Chia Seed Review – Whole, Ground, and Sprouted Seed, Seed Flour, & Supplements

Find the Best Chia Seeds, Sprouted Chia Powder, Flour, and Chia Supplements. Tests and Reviews of Chia Seeds & CL's Top Picks.

Medically reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.

Last Updated : 08/31/2021 | Initially Posted: 01/18/2020

Chia supplements reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

Table of Contents

Summary

· What is chia seed? Chia seeds are small, edible seeds that are highly nutritious and particularly rich in fiber (which forms an edible gel when the seeds are added to liquid). They are also a good source of healthful oils (particularly the omega-3 fatty acid ALA) and a range of minerals and vitamins. (See What It Is).

· What does chia seed do? Although highly nutritious, taking chia as a supplement not been shown to prevent or treat any health condition. (See What It Does).

· What did CL's tests of chia find? Among the tested chia seed products (including whole seed, ground seed, sprouted seed, seed flour, and a chia seed dietary supplement), ConsumerLab discovered one to be contaminated with lead and to contain amounts of nutrients very different from those listed on its label. All other products passed testing and provided similar amounts of nutrients to one another, although cost ranged several-fold across products to obtain the same amount of chia seed. (See What CL Found).

· Which is the best chia seed product? Among the products that passed testing and were "Approved" for their quality, CL selected a Top Pick for chia seed, costing less than half the price of other products.

· Chia safety and side effects: Chia seeds readily absorb water and expand and can, therefore, be a choking hazard if consumed dry. Leave them in liquid for at least 10 minutes before consuming. The high fiber content may cause some gastrointestinal side effects and the seeds may cause allergic reactions in some people. Salmonella contamination has occurred in sprouted chia seed products, so ConsumerLab tested all products for Salmonella and other pathogenic organisms. (See Concerns and Cautions).

See our separate Reviews of Flaxseed and Other Seed Oils Supplements.

What It Is:

Chia seeds are highly nutritious, edible seeds of a flowering plant (Salvia hispanica or, less commonly, Salvia columbariae) in the mint family. They are particularly high in fiber — representing most of the carbohydrates in chia and about 34% of the seed's total weight (i.e., 4 grams per 12-gram tablespoon). Much of this fiber is in the coating on the outside of the seed that, when wet, forms an edible gel around the seed — making it a desirable ingredient in puddings.

Although chia seeds do not contain as much oil as flaxseed, the oils represent about 31% of the weight of chia seeds (3-4 grams per tablespoon) and this oil has a very high concentration (58%) of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), a polyunsaturated ("good" fat) omega-3 essential fatty acid. An essential fatty acid is one that the body needs but must be supplied by the diet, since the body cannot manufacture it or cannot manufacture enough of it. From ALA, the body has a limited ability to manufacture two other important omega-3s — EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) -- it can convert small amounts of ALA into EPA and is even less efficient in making DHA. It is estimated that between 5 to 10% of dietary ALA may be converted into EPA, and about 2 to 5% may be converted into DHA (Davis, Am J Clin Nutr 2003), although conversion may be somewhat higher in young women as well as vegans and non-fish eating vegetarians (Burdge, Br J Nutr 2002; Welch, Am J Clin Nutr 2010).

Chia seeds also contain some protein — 16.5% of their weight (i.e., 2 grams per tablespoon), and good amounts of the following essential minerals (amounts shown per tablespoon): phosphorus (103 mg), calcium (75 mg), potassium (49 mg), and magnesium (40 mg), iron (1 mg), zinc (0.5 mg), and the B vitamins niacin (1 mg) and thiamin (0.04 mg) (USDA Food Data Central, 2019).

Chia seeds are gluten-free.

What It Does:

Although chia provides many essential nutrients and can certainly be a part of a healthful diet, supplementing with chia seed has not been shown in human clinical trials to help prevent or treat disease. For example, although chia seeds are a good source of ALA and, consequently, can modestly increase blood levels of EPA (not DHA), chia has not been shown to improve risk factors for cardiovascular disease (Ferreira, Nutr Hosp 2015). Chia seed also did not perform better than a nutritionally equivalent (but lower fiber) placebo drink in a weight loss study in which 24 grams of whole chia seed mixed with a cup of water was taken before breakfast and dinner for 12 weeks (Nieman, Nutrition Res 2009). Similarly, consuming 25 grams of ground chia seed per day, taken with meals, did not help obese children in Brazil lose weight in a very small, 75-day study. Those who consumed chia seed actually gained a bit more weight than those given an equivalent amount of placebo (corn starch) (Silva, J Medicinal Foods 2020).

