Skip to Content

Drinking Chia Seeds For Weight Loss: What Is The Best Time?

There are many purported superfoods that claim to be able to help you lose weight when you consume them regularly. 

While some of them have some benefits for your weight loss journey, a lot simply don’t make a significant difference. 

Drinking Chia Seeds For Weight Loss: What Is The Best Time?

However, chia seeds have long been hailed as one of the best weight-loss foods that you can consume.  

Best of all, these tiny but mighty seeds aren’t overly processed or packed with ingredients that you can’t pronounce. 

If you are looking for a quick and convenient way to add something to your diet to help you lose weight, chia seeds could be just what you are looking for. 

In this article, we will look at the best time to drink chia seeds to help encourage weight loss. 

When Is The Best Time To Drink Chia Seeds For Weight Loss?

As with any diet food or drink, there is an optimum time to consume chia seeds for them to help with weight loss. 

From anecdotal evidence and reported weight loss, the most effective time to drink chia seeds is around 30 minutes before each meal. 

This 30-minute window gives the chia seeds time to fully expand in your stomach and, therefore, leave less room for the food that you are about to eat.  

Some people only want to consume chia seeds once per day.  If this is what you are planning, the best time to consume chia seeds is in the morning. 

The healthiest way to consume chia seeds, especially first thing in the morning, is with chia seed water. 

This will help to give you some energy, get your digestive system moving, and keep you feeling full more easily.  

However, many people don’t really like the taste of plain chia seeds so you can pep the water up a bit using some natural flavorings such as honey or lime juice. 

The better the water tastes, the more likely you are to stick to this routine, so don’t be afraid to add some flavoring.  

Drinking Chia Seed Water For Weight Loss

The most modern popularization of drinking chia seed water has come from social media platforms such as Tik Tok, with celebrities and influencers swearing by the trick. 

However, this has been a common practice among health and fitness communities for years.  Thankfully, there is also a lot of research that backs up the benefits of chia seeds for weight loss(see also: 15 Best Chia Seed Recipes For Weight Loss To Try Today). 

The most important question though, is how does it work?  There are a couple of main ways that chia seeds help you to lose weight when you drink chia seed water. 

The first is the fiber content of the seeds.  In 100g of chia seeds, there is an impressive 56.5g of fiber.  This magnificent fiber content helps to keep you feeling full for longer. 

The second way that chia seeds help you to lose weight is by taking up space in your stomach.  When you let chia seeds sit in water, they can swell up to 12 times their original size.  

It is this swelling effect that makes the 30-minute window so important when using chia seeds for weight loss. 

When you consume chia seed water and allow the seeds time to expand in your stomach, there is less room for solid food.  This automatically reduces your food intake without leaving you feeling hungry. 

How To Make Chia Seed Water 

Now that you know about the simple but effective ways in which chia seeds can help you to lose weight, you probably want to know how to make this magic chia seed water.  

The best, basic ratio to create a drink that fills you up enough to still consume half of your meal is around 1 cup of water or coconut water, and 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds. 

Simply add the water and the seeds to a glass and stir well to combine them.  Allow the drink to sit for between 15 to 30 minutes before drinking. 

You should aim to consume the drink 30 minutes before a meal.  

If the idea of plain chia seed water puts you off, even with delicious coconut water, you can add some natural flavorings to make it more palatable. 

Adding a little bit of honey, lime juice, or lemon juice can perk the drink up and make it more enjoyable to consume.  Simply add the flavoring with the water and chia seeds and stir well.  

Nutritional Benefits Of Chia Seeds

Aiding weight loss isn’t the only benefit that chia seeds can offer you when you consume them regularly.  In fact, there is a reason that they are referred to as a superfood, they really are quite superb. 

Chia seeds are extremely high in antioxidants.  While there is some debate about the legitimacy of health benefits that are reportedly the result of consuming antioxidants, they can’t be a bad thing. 

Antioxidants are apparently a great way to protect your cells from damage.  These little seeds are also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. 

These acids play a significant role in protecting and improving the health of your heart.  They also contain high levels of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium which can help keep your bones strong and healthy. 

Chia seeds are also a brilliant source of protein.  100g of chia seeds contains an impressive 16.54g of protein. 

These mighty little seeds also contain all nine essential amino acids which make them a complete protein source. 

As we mentioned above, chia seeds are also a great source of fiber.  The type of fiber that is present in chia seeds is known as soluble fiber. 

