Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) flour promotes beneficial effects on adipose tissue but not on glycaemic profile of diet-induced obesity in mice†

This study evaluated effects of integral chia flour (Salvia hispanica L.) associated with high-fat diet on glucose metabolism, fatty acid profile and inflammatory mediators in epididymal adipose and liver tissue using experimental obesity models induced by high-calorie and high-fat diets. Forty-eight mice were divided into 4 experimental groups: control diet (C); control diet + chia flour (CCh); high-fat and high-calorie diet (H) and high-fat and high-calorie diet + chia flour (HCh). Tissue cytokines, fatty acid profile and glycaemic profile were measured. In oral glucose tolerance testing, HCh presented higher glycaemia than H at 15, 30 and 120 minutes. In epididymal adipose tissue, CCh showed higher accumulation of alpha-linolenic fatty acid (α-LNA) than C, while HCh showed higher accumulation of α-LNA and lower concentrations of C20:4n6 fatty acid than H. In liver tissue, CCh presented higher accumulation of α-LNA and lower concentrations of C20:4n6 fatty acid than C. We believe that 12g of chia flour per kg of food for 10 weeks is essential for prevention and treatment of obesity; however, it may be necessary to adjust chia amounts and treatment times to improve glycaemic profiles. This study provides pioneering results on the effects of chia in mice. Practical applications: With the hope of losing weight and becoming healthier, many people adopt radical diets that can be harmful to their health. Accordingly, dietary guidelines must be carefully planned by qualified health professionals, especially considering the comorbidities of diabetes and cardiovascular disease that accompany obesity. In addition, the adequate treatment of obesity increases the chances of the patients maintaining their diet and lifestyle changes, thus allowing for greater control of their obesity. Consequently, knowledge of the appropriate dosages and effects of chia is important for the development of new tools for composing dietary guidelines for healthy individuals, especially for the treatment of obese patients.