Quality Concerns and Tests Performed:

Chia seed products are expected to contain their listed nutrients and should not be contaminated with pathogenic microbes or unacceptable amounts of heavy metals — both of which can occur in plant-based products. Contamination with Salmonella is of particular concern as there have been recalls in the U.S. in recent years of sprouted chia seed products due to Salmonella contamination.

ConsumerLab.com, as part of its mission to independently evaluate products that affect health, wellness, and nutrition, purchased several leading chia seed products sold in the U.S. and tested them to determine whether they possessed their claimed macronutrients (carbohydrates, fiber, protein, fat, and calories) and were free of pathogenic microbes (E.coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Listeria, yeast and mold) and unacceptable levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury (see Testing Methods and Passing Score).

What CL Found:

In our tests of six chia seed products, representing widely available brands in the U.S., one product, from Food to Live, failed to meet our standards and its own nutrition claims. The others passed our tests and are listed as "Approved" in the Results table below. These products contained their claimed amounts of macronutrients without contamination from pathogenic microbes or exceeding limits for heavy metals.

Nutrient levels were found to be very similar across the Approved products claiming contain only chia (i.e., excluding the chia capsules that included fillers). A 12-gram (1 tablespoon) serving of each of these products, whether whole seed, ground seed, or sprouted seed, provided about 5 grams of carbohydrates (of which 4 grams were fiber), 2-3 grams of protein, 3-4 grams of fat, and 62-66 Calories.

However, as shown in the graph below, the cost to get 12 grams of chia seed from these products varied greatly -- from as little as 9 cents to as much as 49 cents, and the cost to get it from capsules was even greater -- $1.33. The lowest cost, high quality chia was Better Body Foods Organic Chia Seeds.

Cost for 12 g of Chia Seed

A product to avoid:
Food to Live Organic Chia Seed Flour failed miserably in our tests, as shown in the Results table below, and it is, consequently, "Not Approved." These results were confirmed in a second independent laboratory. The powder was contaminated with lead at 0.16 mcg per gram, which is more than 10 times the lead concentration in any other product (all of which were way below acceptable limits), totaling 4.5 mcg of lead per suggested serving of 1 ounce (29 grams). Although, according to the FDA, adults can tolerate up to 12.5 mcg of lead daily from their total diet, children can only tolerate about 3 mcg and, in any case, this unnecessary exposure to lead should be avoided.

In addition to lead contamination, chemical analyses of Food to Live revealed a very different nutrient profile than listed on the label: It contained less than one-third of its listed fat and nearly two extra grams of carbohydrates from fiber. The powder was also very different from the other products in that it had an unusually dark brown color (see the photo at the top of this Review — it is the middle, top sample), a gritty taste, and a woody, herbaceous odor (other products had little to no flavor or odor). Although it claimed to be made from just organic chia seeds, we suspect that this product includes other materials and/or parts of the chia plant, such as, perhaps, leaves and stems.

Top Picks:

Whole, organic chia seed
Two whole-seed products were tested: Better Body Foods and Navitas Organics. Although Better Body Foods comes in a jar and Navitas comes in a bag, the contents are virtually indistinguishable, consisting of mostly small, dark seeds with occasional white (immature) seeds. The seeds were mildly crunchy with little flavor. Both claim to be products of Mexico, Argentina, and/or Paraguay, with Better Body additionally listing Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Peru. The main difference between the products is price: One tablespoon (12 grams) of seeds costs 20 cents from Navitas but only 9 cents from Better Body, making Better Body not only the least expensive whole chia seed product, but, as shown in the graph above, the least expensive source of chia seed among all products tested.

Update (6/25/21):
Based on its high quality and low price, Better Body Foods Organic Chia Seeds was, originally, our Top Pick among all chia products reviewed.

