Chia seeds are added to the diet to improve intestinal function and lose weight. However, sometimes you can only make things worse and even end up on the operating table.
Chia seeds are called a superfood, attributed with many beneficial properties, including due to their fiber content — which is essential for good digestion. They are often added to cereals, salads, puddings, smoothies, and desserts. However, it turns out that when consumed improperly, these same seeds can cause acute intestinal obstruction.
According to Dmitry Monakhov, a surgeon at the Scandinavian Health Center, chia seeds can create so-called bezoars in the gastrointestinal tract — foreign bodies made of undigested plant fibers that can become dense and hard.
As the doctor explains, these seeds, like another popular supplement — psyllium, belong to strong hydrogels. When in contact with liquid, their shell forms a viscous gel that can hold dozens of grams of water per gram of dry substance. But with insufficient water, they can cause blockages in the gastrointestinal tract, especially in narrow sections of the intestine.
Moreover, thick smoothies and yogurts with added seeds only increase this danger.
"The viscous environment slows down the evacuation of food from the stomach, and the chia seeds and psyllium particles do not fully hydrate in time and continue to swell in the intestine, where there is less water. This increases the risk of clumping and forming a dense obstruction," said the surgeon.
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