Chia Seeds: Superfood for healthy eating, great for ketogenic diet too!

I got hooked on chia seeds at the end of last year (and now it’s a permanent habit)

Since around the end of last year, I started eating chia seeds—and I got completely hooked.

The trigger was simple: I wanted something a little sweet after dinner.But when you’re doing a ketogenic (low-carb) diet, it’s surprisingly hard to choose your usual desserts like cake or pudding.

So I tried something: I started eating chia seed pudding every night as a replacement for dessert. And the result was:

• It’s satisfying.

• The slightly sticky texture + gentle sweetness makes it feel very dessert-like.

• And most importantly, I felt a change in my digestive behaviour.

That’s when I thought: “Wait… this is actually really good.”

You see a lot of “chia is good for your gut” online, but in my case it wasn’t just theory—I genuinely felt it. And because chia seeds still aren’t that widely used in Japan or elsewhere, I thought: more people should know about this.

So today I’m going to mix in my personal experience, while keeping the content as based on my experience as possible.

Living overseas + keto = missing the “Japanese fiber foods”

I’ve been following a ketogenic / low-carb diet for a while. But there’s a common structural problem that tends to happen.

First, the basic concept of ketogenic diet means:

• You cut down staples like rice and potatoes.

• You reduce sugar—and you often need to limit fruit as well.

Also, being on a ketogenic diet often leads to meals that are:

• Higher in protein and fat.

➡️ As a result, it becomes easy to fall short on dietary fiber.
➡️ And if low fiber becomes chronic, your gut environment can worsen.

This is actually mentioned in research as one of the things you need to watch out for when doing ketogenic diet.

And if you’re living overseas, there’s another issue: in Japan, you can easily get “perfect fiber foods” that are also low-carb, like:

• Konjac

• Seaweed (wakame, hijiki, kombu, etc.)

But overseas, those foods can be hard to access. I live in New Zealand, and if I want konjac or wakame, I usually have to go to a Japan Mart—so I can’t realistically eat them every day.

For me, chia seeds fill that “missing fiber slot” surprisingly well.

What are chia seeds?

Chia seeds are the seeds of a plant called Salvia hispanica (mint family). They’re tiny, but their most famous feature is that they swell and form a jelly-like coating when they absorb water.

That “swells in water” property is exactly why they’re easy to turn into dessert—and it also connects directly to the story about dietary fiber.

You might occasionally see “chia seed pudding” on café menus—yes, that’s it. And the nice thing is: once you have chia seeds, you can make it at home and eat it every day.

Where to find chia seeds in NZ supermarkets (Woolworths)

From my experience, chia seeds in New Zealand supermarkets (Woolworths) are usually located in one of these places:

• The dried fruit / seeds section (near dried apricots, sunflower seeds, etc.)

• Near the baking section

• A “healthy” section with sugar-free / gluten-free snacks

I usually buy a 200~250 g pack from Woolworths (a very standard and convenient size).

Here is a package of Tasti brand chia seeds (250 g). At the time I’m writing this blog, one bag was about $6-7 NZD.

Nutrition: why chia seeds can look “high-carb” but still fit ketogenic diet

First, here is the nutrition label from the Tasti chia seeds mentioned above.

For dry chia seeds, per 100 g, it lists something like:

• Energy: 1870 kJ

• Protein: 16.5 g

• Fat: 32.5 g

  • Unsaturated fat: 26.1 g

  • Omega-3: 20.0 g

• Carbohydrate: 7.7 g

  • Sugars: 0.8 g

• Dietary fiber: 31.9 g

• Sodium: 16 mg

Even though this is “per 100 g,” what really jumps out is:

• A huge amount of dietary fiber

• A lot of unsaturated fat

Honestly, this is the kind of label that makes you understand why people call it a “superfood.”

And if you look at USDA-style data for dried chia seeds, per 100 g it’s roughly:

• Calories: ~486 kcal

• Carbohydrate: 42 g

• Dietary fiber: 34 g

So if you think in terms of net carbs (carbs minus fiber), chia becomes much lower-carb than it looks at first glance.