However, a CL member recently alerted us that some customer reviews of the Better Body organic chia product report finding insects or debris in some containers. This was not the case with the product we tested, which, along with all the products, also passed tests for microbial contamination. Nevertheless, reviews on Amazon do include some reports of bugs with the Better Body product, while we found no reports of bugs in reviews of the Nativas organic chia product. We reached out to Better Body about this issue, which promptly responded with the following statement that acknowledges the issue but doesn't indicate steps to ameliorate it:

"Thank you for reaching out to us, we sincerely apologize for this inconvenience. We constantly strive to give our customers a quality, organic product. Because our product is organic, there are certain techniques that have to be used in the farming and harvesting of the chia. This includes not being able to use chemical pesticides, this process is very effective, but not perfect, seeds are susceptible to pests that infest stored grains, there is the chance that storage pests could get into the product as with any stored grain."

As the presence of insects has been reported with organic chia seeds from Better Body and not Navitas, we believe that Navitas may be applying a higher level of quality oversight to their sourcing and production of this product. Despite Navitas' higher cost, we have changed our Top Pick for organic chia to be Navitas Organics Organic Chia Seeds.

Ground chia seed
If you want chia seed that has been coarsely ground, Nutiva Chia Seed -- Ground was found to be perfectly good, but for the convenience of being pre-ground you'll pay 37 cents per 12 grams, four times as much as for the same chia seed in Better Body. Nutiva lists Paraguay as the source of its seeds. The milled product has a salt and pepper appearance (in the photo above, it is the sample in the bottom right corner) with little flavor, like whole chia seed.

Chia seed flour
Chia seed flour is more finely milled than ground chia seed and is drier. The product that we tested, Food to Live Organic Seed Flour, was, indeed, a dry powder, but, as explained above, it does not seem to be made entirely from chia seeds and it is contaminated with lead. We don't recommend this product.

Sprouted chia seed
If you prefer sprouted chia seed and don't want to sprout them on your own (by wetting them and allowing them to sprout for two to three days), you can purchase sprouted chia seed powder, like the Organic Traditions Sprouted Chia Seed Powder that we tested. Some say that sprouted chia seeds are more healthful than unsprouted, whole chia seed, but we found the carbohydrate, fiber, protein and fat content to be essentially the same as that of whole or ground chia seed. Also, the cost was significantly higher — 49 cents per 12 grams, which is more than five times the cost of Better Body's chia seed. Unlike the whole and ground chia seed, the sprouted chia seed powder had a slight tea-like flavor. (Note: The package for this product indicates that it is a "Product of Canada." Canada is likely the location where the seeds were sprouted and milled, but probably not the origin of the seeds. We have inquired with the company for details.)

Chia seed supplement
You can certainly get milled chia seed in a capsule, although you would have to take a lot of capsules to equal what's in a typical one-tablespoon serving of chia seeds. We tested the supplement Swanson Chia Seed, which claims 0.4 grams of chia seed per capsule. It passed our tests, but you would need to take 30 capsules to get the equivalent of one tablespoon of chia seeds and you'd pay nearly 15 times as much -- $1.33.

Test Results by Product:

Listed below are the test results for six chia seed products selected by ConsumerLab.com. These are grouped by type — whole seed, ground seed, seed flour, sprouted seed, and supplement. Within each group, products are listed alphabetically. Shown for each product is the labeled amount and form of chia seed, the listed and found amounts of carbohydrates, fiber, protein and fat, as well as calculated calories. Also shown are findings regarding heavy metal and microbial contamination. Products listed as "Approved" met the tested nutrient label claims and ConsumerLab.com's additional quality criteria (see Passing Score). Those that did not are listed as "Not Approved" with an explanation of the problem found. Taste and appearance descriptions are included in the fourth column. Price and cost comparisons are in the fifth column, notable features and country of origin are in the sixth column, and nutrition facts (or, for supplements, other ingredients) as listed on product labels are in the last column.

