It appears that there might be some truth to it.
Well, kind of...
Recently, a woman shared her distressing experience after regularly consuming 2 tablespoons of raw chia seeds. She reported encountering severe digestive problems, insisting that the seeds seemed to be "growing" within her stomach and intestines. In light of her ordeal, she is cautioning others against making the same mistake.
From Yahoo News:
TikToker Jade Amber (@@jade.amberrrrr) gained over 5.4 million views, 715,000 likes, 60,000 saves and 11,000 comments when she shared her PSA online.
Now, much like the firefighter who took to TikTok to reveal what can happen when you sleep with your bedroom door closed, Jade’s PSA has people rethinking their everyday habits, especially those within the clean eating movement.
However, some people are coming to the defense of raw chia seeds by challenging Jade’s claims, asking: Do you really have to soak them first?
Jade’s fraught chia seed journey began after she posted a video of her morning routine to TikTok.
In response to Jade’s chia-filled bowl of oatmeal, a concerned TikToker named Madison (@earthymads) warned, “Make sure you soak chia seeds in water before eating them!!” — a comment that gained 758 likes and 26 replies.
One of those replies came from Jade herself, who posted her now-viral video in response. “shut your mouth omfg. 😭” Jade’s video caption reads.
In the video, Jade explains that, in attempt to incorporate more fiber into her diet, she had been adding the recommended serving size of chia seeds (2.5 tablespoons, according to the Mayo Clinic) to various dishes and snacks.
However, rather than helping to support her digestive system, Jade claims all that fiber was “doing the opposite, if you know what I mean.” She was also experiencing a strange amount of bloating, despite taking L-glutamine and supergreens powder.
When she came across Madison’s TikTok comment, Jade had a lightbulb moment. “I was consuming two tablespoons … raw, and they were growing after I consumed them. Because you’re supposed to soak them.”
She then demonstrates what 2 tablespoons of chia seeds look like after they’ve soaked in a glass of water. “That’s how much they were expanding in my stomach. You’re supposed to do this before you eat them, and I did not know that.”
Yeah, it completely makes sense that something like this could happen. I can totally relate, because I never would have thought that chia seeds would expand when they come into contact with fluids in your body.
This is why eating healthy is overrated...
