Chia Seed

Also called chia, chia seeds, Salvia hispanica, Salba, Salba-chia, chia flour.

Best grade C across 9 graded outcomes Botanical Last checked Oct 21, 2026

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The short answer

From 12 sources

Chia seed is a food studied mainly for blood pressure and weight. Pooled data from 8 small trials (372 adults) found systolic and diastolic blood pressure about 5.6 and 7.5 mmHg lower, with no change in body weight. Single trials on weight disagree: 50 g a day did nothing in overweight adults, while a diabetes trial saw 1.6 kg extra loss.

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NOW Foods Organic Chia Seed Black, 12 oz

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Label: 1 tablespoon (12 g): 50 calories, 4 g fibre, 2 g protein, 3.5 g fat.

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Every graded outcome on this page

9 rows · line = participants

Grade CBlood lipids (triglycerides, LDL)Triglyceridesn 835
Grade CBlood pressureBlood pressuren 372
Grade CInflammation markers (CRP, IL-6, TNF-α)Inflammationn 210
Grade CBody weight and waist in overweight adults with type 2 diabetesWeightn 77
Grade CTriglycerides in hypertriglyceridaemia, compared with fish oilTriglyceridesn 66
Grade CBlood pressure in type 2 diabetesBlood pressuren 42
Grade DWeight, lipids and blood pressure in women with obesityWeightn 20
No effectBlood sugar (fasting glucose, HbA1c, insulin)Blood sugarn 362
No effectBody weight and disease risk factors in overweight adultsWeightn 76

Key facts

What it is: Seeds of Salvia hispanica, high in fibre and the plant omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)⁶
Blood pressure: Pooled 8 RCTs (372 adults): systolic −5.6 mmHg, diastolic −7.5 mmHg²
Weight: No change in body weight or BMI in pooled trials; waist about 1.5 cm smaller²
Triglycerides: Pooled 14 trials (835 people): triglycerides 8.7 to 13.1 mg/dL lower; LDL lower only at higher doses¹⁰
Blood sugar: Pooled 8 RCTs (362 people): no change in fasting glucose, HbA1c or insulin⁹
Amounts in trials: 40 to 50 g a day of seed; one diabetes trial used 30 g per 1,000 kcal eaten^4,5,6
Omega-3: 50 g a day raised blood ALA by 24% but not EPA or DHA over 12 weeks⁶

What it is

Chia seeds are the edible seeds of Salvia hispanica, eaten whole, ground or as flour; they are rich in fibre and the plant omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

How it works

Proposed

Chia is rich in fibre and alpha-linolenic acid; in one trial it raised blood ALA but not the long-chain omega-3s EPA and DHA. How it might lower blood pressure has not been established in the trials cited here.^6,2

Forms, side by side

2 forms named in our sources. The rest show what our data holds, and say plainly where it holds nothing yet.

Chia Seed forms compared

2 forms

Chia Seed forms compared: 2 forms by 3 attributes. Empty cells are labelled No data yet, or Not graded in the evidence row.
2 forms	Whole or ground seeds	Chia flour
Absorption in people	Plasma ALA rose 24.4% after 12 weeks of 50 g a day of whole seed; EPA and DHA did not change.⁶	No absorption data in our sources.⁷
GI tolerance	The trial abstracts cited here do not describe side effects.^4,6	The abstract does not describe side effects.⁷
Studied for	Blood pressure, weight and risk factors (40 to 50 g/day)	Weight and lipids in women with obesity (dose not stated)

Whole or ground seeds
Absorption in people
Plasma ALA rose 24.4% after 12 weeks of 50 g a day of whole seed; EPA and DHA did not change.⁶
GI tolerance
The trial abstracts cited here do not describe side effects.^4,6
Studied for
Blood pressure, weight and risk factors (40 to 50 g/day)
Chia flour
Absorption in people
No absorption data in our sources.⁷
GI tolerance
The abstract does not describe side effects.⁷
Studied for
Weight and lipids in women with obesity (dose not stated)

What the human research says

Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form line shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.