Results of ConsumerLab.com Testing of Chia Seed Products

(Click arrows or swipe left or right to see all columns)

Approval Status

Product Name
(Suggested Serving on Label)

Total Carbohydrates²

Dietary Fiber²

Calories per serving²

Protein²

Total Fat²

Heavy Metals

Microbial Contamination

Appearance/ Taste

Cost Per Suggested Serving

[Per 12 g of Chia Seed]

Price

Vitamins & Minerals at 10%+ of the Daily Value³

Notable Features

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Whole Chia Seed: (Amounts per 12 g ~ 1 tbsp⁴)

APPROVED

Top Pick

Better Body Foods® Organic Chia Seeds

Dist. by BetterBody Foods®

Organic chia seed

Carbs: 5.2 g ✔
(Found: 4.2 g)

Fiber: 4 g ✔
(Found: 3.7 g)

60 Cal ✔
(Found: 61.1 Cal)

Protein: 2 g ✔
(Found: 2.5 g)

Fat: 3.6 g ✔
(Found: 3.8 g)

Heavy Metals: Pass

Microbes: Pass

Small seeds -- mostly dark and about 5% white, little flavor, mildly crunchy.

$0.23/2.5 tbsp

[$0.09/12 g]

$6.89/2 lbs [907 g] container (approx. 30 servings)

2.5 tbsp

Omega-3s 5,350 mg, calcium 189 mg, iron 2.5 mg

Product of Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay and/or Peru.

USDA Organic seal. Non GMO Project Verified Seal. Gluten Free. Kosher.

2.5 tbsp [30 g]

Calories 150, Total Fat 9 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 7 g, Monounsaturated Fat 0.5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 13 g, Dietary Fiber 10 g, Protein 5 g, Vitamin D 0 mcg, Calcium 189 mg, Iron 2.5 mg, Potassium 122 mg.

APPROVED

Navitas® Organics Organic Chia Seeds

Dist. by Navitas Organic

$ Price Check

Certified organic chia seed (Salvia hispanica)

Carbs: 5 g ✔
(Found: 4.4 g)

Fiber: 3 g ✔
(Found: 3.9 g)

60 Cal ✔
(Found: 61.8 Cal)

Protein: 2 g ✔
(Found: 2.2 g)

Fat: 4 g ✔
(Found: 3.9 g)

Heavy Metals: Pass

Microbes: Pass

Small seeds -- mostly dark and about 5% white, little flavor, mildly crunchy.

$0.20/tbsp

[$0.20/12 g]

$14.75/32 oz [907 g] pouch (approx. 75 servings)

1 tbsp

Omega-3s 2,254 mg

Product of Mexico/ Argentina/ Paraguay.

USDA Organic seal. Non GMO Project Verified Seal. Kosher, Gluten Free. Dairy Free.

1 tbsp [12 g]

Calories 60, Total Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 5 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Total Sugars [Includes 0 g Added Sugars] 0 g, Protein 2 g, more...

Ground Chia Seed: (Amounts per 12 g ~ 1 tbsp⁴)

APPROVED

Nutiva® Chia Seed Ground

Dist. by Nutiva®

$ Price Check

Raw organic chia seed

Carbs: 5 g ✔
(Found 4.4)

Fiber: 5 g ✔
(Found: 4 g)

60 Cal ✔
(Found: 61.7 Cal)

Protein: 3 g ✔
(Found: 2.4 g)

Fat: 3 g ✔
(Found: 3.8 g)

Heavy Metals: Pass

Microbes: Pass

Salt & pepper coloration, little flavor.

$0.37/tbsp

[$0.37/12 g]

$10.22/12 oz [340 g] pouch (approx. 28 servings)

Product of Paraguay.

USDA Organic seal. Non GMO Project Verified Seal. Gluten Free. Vegan.

1 tbsp [12 g]

Calories 60, Calories from Fat 25, Total Fat 3 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 2.5 g, Monounsaturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Potassium 60 mg, Dietary Fiber 5 g, more...

Chia Seed Flour: (Amounts per 12 g ~ 1.2 tbsp⁴)

NOT APPROVED

Food to Live Organic Chia Seed Flour

Dist. by Lexunder Inc d.b.a. Food To Live

Organic chia seed

Carbs: 5.1 g ✗
Found 6.6 g (128.6% of listed amount)

Fiber: 4.3 g ✗
Found 6 g (140.6% of listed amount)

59.1 Cal ✗
Found only 46.5 Cal (78.7% of listed amount)

Protein: 2.1 g ✔
(Found: 2.4 g)

Fat: 3.9 g ✗
Found only 1.2 g (30.5% of listed amount)

Heavy Metals: ✗
Found 4.5 mcg lead per 1 oz serving [1.9 mcg per 12 g serving] (0.16 mcg per g)

Microbes: Pass

Brown powder, with gritty taste and herbaceous odor.