The “real identity” of chia fiber: mucilage

The main reason chia seeds become jelly-like in water is because the seed coat releases a sticky polysaccharide called mucilage. In papers and reviews, it’s often discussed as “chia seed mucilage.” (Reference: Segura-Campos, 2014)

So what is chia mucilage?

Rather than being one single, cleanly named fiber (like konjac’s “glucomannan”), chia mucilage seems to be a mixture of multiple polysaccharides.

The sugars reported as components include:

• Xylose

• Mannose

• Glucose

• Galactose

• Arabinose

• Uronic acids (such as glucuronic acid)

(Reference: Hovjecki, 2024)

Meanwhile, konjac’s main fiber is well known as konjac glucomannan (KGM)—a water-soluble, highly viscous polysaccharide.

If we compare chia mucilage and konjac glucomannan:

Similarities

• Both are water-soluble and form viscosity easily

• Both “swell in water,” which helps fullness and makes them practical to use

Differences (important)

• Konjac: clearly framed around one main fiber, glucomannan

• Chia: framed around “mucilage,” a mixture of polysaccharides

So the properties may look similar, but chemically they’re not identical.

Either way, chia seeds contain plenty of water-soluble fiber. And while fiber isn’t easily broken down by human digestive enzymes, its effects inside the gut have received a lot of attention.

Chia also contains lots of unsaturated fat: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)

Chia seeds are strongly associated with fiber, but they actually contain a fair amount of fat too. And it’s not the “fried food oil” type—it’s mainly unsaturated fat, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are generally considered beneficial.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health explains that about 60% of the oil in chia seeds is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid. (Reference: Harvard T.H. Chan)

ALA isn’t as famous as fish-based EPA/DHA, but studies suggest that ALA may have favorable effects, such as improving lipid markers (LDL, triglycerides) and helping lower blood pressure. (Reference: Sala-Vila, 2022)

So yes—chia seeds may offer health benefits not only from fiber but also from their high ALA content.

How I make chia pudding

This is how I personally eat the chia seeds I buy from Woolworths.

My basic ratio (makes 4 servings)

• Chia seeds: 40 g
  (I use a protein scoop—one scoop is 20 g, so two scoops = 40 g exactly, which is convenient.)

• Plant-based milk: 500 mL total
  (almond milk / coconut milk / soy milk)

Then I divide it into 4 servings: ➡️ Per serving: ~10 g chia + ~125 mL milk

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The key: the first 2 minutes of good mixing is important

Chia seeds absorb water very quickly at the beginning and can form clumps. So I make sure to:

• Mix strongly for the first 2 minutes (if you stop, clumps form)

• Keep breaking the “floating vs sinking” bias so it mixes evenly

• When the seeds mostly sink and the surface starts feeling slightly sticky, it’s good

Also: if you start with coconut/almond milk at room temperature, hydration is faster. If your milk is cold from the fridge, the initial absorption takes a bit longer.

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Soy milk in NZ (So Good) is thick, so diluting helps

NZ soy milk (So Good and similar brands) feels quite thick, and chia seeds absorb water more slowly in it. In my experience:

• Almond milk absorbs fastest

• Coconut milk is second

• Soy milk is slowest (unless diluted)

So when using soy milk, I often do:

• Soy milk 400 mL + water 100 mL (total 500 mL)

Then add chia and mix. This makes it much easier to get a smooth pudding.

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Leave it overnight in the fridge

Ideally, it’s best to make it one day and eat it the next.

• Mix chia and plant milk well

• Put it in the fridge

• After overnight soaking, it becomes stable and “pudding-like”

As mentioned, I treat 40 g chia + 500 mL milk as 4 servings.

Rough nutrition estimate per serving (10 g chia + 125 mL plant milk)

Here’s a quick rough calculation. Exact numbers depend on product and flavor, so please prioritize the nutrition label you have.