Trial map

9 graded outcomes, largest study first

9 graded outcomes: 5 improved, 2 mixed, 2 no effect. The largest, a 2024 meta-analysis of 835 people on blood lipids (triglycerides, LDL), found an improvement.

By sizeTable

1Blood lipids (triglycerides, LDL)

Improved · Grade C · Meta-analysis, 835 people, 2024

Participants in 14 clinical trials

Dose, result and source

Every graded outcome on this page, largest study first
Outcome	Found	People	Study	Who was studied
Blood lipids (triglycerides, LDL)	Improved	835	Grade C · Meta-analysis, 2024	Participants in 14 clinical trials
Blood pressure	Improved	372	Grade C · Meta-analysis, 2025	Adults in 8 randomised controlled trials
Blood sugar (fasting glucose, HbA1c, insulin)	No effect	362	No-effect grade · Meta-analysis, 2024	Participants in 8 randomised controlled trials (10 arms)
Inflammation markers (CRP, IL-6, TNF-α)	Mixed	210	Grade C · Meta-analysis, 2024	Participants in 4 randomised controlled trials
Body weight and waist in overweight adults with type 2 diabetes	Improved	77	Grade C · RCT, 2017	Overweight or obese adults with type 2 diabetes (HbA1c 6.5% to 8.0%) on a calorie-restricted diet
Body weight and disease risk factors in overweight adults	No effect	76	No-effect grade · RCT, 2009	Overweight or obese men and women aged 20 to 70; 76 of 90 completed
Triglycerides in hypertriglyceridaemia, compared with fish oil	Improved	66	Grade C · RCT, 2024	Adults with moderate hypertriglyceridaemia on a low-calorie diet in Iran (22 per group)
Blood pressure in type 2 diabetes	Improved	42	Grade C · RCT, 2021	Adults with type 2 diabetes, 21 per group
Weight, lipids and blood pressure in women with obesity	Mixed	20	Grade D · RCT, 2023	Adult women with obesity (chia flour vs placebo)

Every graded row

9 rows

Form tested

Showing 9 of 9 outcomes. Human trials only.

Grade CBlood lipids (triglycerides, LDL)TriglyceridesTG −8.7 to −13.1 mg/dLMeta-analysis · 14 studies
n 835 · 2024

Improved Triglycerides fell with both higher and lower doses (−8.69 and −13.11 mg/dL); LDL fell only with higher doses (−4.77 mg/dL), and systolic blood pressure fell 2.78 mmHg only with higher doses.

Design: Meta-analysis, 14 studies, n = 835, 2024
Population: Participants in 14 clinical trials
Form: Chia seed (various forms)
Dose: Higher- and lower-dose subgroups (amounts not given in the abstract)
Duration: Varied by trial
Source: Reference 10 · PubMed 39299649 (opens PubMed)

Grade CBlood pressureBlood pressure−5.6 / −7.5 mmHgMeta-analysis · 8 studies
n 372 · 2025

Improved Systolic blood pressure fell by 5.61 mmHg (95% CI −8.77 to −2.44) and diastolic by 7.49 mmHg (−9.64 to −5.34); waist circumference fell by 1.46 cm, with no effect on weight (+0.09 kg) or BMI.

Design: Meta-analysis, 8 studies, n = 372, 2025
Population: Adults in 8 randomised controlled trials
Form: Chia seed (various forms)
Dose: Varied by trial
Duration: Varied by trial
Source: Reference 2 · PubMed 39672763 (opens PubMed)

Grade CInflammation markers (CRP, IL-6, TNF-α)InflammationLower CRP; IL-6 and TNF-α unchangedMeta-analysis · 4 studies
n 210 · 2024

Mixed CRP fell (weighted mean difference −0.64 mg/dl; 95% CI −1.24 to −0.04); IL-6 and TNF-α did not change.

Design: Meta-analysis, 4 studies, n = 210, 2024
Population: Participants in 4 randomised controlled trials
Form: Chia seed (various forms)
Dose: Varied by trial
Duration: Varied by trial
Source: Reference 3 · PubMed 39703891 (opens PubMed)

Grade CBody weight and waist in overweight adults with type 2 diabetesWeight1.6 kg more weight lossRCT
n 77 · 2017

Improved Weight fell 1.9 kg on chia vs 0.3 kg on control (p = 0.020); waist fell 3.5 vs 1.1 cm (p = 0.027); CRP fell 39% vs 7% (p = 0.045) and adiponectin rose 6.5%.