$0.78/oz

[$0.33/12 g]

$12.48/1 lbs [454 g] pouch (approx. 16 servings)

1 oz

Calcium 179 mg, iron 2 mg, manganese 1 mg, copper 0.3 mg, selenium 16 mg, magnesium 95 mg, phosphorus 244 mg, niacin 3 mg, thiamin 0.2 mg, zinc 1 mg

Product of Paraguay, more...

1 oz [28 g]

Calories 9 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Trans Fat 0.04 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 5 mg, Total Carbohydrate 12 g, Dietary fiber 10 g, Total sugars [Includes 0 g Added Sugars] 1 g, Protein 5 g, Vitamin D 0 mcg, more...

Sprouted Chia Seed: (Amounts per 12 g ~ 1.6 tbsp⁴)

APPROVED

Organic Traditions® Sprouted Chia Seed Powder

Dist. by Health Matters America Inc.

Organic sprouted chia seed (Salvia hispanica)

Carbs:4.8 g ✔
(Found: 4.1 g)

Fiber: 4 g ✔
(Found: 3.8 g)

60 Cal ✔
(Found: 66.4 Cal)

Protein: 2.4 g ✔
(Found: 2.8 g)

Fat: 3.6 g ✔
(Found: 4 g)

Heavy Metals: Pass

Microbes: Pass

Light brown & white powder, slight tea-like flavor.

$0.62/2 tbsp

[$0.49/12 g]

$9.35/8 oz [227 g] pouch (approx. 15 servings)

2 tbsp

Omega-3s 3,000 mg, magnesium 60 mg, copper 0.2 mg, phosphorus 150 mg, manganese 0.5 mg

Product of Canada.

USDA Organic seal. Kosher. Vegan.

Precaution: Produced in a facility that processes tree nuts. May contain tree nuts, more...

2 tbsp [15 g]

Calories 75, Calories from Fat 40, Total Fat 4.5 g, Saturated 0.5 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Polyunsaturated 3.5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 3 mg, Potassium 110 mg, Total Carbohydrate 6 g, Fiber 5 g, Sugars 0 g, Protein 3 g, Percent of recommended daily intake: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, more...

Chia Seed Supplement: (Amounts per capsule)

APPROVED

Swanson® Chia Seed

Dist. by Swanson Health Products

1 capsule
(0.4 g of chia seed (Salvia hispanica))

Found:
Carbs: 0.21

Fiber: 0.19 g

Found:
1.5 Cal

Protein: 0.12 g

Fat: 0.03 g

Heavy Metals: Pass

Microbes: Pass

Capsule filled with bits of ground chia seeds in a white powder.

$0.04/capsule

[$1.33/12 g]

$2.65/60 capsules

As a dietary supplement, take one capsule one to two times per day with water.

None.

1 capsule

Chia Seed (Salvia hispanica) 400 mg.

Other Ingredients: Gelatin, rice flour, rosemary extract, may contain one or both of the following: magnesium stearate, silica.

Unless otherwise noted, information about the products listed above is based on the samples purchased by ConsumerLab.com (CL) for this Product Review. Manufacturers may change ingredients and label information at any time, so be sure to check labels carefully when evaluating the products you use or buy. If a product's ingredients differ from what is listed above, it may not necessarily be of the same quality as what was tested.

The information contained in this report is based on the compilation and review of information from product labeling and analytic testing. CL applies what it believes to be the most appropriate testing methods and standards. The information in this report does not reflect the opinion or recommendation of CL, its officers or employees. CL cannot assure the accuracy of information.

ConsumerTips™:

What to Consider When Buying:
As noted earlier, although sprouted chia seeds have been touted as being nutritionally superior to whole chia seeds, ConsumerLab found no difference with regard to total carbohydrates, fiber, fat, protein or calories. In addition, buying chia seed that has already been milled ("ground chia seed)" does not seem to offer a nutritional advantage (particularly as chia seeds are soft and easily chewed) and can cost several times more than whole chia seed.

