By Mark Schneider
Salba: A World of Nutrition in a Tiny Seed
As time advances, our understanding of nutrition and its importance to our health continues to broaden. Consequently, it is ironic that one of the best sources of nutrients this planet has to offer has been nearly forgotten over the last few centurie
According to ancient manuscripts dating back to 3500 BC, a tiny super-seed was the nutritional foundation of the Aztec civilization, a brilliant and advanced society renowned for their extraordinary stamina, strength and health. The Aztecs consumed these seeds regularly and named it their “running food,” because their messengers were said to be able to run all day on just a handful. Unfortunately, after the Conquistadors destroyed its cultivation in 16th century Mexico, knowledge of this amazing nutritional powerhouse all but vanished for nearly 500 years.
Thankfully, two brothers from Argentina rediscovered this impressive seed in the early 1990s, and through careful traditional plant breeding they were able to maximize its nutritional benefits, developing an extraordinary variety of Salvia hispanica L. called salba. It offered a superior nutrient composition than even the ancient seed was able to provide. Now, modern science is validating what the Aztecs always knew; this little seed provides big-time nourishment. In fact, research on salba has revealed such exceptional nutritional value that it has quickly earned a reputation as nature’s most nutrient-dense seed.
Highest known whole food source of omega-3 fatty acids
Among salba’s many remarkable attributes, two in particular were revealed during research conducted by Dr. Vladimir Vuksan, Professor of Endocrinology and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. First, salba was found to be the highest known whole food source of omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are essential for good health, serving to regulate heart rate, blood pressure, blood clotting and immune function while supporting mental health and reducing body inflammation. According to the National Institute of Health, most people need to get at least double or triple the average intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Just two tablespoons (15 grams) of salba offers more than 3,000 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids (in an optimal 3 to 1 ratio), supplying more than 100 percent of the recommended daily intake.
Highest dietary fibre content of any food
Furthermore, Dr. Vuksan discovered that salba has the highest dietary fibre content of any food, providing more than 5 grams in just 2 tablespoons (20 percent of your daily requirement), with a perfect balance of soluble and insoluble fibre. Fibre is important for gastrointestinal health and proper elimination, and it also helps to maintain healthy blood glucose and blood cholesterol levels. When added to meals, salba becomes a bulking agent, ensuring slower digestion and a slower rise in blood sugar. Salba’s fibre content stabilizes blood sugar levels, controls cravings, and creates a sense of fullness.
The impressive discoveries didn't end there. When measuring nutrients gram for gram, salba had 6 times more calcium than whole milk, 3 times more iron than spinach, the potassium content of 1.5 large bananas, 15 times more magnesium than broccoli, as much vitamin C as 7 oranges, and 3 times the antioxidant capacity of blueberries! On top of that, salba contains natural folate, B vitamins, zinc, selenium, and vitamin A and has more protein than soy.
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Intrigued by salba's superior nutrient composition, Dr. Vuksan conducted clinical studies using type 2 diabetic patients and healthy individuals and observed that salba reduced blood sugar and insulin levels. It also significantly decreased systolic blood pressure as well as C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation and a major risk factor for heart disease. As a result of such overwhelming health benefits, salba is the only seed that is patent-pending. This defines salba as a "functional food" with therapeutic benefits for the prevention and treatment of diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.
Salba is suitable for everyone – athletes, children, the elderly, vegans, vegetarians, the overweight, the underweight, and even people with celiac disease – since it does not contain any gluten. Dr. Vuksan sums it up best: "Due to salba’s extremely high omega-3 fatty acids and its nutrient rich composition, it creates exceptional possibilities for the improvement of human health and nutrition. To my knowledge, nothing else in the field of nutrition has come close to matching these results. Salba can be considered an almost perfect functional food."
Mark Schneider
Mark Schneider graduated from the Institute of Holistic Nutrition in Toronto and currently works as a certified nutritional practitioner (CNP) in the Greater Toronto Area.
