A recent BBC article extolled the virtues of Chia seeds. My skeptical alarm bells were ringing throughout, as nearly every source quoted had a commercial interest in selling chia seeds. In particular, some pretty wild claims were made:
Literally, you could live on this stuff because it's pretty much everything you need
[...] chia reduces inflammation, improves heart health, and stabilises blood sugar levels. A few tablespoons are touted as remedying just about anything - without any ill effects
"In terms of nutritional content, a tablespoon of chia is like a smoothie made from salmon, spinach and human growth hormone,"
[chia is capable of] building muscle, lowering cholesterol, and reducing your risk of heart disease
To be precise:
Is Chia capable of replacing a diet entirely (is it possible to live healthily on nothing but chia seeds)?
Does chia have any recognised medicinal properties published in a medical journal?