Design: RCT, n = 77, 2017
Population: Overweight or obese adults with type 2 diabetes (HbA1c 6.5% to 8.0%) on a calorie-restricted diet
Form: Salba-chia seed
Dose: 30 g per 1,000 kcal a day (control: 36 g per 1,000 kcal of an oat-bran product)
Duration: 6 months
Source: Reference 4 · PubMed 28089080 (opens PubMed)

Grade CTriglycerides in hypertriglyceridaemia, compared with fish oilTriglyceridesTG fall similar to fish oilRCT
n 66 · 2024

Improved Plasma triglycerides fell more than with diet alone and as much as with fish oil (−145.2 vs −136.7 mg/dL from baseline); diastolic blood pressure fell 8.4 mmHg, more than in the other groups. Weight loss did not differ (2.8 kg vs 2.0 kg on diet alone).

Design: RCT, n = 66, 2024
Population: Adults with moderate hypertriglyceridaemia on a low-calorie diet in Iran (22 per group)
Form: Chia seeds
Dose: 30 g/day (vs 1.8 g/day long-chain omega-3 fish oil, or diet alone)
Duration: 8 weeks
Source: Reference 11 · PubMed 39360590 (opens PubMed)

Grade CBlood pressure in type 2 diabetesBlood pressureLower systolic BP onlyRCT
n 42 · 2021

Improved Systolic blood pressure fell significantly compared with control after adjustment (p = 0.007); glucose, HbA1c, insulin, lipids, CRP and body weight did not differ.

Design: RCT, n = 42, 2021
Population: Adults with type 2 diabetes, 21 per group
Form: Chia seeds
Dose: 40 g/day (control: no supplement)
Duration: 12 weeks
Source: Reference 5 · PubMed 33530854 (opens PubMed)

Grade DWeight, lipids and blood pressure in women with obesityWeightNo weight effect; HDL fellRCT
n 20 · 2023

Mixed No differences in weight, body composition or energy expenditure; HDL cholesterol fell (p = 0.049) and systolic blood pressure tended to fall (p = 0.062).

Design: RCT, n = 20, 2023
Population: Adult women with obesity (chia flour vs placebo)
Form: Chia flour
Dose: Not stated in the abstract
Duration: 90 days
Source: Reference 7 · PubMed 35604811 (opens PubMed)

No effectBlood sugar (fasting glucose, HbA1c, insulin)Blood sugarNo changeMeta-analysis · 8 studies
n 362 · 2024

No effect No significant effect on fasting glucose (WMD 0.79%, 95% CI −0.97 to 2.55), HbA1c (−0.12%, −0.27 to 0.02) or insulin (1.23%, −1.77 to 4.22).

Design: Meta-analysis, 8 studies, n = 362, 2024
Population: Participants in 8 randomised controlled trials (10 arms)
Form: Chia seed (various forms)
Dose: Varied by trial
Duration: Varied by trial
Source: Reference 9 · PubMed 38917708 (opens PubMed)

No effectBody weight and disease risk factors in overweight adultsWeightNo better than placeboRCT
n 76 · 2009

No effect No differences vs placebo in body mass or composition, inflammation, oxidative stress, blood pressure or lipids; plasma ALA rose 24.4% vs a 2.8% fall on placebo.

Design: RCT, n = 76, 2009
Population: Overweight or obese men and women aged 20 to 70; 76 of 90 completed
Form: Whole chia seed mixed in water
Dose: 25 g twice daily (50 g/day) before meals
Duration: 12 weeks
Source: Reference 6 · PubMed 19628108 (opens PubMed)

What the numbers add up to

Each point is worked out from the data and the sources numbered on this page, with the arithmetic shown under it. It adds no new data and is not medical advice.

