Chia seeds
Last Updated Sep 2007
Q: I have recently found the Zone and its benefits. Before that I was reading a lot about chia seeds and their benefits. Here in Chile you can buy chia seeds and chia oil pills. I want to know if you are familiar with the chia, know of its benefits, and know if it can be used as the omega supplement that you recommend.
A: Chia seeds are relatively rich in the short-chain omega-3 fatty acid, alpha linolenic acid or ALA. ALA is very slowly and inefficiently metabolized into the longer chain omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA that provide all the benefits of fish oil. You would need to consume more than 200 times the volume of chia oil than that of OmegaRx to get the same anti-inflammatory benefits.