Although there has been a lot of hype about the benefits of using flaxseed as a dietary component, there is one significant difference between it and chia seeds: chia’s ease of use. While flaxseed does offer nutritional benefits, in order to enjoy them, you must first grind, cook, sprout or somehow open the hard seed coat in order for it to be effective. Otherwise, the seeds will go through the digestive process intact. In comparison, eating chia seed in its raw state will still allow you to get all the nutritional benefits of chia. Since the antioxidants in chia protect the omega 3 from oxidation, there is no need for a hard seed coat to keep degradation from taking place.

Another important difference between flaxseed and chia seeds is that the chia is easy to store. If you grind chia, you can leave it on the countertop without any worries that it will go rancid. Flaxseed, on the other hand, must be ground fresh daily. In addition, flaxseed contains “anti-nutritional” compounds that have led to its receiving warnings and restrictions about using it as a food. Using whole chia seed as a food and getting its full benefits, makes chia the best nutritional choice.