Blood pressure, not weight

Two meta-analyses agree on lower blood pressure and no change in body weight, and a 2025 GRADE-assessed review also found no effect on fasting glucose or HbA1c.^2,8

Plant omega-3 is not fish oil

Fifty grams a day raised blood ALA but not EPA or DHA, so in that trial chia did not raise the long-chain omega-3s found in fish oil.⁶

Studied doses

Doses used in research, shown against the official limits. They describe the studies, not a recommendation for you.

Studied doses in research, not advice. These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.

Doses studied in human trials

Doses studied in human trials ranged from 30 g a day for 8 weeks in hypertriglyceridaemia and 40 g a day for 12 weeks to 50 g a day (25 g twice daily) for 12 weeks; one diabetes trial used 30 g per 1,000 kcal eaten for 6 months.^11,4,5,6

Interactions and safety

Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.

Interactions

0 agents

None found in our sources.

Check with what you take

Kept on this device only

Add what you take. We list every interaction our evidence profiles cite between Chia Seed and your picks, and between your picks.

Add a supplement or medicine

Most cited:

Add a supplement or medicine you take to check it against Chia Seed.

Starting from one medicine? The interaction checker rates how serious each pair is, on a curated list of 19 entries for 11 medicines. This cabinet has no severity rating: it lists every interaction row our supplement pages cite.

Who should be careful

3 groups

Food allergy: Chia allergy is documented in a small number of case reports and one case series, including skin reactions and anaphylaxis; how common it is is unknown. Laboratory studies show possible cross-reactivity with sesame, though whether that matters clinically is unproven.¹²
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children: No chia-specific pregnancy or breastfeeding data were found, and chia has no LactMed entry. Chia is eaten as a food; NCCIH notes that many dietary supplements have not been tested in pregnant women, nursing mothers or children.¹
Medicines and surgery: NCCIH advises that supplements may interact with medications or pose risks before surgery, and to tell your health care providers about everything you use.¹

How to read the label

What to check on the Supplement Facts panel.

How to read the label

1 checks

Compare grams, not capsules

Trials used whole seed at 40 to 50 g a day, or chia flour; compare a product's daily grams with those amounts.^4,5,6,7

Where to buy Chia Seed

Products from brands we partner with that contain Chia Seed. Check the amount per serving against the doses studied above, and the label for other ingredients.

Chia Seed products from partner brands

1 product Paid links · we earn a commission

Quick pickHerbsProNOW Foods Organic Chia Seed Black, 12 oz
1 tablespoon (12 g): 50 calories, 4 g fibre, 2 g protein, 3.5 g fat; ingredient: organic black chia seeds (Salvia hispanica)
$6.99one-timeChecked Oct 15, 2026
Shop at HerbsPro (paid link, opens in new tab)

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to common questions; the numbers link to the sources below.

Common questions

8 answers

Do chia seeds lower blood pressure?

Pooled data from 8 small trials found systolic pressure about 5.6 mmHg and diastolic about 7.5 mmHg lower; larger trials are still needed.²

Do chia seeds help with weight loss?

Mostly no. Pooled trials found no change in weight. One diabetes trial on a calorie-restricted diet saw 1.9 kg vs 0.3 kg lost, while 50 g a day did nothing in overweight adults.^2,4,6

Are chia seeds a good source of omega-3?

They provide the plant omega-3 ALA. In one trial, 50 g a day raised blood ALA by about 24% but did not raise EPA or DHA.⁶

Do chia seeds lower blood sugar?

Not in pooled trials: a 2024 meta-analysis of 8 RCTs (362 people) and a 2025 GRADE-assessed meta-analysis both found no effect on fasting glucose or HbA1c.^9,8

Can chia seeds replace fish oil?

Not for EPA and DHA: 50 g a day raised blood ALA but not EPA or DHA. For triglycerides, one 8-week trial found 30 g a day lowered them about as much as 1.8 g of fish-oil omega-3s.^6,11

Do chia seeds lower cholesterol?

Slightly at most. Pooled trials found triglycerides 8.7 to 13.1 mg/dL lower and LDL about 4.8 mg/dL lower only at higher doses; a 2023 chia-flour trial saw HDL fall.^10,7

Are chia seeds safe to eat every day?

