CHIA 4 EQUINE

Benefits of Our Organic Chia Seed for Horses

• Promotes a healthy, glossy coat

• Stronger, faster growing hooves

• Helps prevent laminitis and insulin disorders

• Boosts the immune system

• Good for respiratory system

• Calms hot nervous temperaments

• Eases mare cycles and estrus inflammation

• Maintains supple joints and healing in connective tissues

• Assists correct development of nervous system, brain, muscles and skeleton

• Repairs & maintains cellular walls

• Anti-inflammatory — can act like "Bute"

• Aids wound healing

• Supports a healthy heart and blood circulation

• Has anti-allergic properties

• Encourages a strong metabolism

• Chia has no strong flavor, easy to top dress

• Easy to store, keeps up to two years

• Economical — replaces several products in one simple grain

• Horses love it!

Chia Nutrition

Chia has the substance essential to cell life—a balanced property of giving out (nutrients) and readily taking up (debris).  The name Chia is derived from the Aztec word, chian, meaning oily. It is an ancient seed being rediscovered in America with balanced nutritional components. These tiny seeds are highly palatable! Chia is easy to top-dress on feed with a mild nutty flavor. Horses love it.

Chia is an excellent source of EFA's (essential oils), antioxidants, minerals, protein, soluble (mucilage) fiber and low NSC (non structural carbohydrate).

According to the FDA, Chia seed is considered a "dietary supplement" and its nutritional content complies with the strict regulations required by the organization to qualify as a "healthy food". (Food and Drug Administration, USA).

Chia and Omega Oils

Chia (Salvia hispanica) is high in the magic Omega's. Chia is an oil seed containing 32-39% oil. Two-thirds of Chia oil is Omega-3 essential fatty acid (polyunsaturated) with only one-third Omega-6. This is an ideal healthy ratio. Because Omega-3 sources are becoming increasingly scarce in the world, we need to turn our attention to Chia.

Fresh green grass, a horse's natural diet, is very low in fat at only 4% to 6%. But horses do require a dietary intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fats because the body can't manufacture them.

Grasses contain anywhere from four to six times as much omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid as they do omega-6 alpha-linoleic acid. This means that a horse would normally take in a much higher level of omega-3s than omega-6s. Unfortunately, omega-3 fats are very fragile. When grass is cut, dried and baled into hay, the omega-3 content is rapidly lost. Omega-6 fatty acids are a bit more resistant to breakdown. Hay, therefore, is lower in omega-3 compared to omega-6 than fresh grass.

The situation just gets worse if you feed vegetable oils, grains, or high-fat meals such as corn oil. These are high in omega-6 fatty acids. In comparison, Chia oil is 62-64 percent Omega 3, flaxseed oil is 58 percent, menhaden fish oil is 29 percent.

The only readily available feed ingredient, high in omega-3 fatty acids—without processing—is Chia seed.

Chia and Fiber — Sand Clearing

Chia is hydrophilic (water absorbing); the gelatinous property of the seeds (upon getting wet in the gut) clears sand more effectively than expensive psyllium products. It has the capacity to absorb large amounts of liquid, increasing the volume passing through the digestive tract, stimulating the intestinal transit. This important feature clears sand and debris out of the horse's gut naturally, assists with regulating stool movement, helps prevent sand colic and diverticulitis. Oil acts as a natural lubricant.

EquineChia is organically grown and 100% digestible. It can be safely fed daily. This virtually eliminates the need for psyllium products. Chia is high in soluble fiber, providing 27.6 grams of fiber for every 100 grams of seed.

Chia—mucilage gel increases in volume by 12x.
Psyllium—mucilage gel increases in volume by 10x.
Flax—mucilage gel increases in volume by 6x.

Preventing Ulcers

Chia is soothing to the gut with a mucilaginous gel, which eases inflammation caused by sand and ulcers. Chia acts as a barrier between the carbohydrates and the enzymes of the stomach. The slower metabolism results in less build-up of acid in the stomach. Horses are prone to ulcers because they constantly produce stomach acid.
 
Slower Metabolism of Carbohydrates

Chia is a very low NSC (non-structural carbohydrate). Chia forms a mucilaginous gel in the digestive tract and creates a physical barrier between carbohydrates and the digestive enzymes that break them down, thus slowing the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar. The slower metabolism results in a more even blood-sugar level, a huge advantage for Insulin-Resistant horses.

