Chia Seeds are All Natural and Don’t Need Pesticides, Researcher Says
February 9, 2008
An Aztec mural depicts the harvesting of Chia Seeds. (Courtesy of Missouri State)
Centuries ago, Chia seeds nearly got obliterated after the Aztecs were defeated by Cortez in the 1500s. So integrated and wide spread was the use of Chia in Aztec life that the conquerors wanted nothing to do with the grain. The Aztecs used the seed in their diet and in religious ceremonies and Cortez’s people thought touching the grain would be beneath them.
It has taken 550 years for the Chia seed to experience a full-blown rejuvenation. The mass production of Chia started in Mexico about 20 years ago. The “Superfood” is now planted throughout Central and South America, thanks in part to the research of Dr. Wayne Coates who brought the seeds wondrous aspects to light.
As Coates points out, what makes Chia seed a marvel is how rich it is in Omega-3 and how it manages to survive and thrive without any chemical interference.
“Chia is never sprayed with pesticides because insects never bother it. So there are never any chemicals on the outside of the seed. It is harvested with combines mechanically and it is mechanically cleaned. We don’t irradiate it; we don’t do anything to it. It is natural,” he said.
Coates says he adds Chia seeds to his salads. Others mix it in recipes for baked goods and stir it in water for the benefits.
As researcher Vladimir Vuksan of St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto said of Chia last year: “You add this to any food, even bad food, and it will improve your health.”
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