The Ancient Seed We Almost Erased (then rediscovered)
The Rise, Fall, and Rediscovery of an Ancient Superfood
It fueled warriors.
Was nearly wiped out.
Now it's trending on Instagram.
Chia seeds weren’t always influencers.
They were once sacred. Strategic. Even political.
Before they became a breakfast topping, they were used to feed armies, offered to gods, and banned by colonizers.
This is the real story of chia.
The seed that fueled soldiers
Imagine this:
You’re an Aztec soldier in the 1400s. You’re walking miles a day in heat, armed for war. What’s in your pouch? Not Red Bull. Not protein bars.
Just a small stash of chia.
Because back then, chia wasn’t a “superfood.”
It was survival.
Aztec and Mayan civilizations saw it as sacred - used in religious ceremonies, tributes, and daily life.
One tablespoon could sustain you for hours because it absorbs water, slows digestion, and gives a steady release of energy.
It was so valuable that it was used as currency.
And then came the erasure.
Colonialism erased seeds
When Spanish colonizers arrived in Mesoamerica, they saw two things:
Indigenous power
Indigenous ritual
Chia was tied to both.
Because it was used in pagan ceremonies, it was targeted for destruction. Fields were torn up. Generations raised without even hearing the word chia.
This was deliberate cultural deletion.
And for nearly 500 years, chia all but vanished.
Until some unlikely people brought it back.
The modern revival: wellness meets history
Fast forward to the late 20th century.
A few agricultural researchers in Mexico and Argentina started reviving “lost crops of the Americas.”
Chia was one of them.
They studied its:
Nutritional value (fiber, omega-3s, antioxidants)
Low water requirements (great for sustainable farming)
Cultural legacy
Then in the 2000s, chia caught the attention of wellness culture.
Why? Because it was
Instagrammable
Functional (fiber + satiety = fewer cravings)
Suddenly, it wasn’t just a seed. It was a symbol.
Here’s what you get in just 1 tablespoon (about 13g):
5g of fiber – that’s nearly 20% of what most people need daily.
3g of protein – complete protein, btw.
Omega-3s – the same healthy fats found in fish.
Magnesium, Calcium, Zinc – the “calm your nerves” and “build your bones” minerals.
Conclusion
So next time you add chia to your bowl or bottle, remember:
You’re not just choosing nutrition.
You’re reconnecting with something much older - and much wiser - than a fad.
Maybe remembering where things come from makes them even more powerful.