Enhanced Fluid & Electrolyte Balances

Chia provides greater efficiency in the utilization of body fluids and absorption of nutrients, helping to maintain electrolyte balance. Fluid and electrolyte imbalances occur when large amounts of fluids are lost resulting from diarrhea, colic, fever, ulcers or sweating. Extracellular fluid loss occurs in these conditions. Intercellular fluid then shifts out of cells to compensate, causing abnormal distribution of electrolytes resulting in cellular malfunction.

Chia seeds give extensive hydration. Hydrophilic colloids, (a watery, gelatinous, sticky substance) form the underlying elements of all living cells. Chia has the substance essential to cell life—a balanced property of giving out (nutrients) and readily taking up (debris).

 
Chia and Protein

Chia Seeds contain all nine essential amino acids for a complete protein. Chia has 19-23% protein content, which is more protein than traditional grains such as wheat (13.7%), rice (6.5%), corn (9.4%), barley (12.5%) and oats (16.9%). Research performed on Chia's digestibility and biological value has proven that Chia is an excellent protein source.

There are no limitations in Chia's amino acid content, therefore, it can be included in the horse diet to improve protein balance by itself or when mixed with other grains.

Chia Vitamins and Minerals

Chia Seed is an ancient wonder food—a whole food source of balanced ratios of vitamins, minerals and Omega oils.

Chia seeds are a minimal source of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, and copper. Chia contains the mineral Boron that facilitates the absorption of Calcium. It has 6 times more Calcium than does milk, according the USDA (2001), Brown (2003), and the Instituto Nacional de Alimentos (2003). However, the small daily serving for horses supplies minimal minerals in the overall diet.

Chia is a rich source of Vitamin B, with a higher niacin content than corn, rice or even soy. Its thiamine and riboflavin content is similar corn and rice.

Chia and Antioxidants

Chia is highly enriched with antioxidants to protect its PUFAs (essential Omega oils) from becoming oxidized and going rancid, to the extent that chia seed can be stored at room temperature until use—which makes it easy to store at the barn. It does not go rancid quickly or lose its nutritional properties. Chia does not have a shell or husk that requires processing to remove. The natural antioxidants keep the inherent oils fresh. This is a unique feature of Chia that makes it easy to feed and store.

Antioxidants are a group of vegetal elements that can block the harmful effects of these so-called "free radicals." The most important antioxidants in Chia are chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid as well as myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol flavonols. These antioxidants have been shown to provide protection to lipids, proteins, and DNA from oxidation, and work to inhibit lipid per oxidation with strong free radical and superoxide scavenging activity. They are more effective than vitamin C and vitamin E in their antioxidant properties (Kweon, Hwang, and Sung, 2001).

Chia vs. Flax

Unlike Chia, flax must be processed in order to be digested. The hard outer shell makes it indigestible. Flax is not good in large, continuous amounts in the diet. Detailed information is available in a book titled, Chia: Rediscovering a Forgotten Crop of the Aztec , (University of Arizona Press 2005), written and researched by expert Dr. Wayne Coates, with co-author, agronomist Ricardo Ayerza. Dr. Coates holds a doctorate in Agricultural Engineering from Oklahoma State University.

Many people today have turned to the consumption of flax seeds or flax seed oils for supplementing their diets with omega-3 fatty acids, but there are serious problems with the use of flax seed in the diet. There are some toxins and antinutritional factors found in flax seed.

Flax was never considered a food by any civilization. Flax fiber used for clothing and oil for lighting were made from the stalks and seeds by ancient cultures such as the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and Arabs (Cooley, 1899; Gil, 1965p Crawford, 1979; Palagia, 1984; Mayerson, 1997). Flax is mentioned eighty-nine times in the Bible (Moldenke and Moldenke, 1952); as a source of fiber for clothing, not for food.

"In order to safely use flax in animal and human diets the seeds should be detoxified. However, the most efficient processes require the use of solvents, and even in the best case the seeds cannot be completely detoxified (Madhusudhan et al., 1986; Mazza and Oomah, 1996)."
Chia seed is a much safer, long-term product to improve and maintain healthy horses.

Chemical and Pesticide Free

All of our Chia seed is:

• Organically grown!

• Certified free from chemicals, pesticides, herbicides etc!

• 100% Kosher, Vegan, NON-GMO and Gluten-Free

• 3rd party tested prior to importing!

• Inspected by the FDA upon entry to the USA!

• The FDA regards Chia as a dietetic food with an established history of safe consumption

Content on this site is for reference purposes and is not intended to substitute for advice given by a Veterinarian or other licensed health-care professional. You should not use this information as self-diagnosis or for treating a health problem or disease. Contact your health-care provider immediately if you suspect that you have a medical problem. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.