Linus genus) have been used as a source of cloth, oil and food for thousands of years. According to "Flax: The Genus Linum," by Alister D. Muir, flax was one of the first crops to be cultivated by the ancient Mesopotamians. Muir describes the nutritional value of flax seeds in the book, which states that not only are flax seeds high in protein and alpha-linolenic acid, they are also rich sources of dietary fiber and lignans, which are phytoestrogens.