Chia seeds 10 g

Using USDA-style data (per 100 g: 486 kcal, 42 g carbs, 34 g fiber):

• Calories: ~49 kcal

• Carbohydrate: ~4.2 g

• Fiber: ~3.4 g

• Net carbs: ~0.8 g (4.2 − 3.4)

So Good Soy Milk (Regular) 125 mL

Per 100 mL: 65 kcal / carbs 5.1 g / fiber 0.3 g
So for 125 mL (×1.25):

• Calories: ~81 kcal

• Carbs: ~6.4 g

• Fiber: ~0.38 g

• Net carbs: ~6.0 g

Total (chia 10 g + soy milk 125 mL):

• Calories: ~130 kcal

• Net carbs: ~6.8 g

Note: unsweetened soy milk usually has lower carbs, which may fit keto more easily.

So Good Coconut Milk (Unsweetened) 125 mL

Per 100 mL: 23 kcal / carbs 0.3 g / fiber 0.9 g
For 125 mL:

• Calories: ~29 kcal

• Carbs: ~0.38 g

• Fiber: ~1.13 g

Total (chia 10 g + coconut milk 125 mL):

• Calories: ~78 kcal

• Net carbs: ~0.8 g (mostly from chia)

If you only care about keto “compatibility,” coconut milk (unsweetened) is probably the better option.

My favorite chia pudding + fruit combinations

Once the pudding is ready, adding fruit or sauce makes it even better. There are tons of chia recipe sites, so here I’ll only share the combinations I’ve actually tried and loved.

Yogurt + frozen blueberries (classic, strong)

• Just add about 2 tablespoons of yogurt and frozen blueberries on top. 
• The tangy yogurt and the sweetness of blueberries match the sticky chia texture really well.

Feijoa + unsweetened whipped cream (very NZ, and surprisingly perfect)

• Feijoa is a common fruit in New Zealand. The tropical taste plus cream becomes very elegant. 
• Unsweetened whipped cream is also keto-friendly.
• Personally, this is my #1 recommendation.

Mango (small amount) + coconut milk pudding

• Sometimes there’s a sweet mango sauce made from simmered frozen mango. 
• It goes extremely well with chia pudding, especially when the pudding is made with coconut milk. 
• You can even add a splash of extra coconut milk.

**Fruit contains sugar and calories, so if you’re doing keto, adjust the amount based on your own daily limits.

Chia effects: for me, there was a clear change after about a week

How fast do you feel an effect? This will vary a lot person to person, but here’s my experience. People often say chia causes bloating at first. For me, during the first few days, I honestly felt a bit of abdominal fullness.

That’s not surprising—suddenly increasing dietary fiber can do that. If you’re worried, starting with a smaller amount seems wise.

Tips when starting chia seeds

• Start small (too much too soon can cause bloating)

• Drink enough water (it absorbs liquid)

• Avoid clumps (mix well for the first 2 minutes)

• If you have existing GI conditions or concerns, consult your doctor

• And of course—don’t overdo it

I usually eat one serving a day as a dessert replacement after dinner. Sometimes I do two servings (lunch snack + dessert), but only about once or twice a week.

For me, after about one week, I clearly noticed:

• Stool texture changed (softer, more moist, kind of “thick”?)

• Better consistency / cohesion

• A sense of stability

Summary: chia seeds might be great for both “gut” and the “ketogenic dessert slot”

Chia seeds aren’t flashy health food in my mind. They’re more like a practical tool that helps with daily life:

• You can add dietary fiber every day

• You can create a keto-friendly dessert “slot”

• If you can’t easily get seaweed or konjac overseas, chia can help fill the fiber gap

• Chia also contains plenty of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), an omega-3 fatty acid

If you’re like me and you miss having something sweet after a meal, chia pudding is honestly a great option. It’s easy, available at normal supermarkets, and not an expensive “luxury health food” (around $6–$7 for a 250 g bag). I buy a bag almost every week.

If you’ve never tried chia seeds before but feel curious now, I hope this helps!

**Japanese version of this article is here**