What to Consider When Using:
Due to chia seed's high fiber content and extreme water absorbing/holding properties, consuming chia seeds may produce stomach discomfort in some people as well as a choking hazard for people with difficulty swallowing (see Concerns and Cautions). Soaking chia seeds for at least 10 minutes before consuming may help prevent choking and some stomach discomfort.

Soaking this way also produces an excellent pudding when a flavorful liquid, such as a plant-based milk, is used. The ratio of seed to liquid for a pudding is 3 to 4 tablespoons of seeds (or ground seeds) to one cup of liquid, depending on how thick you like your pudding. Extending the soaking time to 20 minutes will provide additional thickening. If you are adding chia to thicken a breakfast cereal (such as overnight oats) or a recipe (in which it can partially replace egg or oils), be sure to add an appropriate amount of additional liquid.

Storage
Store chia seeds in a cool, dry place. Chia seeds stored in a cold (46 degrees Fahrenheit) or dry environment (50% relative humidity) can be stored for one year (Sorana, Am J Plant Sci 2018).

Concerns and Cautions:

Due to their high fiber content and ability to absorb water, chia seeds and powders may cause bloating, stomach pain or diarrhea in some people.

When added to room-temperature liquid, chia seeds expand and form a gel-like substance, which can be a choking hazard, particularly in people who have difficulty swallowing. This was reported in a 39-year old man whose esophagus became obstructed after swallowing a tablespoon of dry chia seeds followed by a glass of water, which formed a gelatinous mass in his throat. He had a history of intermittent difficulty swallowing and following an examination of his throat, his doctors suspected that he may have had a condition called eosinophilic esophagitis (a chronic, allergic inflammatory disease of the esophagus) that impaired his ability to swallow the chia seeds (Simmelink, Case Rep Intern Med 2017).

Rarely, allergic reactions to consuming chia seeds have been reported, including one anaphylactic reaction (a life-threatening reaction that can cause vomiting, difficulty breathing, and shock), and skin reactions such as such as dermatitis and eczema. People with allergies to hazelnut or sesame may be more likely to be allergic to chia (Tomas-Perez, J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2018; Albunni, J Agric Food Chem 2019).

Chia seeds are high in oxalates -- containing approximately 254 mg of oxalates per 100 grams (about ½ cup) (Avila-Nava, J Ren Nutr 2021) -- which, if consumed in excess, could increase the risk of certain types of kidney stones (calcium oxalate and uric acid stones) in some people. Daily consumption of six tablespoons of chia seeds in addition to five "handfuls" of almonds (also high in oxalates) for one year was associated with the development of oxalate nephropathy (deposition of calcium oxalate crystals in the solid tissue of the kidney, which can lead to severe kidney injury) in a 59-year-old woman (Garland, BMJ Case Rep 2020).

Chia seeds contain plant estrogens (phytoestrogens) in the form of isoflavones but at such low concentrations that they likely have little effect on the body at typical serving sizes. For example, a 12-gram serving of chia seeds contains only 0.2 mg of isoflavones. In contrast, the concentration of isoflavones in soy beans is more than 30 times higher (and it's even higher in soy flower, soy protein, and soy isoflavone supplements, such that postmenopausal woman with a family history of breast cancer may want to avoid consumption of such foods and products, as explained in our Soy & Red Clover Isoflavone Review).

There have been reports of contamination of sprouted chia seed with the bacteria Salmonella. Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, and may cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. ConsumerLab tested all products in this Review for Salmonella and other pathogenic microbes and none was found to be contaminated.

+ 10 sources

Information on this site is provided for informational purposes only. It is not an endorsement of any product nor is it meant to substitute for the advice provided by physicians or other healthcare professionals. The information contained herein should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Consumers should inform their healthcare providers of the dietary supplements they take.

Latest Clinical Research Updates for Chia Seed

Chia Seeds and Estrogen

8/31/2021

Do chia seeds contain plant estrogens and, if so, should I be concerned as I have a family history of breast cancer? See the answer in the Concerns and Cautions section of our Chia Seeds Review.

Chia Risk

6/29/2021

Don't overdo it with chia seeds, as they contain compounds that, in excess, can increase the risk of kidney stones and kidney injury. Get the details in the Concerns and Cautions section of our Chia Seeds Review. Also, see our Top Picks among chia products.