In comparing chia seed pudding to overnight oats, you get two heavyweight contenders in the meal prep breakfast category. Although both are extremely well-regarded in the health world, the inner workings of each are quite different. The former has impressive qualities as far as healthy fat content and fiber composition go, while the latter is the traditional complex carb source for sustained energy. The relative “health” of each choice really just comes down to your health, metabolism, and digestion priorities.
Effect on Blood Glucose Levels
Due to their significant amount of beta-glucan, oats can help you regulate your blood glucose levels and maintain a gradual increase and decrease in blood glucose levels. On the other hand, chia seeds are associated with a near-zero glycemic response due to their low net carb content.
Content of Bone-Building Minerals
When it comes to mineral content, chia seeds easily outperform their opponent. For instance, you will get around 18% RDI of calcium and even up to 30% of magnesium from a single serving of chia seeds, according to the scientific research.
Calorie Density
Chia seeds have a higher calorie density as a result of their fat content. For calorie-counting purposes, less chia pudding equates to having more calories than a significantly larger portion of overnight oats.
Satiating Properties and Mechanism
Oats cause satiety due to bulk consumption and gastric emptying inhibition caused by soluble fiber content. Chia seeds cause satiety due to chemical signals from fats and proteins contained in them, in addition to expanding up to 12 times their dry mass in liquid content.
Phytic Acid and Mineral Absorption Efficiency
Both foods contain phytic acid, which binds to minerals, reducing their absorption efficiency, also known as an “anti-nutrient”. The effect is minimized through overnight soaking; however, oats take longer to soak properly or even benefit from soaking them in yogurt.
Source of Probiotic Food (Prebiotics)
Beta-glucan from overnight oats is an excellent source of energy that will provide a boost to good bacteria living in your colon, thereby stimulating SCFA production, including butyrate. On the other hand, chia seeds’ fiber provides food to gut bacteria but mostly improves transit and stool regularity.
Effect on Blood Cholesterol
It is well-known in the clinic that overnight oats possess cardioprotective benefits. It works by binding cholesterol-filled bile acids in your small intestines and subsequently removing those cholesterol acids via the excretory system. Consequently, the liver is compelled to extract cholesterol from your blood to produce fresh bile acids.
Iron Levels
For people who have to track their iron consumption, oats are an incredible food option because they contain about 10% to 15% of the required daily amount in one cup. Chia seeds do have some iron, but their absorption rate is a little lower because of the structure of these particular polyphenols.
