What Is Salba Food?

The Chia Plant

Salba is a trademarked name of a proprietary, eponymous product made from the mint-like chia plant. It is the only food to have a medical patent.

Identification

Salvia hispanica is the botanical name for chia. It is said to be the singularly most nutritionally complete food in nature.

Value

Salba is the richest plant-based food source of omega-3 fatty acids and has more protein than any other seed or grain. It is also rich in fiber, calcium, magnesium, iron and antioxidants. It has no trans fat and is low in carbohydrates.

Medical Benefits

Clinical studies have shown that Salba decreases after-meal blood glucose and plasma insulin levels. Salba is also beneficial in reducing blood pressure, lowering inflammation and coagulation factors, and it is considered effective in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Uses

Salba can be used as a flavorless nutritional additive in a wide variety of foods, such as bakery products, snack foods, hot and cold cereal, salads and beverages.

Forms

The Salba Research and Development Company sells Salba as whole seed, ground seed, oil (used like olive oil), gel-cap supplements and food bars. Some food manufacturers add it to their products to increase their nutritional value.

References

• The Salba Group: Intro
• The Salba Group: Performance
• The Salba Group: Medical