Trials gave 30 to 50 g a day for 8 to 12 weeks, and 30 g per 1,000 kcal eaten for 6 months in type 2 diabetes; their abstracts do not report side effects. Chia allergy, including anaphylaxis, has been reported in a small number of cases, with possible cross-reactivity with sesame.^11,6,4,12

How much chia was used in studies?

Trials used 40 to 50 g of seed a day for 12 weeks, or 30 g per 1,000 kcal eaten for 6 months.^4,5,6

Sources

12 sources: trial abstracts, NIH fact sheets and reference databases. Numbers in the text link here.

Sources cited on this page

12 sources

1Using Dietary Supplements WiselyFact sheet National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), 2019 · nccih.nih.gov
2The Effects of Chia Seed (Salvia hispanica L.) Consumption on Blood Pressure and Body Composition in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Meta-analysis Clin Ther, 2025 · PMID 39672763
3Chia seed supplementation and inflammatory biomarkers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Meta-analysis J Nutr Sci, 2024 · PMID 39703891
4Salba-chia (Salvia hispanica L.) in the treatment of overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes: A double-blind randomized controlled trial.RCT Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2017 · PMID 28089080
5Chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) supplementation to the diet of adults with type 2 diabetes improved systolic blood pressure: A randomized controlled trial.RCT Nutr Health, 2021 · PMID 33530854
6Chia seed does not promote weight loss or alter disease risk factors in overweight adults.RCT Nutr Res, 2009 · PMID 19628108
7Chia Flour (Salvia hispanica L.) Intake Does Not Affect Weight Loss and Lipid Profile but Improve Systolic Blood Pressure Control in Obesity.RCT J Am Nutr Assoc, 2023 · PMID 35604811
8The Effect of Chia Seed on Blood Pressure, Body Composition, and Glycemic Control: A GRADE-Assessed Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Meta-analysis Nutr Rev, 2025 · PMID 39225983
9The effectiveness of chia seed in improving glycemic status: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Meta-analysis Diabetes Metab Syndr, 2024 · PMID 38917708
10The impact of chia seeds on diabetes, blood pressure, lipid profile, and obesity indicators: Systematic review and meta-regression analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials.Meta-analysis Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat, 2024 · PMID 39299649
11Effect of chia seeds or concentrated fish oil on cardiometabolic risk markers in subjects with hypertriglyceridaemia: a parallel clinical trial.RCT J Hum Nutr Diet, 2024 · PMID 39360590
12Chia Seed Allergy: Emerging Clinical Evidence, Molecular Allergens, and the Unresolved Question of Cross-Reactivity.Review Nutrients, 2026 · PMID 42797010

What changed

Every dated change to this page: what changed, who made it and why.

Change log

2 entries

Dated changes to this page
Date	Change	Who and why
Oct 21, 2026evidence; who should avoid; studied doses; FAQ; questions; related	Added evidence rows for blood sugar (2024 meta-analysis, 8 RCTs, no effect), blood lipids (2024 meta-regression of 14 trials) and an 8-week trial comparing chia with fish oil for triglycerides; widened studied doses to 30 g a day. New food-allergy note (2026 review); pregnancy note now says no chia-specific data were found. Three FAQ items, three page questions and goal-hub links. Interaction check: LactMed, LiverTox, NCCIH and MedlinePlus have no chia entry and PubMed has no human interaction study, so the interactions list stays empty.	Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: A–Z audit against docs/supplements/AUDIT-STANDARD.md
Oct 15, 2026all	Initial editorial evidence review. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (title, year, journal; none retracted) and each cited abstract read; numbers taken from the abstracts (full text used only where noted for participant counts, duration or funding). Funding: the Salba-chia diabetes trial was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the 2021 diabetes trial by Kuwait University; the other trial abstracts name no funder (disclosed as not stated); the meta-analyses declare no conflicts. No chia-specific safety page exists on our approved safety sources (ODS, NCCIH, LactMed, LiverTox, Health Canada, EMA), so safety rows use only NCCIH's general supplement guidance. Where to buy: NOW Foods Organic Chia Seed Black (label checked 2026-10-15).	Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: new page

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