This means that it dissolves in water and forms a gel-like consistency.  Soluble fiber is also great at lowering blood glucose levels and blood cholesterol levels which help promote healthy digestion.

Drinking Chia Seeds For Weight Loss: What Is The Best Time?

The list of health benefits offered by these tiny seeds doesn’t stop there.  Regularly consuming chia seeds can also help to reduce your blood sugar levels, which can help to prevent heart disease and blood pressure. 

These benefits increase when they are consumed as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.  

With all of these health benefits, chia seeds not only help you reduce the number of calories that you consume through food, but they also help to keep your body healthy and functioning as it should. 

Other Ways To Enjoy Chia Seeds

For some people, despite the lengthy list of health and weight loss benefits offered by drinking chia seeds, it just isn’t something they can get used to. 

Whether it is the texture of the drink or the lack of flavor, sometimes we just don’t want to drink seeds. 

Thankfully, there are plenty of other ways to include a healthy amount of chia seeds in your diet to get all the health benefits and some weight loss benefits too. 

One of the most popular ways to enjoy chia seeds is in a smoothie.  If you are someone who loves a fresh fruit and vegetable smoothie first thing in the morning, this could be for you. 

You can add 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds to your regular smoothie recipe and get all the health benefits of them. 

This won’t help you consume fewer calories in your smoothie, however, it can help keep you full until lunch to avoid snacking. 

Another way that many people choose to enjoy chia seeds is in overnight oats.  This is a popular breakfast option among the health and fitness community. 

Not only is it super healthy and packed with nutrients, but it is also really simple and easy to make ahead of time for a smoother morning. 

All you need to do is combine your go-to oats with a dairy or plant-based milk of your choice, add some dry chia seeds, and let it sit overnight in the fridge. 

You can also add some flavorings, fruit, or protein powder to make it more interesting. 

Some people prefer to enjoy chia seeds as part of a healthy dessert option.  Chia pudding is a super simple and delicious dessert that can be made ahead of time. 

All you need to do is soak your dry chia seeds in the milk of your choice overnight with some natural sweetener. 

You can experiment with adding honey, liquid stevia, or even liquid, vegan chocolate sweetener.  This creates a delicious and healthy dessert that can be enjoyed as part of your weight loss journey. 

With this easy base, you can add whatever toppings take your fancy.  You can keep it healthy with fresh fruit and nuts, or you can treat yourself and use sprinkles, grated chocolate, or even sweet cereals.  

A super simple way to add more chia seeds into your diet is by using them as a topping for foods that you already eat. 

These mighty little seeds make a delicious, healthy, and crunchy topping for smoothies, smoothie bowls, salads, and even soups. 

Even when you eat them dry as a topping, they will absorb liquid in your stomach and expand to make you feel more full or keep you feeling fuller for longer.  

Frequently Asked Questions About Chia Seeds And Weight Loss

Is It Better To Drink Chia Seeds At Night Or In The Morning?

This answer really depends on your motivation for drinking chia seeds.  If you are drinking the seeds primarily for their weight loss benefits, drinking them in the morning is best. 

They can help you to feel full and avoid overeating or snacking during the day.  If you are primarily drinking them for the plethora of other health benefits that they offer, you can drink them at night if you prefer.  

Should Chia Seeds Be Soaked Before Adding To Water?

No, it isn’t necessary to soak the chia seeds prior to adding them to your drinking water.  The purpose of mixing the seeds into the water and letting them sit for half an hour is to let them soak. 

If you soak them first, drain them, and add them to more water, all you are doing is wasting water.  You can soak them in the water you are going to drink.  

What Are The Side Effects Of Drinking Chia Seeds?

The most common side effect that you might experience when you begin drinking chia seeds regularly is increased bowel movements. 

This is perfectly normal and is your body’s response to the increased fiber you are consuming. 

If your diet before drinking chia seeds was lacking in fiber, you might also experience gas, bloating, and abdominal pain. 

These should subside after a few days of drinking chia seeds.  If these side effects do not dissipate, you should reduce the amount of chia seeds you are consuming or even stop drinking chia seeds altogether.

Final Thoughts

Drinking chia seeds is a great way to promote weight loss and add extra essential nutrients to your diet. 

Consuming chia seeds in this way is a super simple way to increase the results that you see from your diet and exercise efforts.  

Justin Roberts