History

• Chia seeds originated in North America, and were a staple in the diet of many tribes and civilizations. Pacific coast groups such as the Salinan, Costanoan and Chumash, and inland tribes such as the Paiute, Maidu and Kawaiisu all used chia seeds.
  
  

Unique Properties

• A chia seed can absorb more than twelve times its own weight in water. When eaten, the gel that forms in the stomach creates a physical barrier between carbohydrates and the digestive enzymes. This prolongs the time it takes our bodies to break down the carbs into sugar, which helps stabilize our metabolism.
  
  

Uses

• Many people eat chia seeds as a healthy snack due to the fact that they are high in protein, nutrients and oil. Chia seeds would also be mixed with water to create a medicinal gel. This gel was used to treat fevers and even gun shot wounds.
  
  

Appearance

• Chia seeds can either be black or white. The size of the plant can range in size from 3 to 60 cm tall. The plant has a dark green color and may have flowers which are light to dark blue in color.
  
  

Chia Pet

• Chia pets became popular in the 1980s. A chia pet is basically a clay figure, usually an animal, which you can plant chia seeds on. The chia seeds will grow on the clay figure with relatively little care, and cover it with a few centimeters of chia plant.