Tip of the day: When including chia seeds in your diet, start slow

Chia seeds are rich in fibre but can cause digestive discomfort if introduced too quickly. Dr Rajan recommends starting with a teaspoon daily.

Chia seeds have become the go-to choice for people looking to increase their daily fibre intake. While full of beneficial nutrients, including fibre, not knowing how to consume them or eating the seeds without factoring in your daily habits, can lead to serious concerns.

Chia seeds can absorb 10 to 12 times their weight in water. So if you eat chia seeds without drinking enough water, that could be harmful. (Pexel)

In a March 14 Instagram video, Dr Karan Rajan, a UK-based surgeon and health content creator, cautioned individuals against the potential digestive complications that can arise when incorporating chia seeds into their diet too quickly. According to him, these seeds are densely packed with fibre, and a sudden increase can overwhelm gut bacteria, leading to excessive gas and bloating. So, our tip of the day is: When beginning with chia seeds, always start slow.

Eating chia seeds the right way

Dr Rajan stated that adding more chia seeds to your diet can cause problems, depending on three factors. Firstly, if you're fibre naive, meaning you only eat around 10 to 15 g of fibre per day, then suddenly adding two tablespoons of chia seeds is going to do you more harm than good.

Here's how: Dr Rajan explains that when you already eat low amounts of fibre, your microbes are nowhere near adapted to fermenting the amount of fibre in chia seeds. Two tablespoons of chia seeds have 34 g of fibre. “Your microbes have to work harder, ferment more intensely, and produce more gas. It's not the chia seeds' fault; your bacteria just aren't ready yet,” he explained.

Although this adaptation period is normal. Dr Rajan suggests starting super slow, maybe with one teaspoon of chia seeds per day, and working up to two tablespoons over one to two weeks or longer to give your gut bacteria time to acclimate.

The problem with too many chia seeds

Now, according to the surgeon, two tablespoons of chia seeds are considered low FODMAP (short-chain carbohydrates that the small intestine absorbs poorly). So, they technically should be tolerated by most people with IBS and sensitive guts.

“But some people with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) do not tolerate chia seeds well, even at low FODMAP doses. Chia seeds contain soluble fibres that form a gel. For some IBS sufferers, especially those with IBSD (the diarrhoea predominant type) or those with visceral hyper sensitivity, this gel can increase intestinal distension, the feeling of fullness and bloating, and thus can trigger symptoms despite technically being low FODMAP,” Dr Rajan cautioned.

Therefore, the best option is to test your tolerance with small amounts, such as one teaspoon, and then build up.

The surgeon also highlighted the number one major problem with eating chia seeds: water. He explained, “Chia seeds can absorb 10 to 12 times their weight in water. So if you eat chia seeds without drinking enough water, they could pull the water from intestinal tissues, and the constipation could get worse instead of better.”

He further shared his rule, which deals with this issue: “For every tablespoon of chia seeds, drink at least 8 to 10 ounces of water. And a pro tip: grind the chia seeds to make it even easier for your gut bacteria to ferment.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.