Chia seeds have long been touted as a ‘superfood’ that improve digestion and ease constipation.
However, the yogurt and smoothie staple could lead to serious gastrointestinal injuries if eaten incorrectly, experts warn.
Dr Wendi LeBrett, a gastroenterologist at UCLA Health in California, took to TikTok to share how the seeds can get stuck in the digestive tract and cause a major medical problem.
In the video, which has more than 3.4 million views, she showed an image of a ball of chia seeds impacted in a person’s esophagus – the passage connecting the mouth to the stomach.
Dr Wendi LeBrett, a gastroenterologist at UCLA Health in California, took to TikTok to share how the seeds can get stuck in the esophagus
Chia seeds are tiny black seeds from the Salvia hispanica plant — a member of the mint family
Dr LeBrett told her 86,000 followers: ‘Chia seeds can absorb up to 27 times their own weight in water, so please don’t eat it dry, or you’ll be seeing a GI doctor soon.’
The seeds’ ability to absorb a large amount of moisture leads them to expand in saliva and, in some cases, form a large blockage in the esophagus.
In a follow-up video posted in May, Dr LeBrett advised drinking plenty of water while eating chia seeds to keep them from becoming impacted, as this helps them pass through the digestive system more quickly.
Dehydration can also increase the risk of intestinal blockages, as the intestines need to soak up water from food waste to soften stool.
‘Otherwise it can form a thick, gloopy concrete-like mess in your digestive tract,’ she said.
A 2014 report published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology detailed the case of a man with impacted chia seeds in his esophagus.
The patient, a 39-year-old man with asthma, visited a hospital in North Carolina complaining he was having trouble swallowing.
A 2014 case report detailed how a man swallowed a tablespoon of chia seeds with water and got them stuck in his digestive tract
About 12 hours before seeking medical attention, he had swallowed a tablespoon of dry chia seeds followed by a glass of water, he told healthcare workers.
Tests revealed an ‘esophageal obstruction with a gel of hydrated chia seeds.’
The team had to perform an endoscopy – a procedure that uses a long tube with a camera attached at the end to examine the esophagus – to push small amounts of chia seeds from the esophagus into the stomach until the blockage was resolved.
However, the team had to use an endoscope made for infants because the chia seeds had formed an obstruction so large, an adult-sized endoscope didn’t fit through the passage.
Left untreated, an esophageal blockage could lead to difficulty swallowing, being unable to eat, trouble breathing, and tearing of the esophagus, which allows foods and fluids to leak into the chest and cause severe lung problems.
The case study authors said: ‘Patients should never consume dry chia seeds.
‘They can absorb many times their weight in water and expand and may become lodged in a patient’s esophagus, especially if there is a history of swallowing problems.
‘However when used properly, chia seeds are safe.’
The authors continued: ‘They should only be mixed with sufficient amounts of liquid to allow them to expand before consumption.’
This could include putting them in a pudding or smoothie or soaking them in water before eating them.
‘Patients with any history of swallowing problems should use them with caution,’ the case report authors said.
Chia seeds come from the plant Salvia hispanica, which is native to central and southern Mexico, as well as Guatemala.
They have gained widespread attention from dietitians and wellness gurus for being rich in several nutrients.
Each two-tablespoon serving size, for example, contains 9.8 grams of fiber, more than one-third of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) daily recommended intake of 28 grams.
Fiber regulates the body’s use of sugars, which keeps blood sugar in check.
It also keeps you full for longer and aids in digestion.
The seeds also provide nearly one-quarter of the daily recommended value of magnesium, which supports immune function and bone health, and 20 percent of the suggested intake of phosphorus, which is necessary for cell repair.
