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Establishing Chia Seeds as a staple crop

Establishing Chia Seeds as a staple crop

Introduction

Salvia Hispanica (Chia) is an herbaceous plant that belongs to the Labiatae family and grows annually where seedlings develop during summer and grow to produce a lush green foliage. This stage is followed by the emergence of purple flowers which eventually transform into seed pods containing the Chia seeds which often takes place during winter. The plant was originally grown in Mexico and Central America but its popularity has spread to different regions such as Latin America and Australia.

Statement of problem

Despite the various benefits that can be achieved if Chia seeds were identified as a staple food, the crop is yet to be utilized due to the dominance of other staple foods such as rice and wheat. The underutilization of Chia as a staple food has led to underdevelopment of technology and farming methods that could be utilized to achieve better produce from the crop.

Background

The use of Chia as a staple food could be traced back to as early as the pre-Columbian times where Aztecs would use the crop as a staple food. Their use has however spread to regions such as Guatemala and Mexico where the crop is grown in small scale and also for commercial use in Central and South America. Despite its existence in different parts of the world however, Chia seeds are yet to get the popularity associated with cereals like maize despite all their various benefits.

Methodology

The research will employ the use of qualitative data analysis to collect information regarding Chia, how it is grown, its use and how it can serve as a substitute for popular staple foods like wheat, rice and maize. The research will collect data from books, online sources, newspapers and government publications to give a better insight on how Chia can be used as a staple food.

Analysis

Chia seeds can serve as a staple food due to the various properties they possess. The paper will therefore focus on discussing the various advantages and limitations that Chia seeds have over other staple foods and why they can act as ideal substitutes.

Results and findings

Chia plants are relatively easy to grow and the process from seed to sprout takes about two to three days. The plant however requires plenty of sunlight and should be planted in well-drained soil. After about 12 days, the flower stalks begin to dry and slowly lose their petals, indicating the most ideal time to harvest the chia seeds (Bertoli 1). The advantage that chia seeds have over other staple foods lie in their ability to be used alongside other staple food. They also have multiple uses and this makes them an ideal staple food. Although they are small in size, chia seeds have high nutritional content (Bertoli 1). They also provide healthy fats, iron, calcium, vegan protein and fiber. They can also be consumed alongside other foods and beverages such as smoothies, salads, and oatmeal.

An ounce of chia seeds provides 137 calories to the body and also provides a gram of digestible carbohydrates. The fiber contained in the chia seeds ends up being converted t calories that are used up by the body leaving 101 calories per every ounce of chia seeds and this makes them one of the best sources for nutrients in the body (Ada 1). An added advantage is that the chia seeds are grown with no genetic modification and this makes them a healthier option, not to mention that they are gluten free.

Another reason why chia seeds would make excellent substitutes for maize rice and other cereals is the fact that they could help promote weight loss. Chia seeds contain a soluble fiber that is able to absorb a significant amount of water, causing it to expand while in the stomach. This makes the stomach full and slows down further absorption of food (Ayerza & Coates 37) The chia seeds further contain a protein that is responsible for reducing someone’s appetite, and thus the need for more food. Eating chia seeds for breakfast was found to have a short term effect in helping to cut weight as it was responsible for increase in satiety which greatly helped to reduce daily food intake (Bochicchio 1). While chia seeds alone cannot help to reduce weight, their health benefits can have a significant impact especially when the chia seeds are consumed alongside other healthy food options.

Limitations

The major limitation lies in the lack of information regarding the benefits of Chia seeds compared to other food crops. This makes it difficult for the crop to gain the attention it needs to be recognized as an acceptable staple food. People’s purchase decision is often influenced by the existence of information regarding the product the customer intends to buy (Boone 50). Since there is a lot of information regarding cereals like beans, maize and rice, people are more likely to buy them since they know more about the cereals already in the market. The advertisements aired further influence their popularity especially when they discuss the various benefits and use of the cereals already in popular use.

Chia seeds on the other hand are just gaining recognition and people are yet to discover their full benefits. While there is significant information about their origin and how the plant is grown, not enough research has been conducted to inform the public about chia seeds and their various uses and benefits (Li & Siddique 1). Convincing people to switch from an acceptable norm and get them behind the idea of chia seeds as a staple food that will compete with the likes of maize and rice will require a great deal of research and sharing of information to educate the public on all its benefits and why chia seeds should be considered as a new staple food.

Lastly, people are somewhat resistant to change and most are yet to accept chia seeds as a reliable staple food. The tendency to stick to the norm is likely to slow down adoption of chia seeds despite the efforts made to inform the public of their benefits. A lot of marketing and customer awareness programs will be required before people learn of the full benefits of chia seeds. The effort will however bear positive results as people are more likely to choose products that they know of (Ada 1). In addition, the lack of knowledge regarding chia seeds can be used as an advantage and organizations that decide to sell the seeds in whole sale can market them as a new product in the market. There is however need to conduct more research on the crop so as to have all the data needed to design strategies that will influence people to make the shift from the current options for cereals and opt for chia seeds instead.

Conclusion

Chia seeds are slowly becoming a popular food of choice due to the various nutritional properties and use the plant has. Other than being consumed alongside other staple foods, the crop can be eaten on its own. There is however a need to create awareness on the benefits of Chia and this is what the paper seeks to accomplish. When people learn about the benefits of chia seeds, or that they can be used as a substitute for the common various staple food, they will be more inclined to invest in ways to maximize the benefits presented by the use of chia seeds. The renewed interest in the use of chia seeds as a staple food will drive innovations that seek to come up with better ways to plant the plant, harvest it and use it as substitute for the various cereal products in the market.

Work cited

Adda, “Chia seeds 101: Nutritional facts and health benefits” Healthline, 2019, retrieved from, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/chia-seeds

Ayerza, R., & Coates, W. Chia: Rediscovering a forgotten crop of the Aztecs. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. 2005

Bertoli A, “Chia plants: How to grow and harvest chia seeds” 2019, retrieved from, https://insteading.com/blog/chia-plant/

Bochicchio R. et al. “Innovative Crop Productions for Healthy Food: The Case of Chia (Salvia hispanica)” Springer, 2015, retrieved from, https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-16357-4_3#citeas

Boone, L. Chia: Superfoods for Life. Rockport, United States: Fair Winds Press. 2014

Li, X., Siddique, K. Future smart food: Rediscovering hidden treasures of neglected and underutilized species for zero hunger in Asia. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2018