CHIA CANADA - Omega-3 Diet, Nutrition, Energy:

Super Salvia is a source of essential fatty acids and natural antioxidants. Super Salvia contains about 34% lipid fraction composed of linolenic (omega-3) and 20% linoleic (omega-6) essential fatty acids. The high oil content of Super Salvia Chia provides a higher energy value than other natural grain as rice or corn. Super Salvia Chia grain also contains natural antioxidants such as flavonol glycosides, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid, helping preserve the oil stored within the seed and prevent the development of rancidity.

Laboratory nutritional inform of a sample of Super Salvia (Salvia Hispanica) cultivated in the Province of Salta (Argentina)

Results:

• Proteins 17.87%
• Fat 28.45%
• Carbohydrates 30%
• Fiber 10.35%
• Moisture 6.63%
• Phosphorus 0.83%
• Calcium 0.27%
• Energy Value 448Kcal./100g
• Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) 14.5g/100g

Laboratory dates: Analytic Method for omega-3 fatty acids: gaseous chromatography.

Omega-3 fatty acids play numerous roles within the horse's body. They are involved in inhibiting inflammation, improving vision, decreasing the formation of clots in blood vessels, improving the learning ability of young animals and stimulating immune responsiveness.

Soluble dietary fibre is found in the grain coat of Chia, forming mucilage when the grain is contacted with water.

Super Salvia Chia provides:

• Energy: increase fat intake in a concentrate form.
• Mucilage: provide high level of mucilaginous fibre to keep normal gut transit, to be used in a mash instead of flax without the necessity of being cooked.
• Omega-3 fatty acids of chia oil keep and maintain normal levels of lipids and triglycerides in blood.
• Help support cardiovascular system and show an antiinflammatory effect.

Endurance Horse Performance

The experience was carried out to demonstrate experimentally that a supplement containing Super Salvia Chia Seeds can stimulate synthesis of prostaglandines 3 and be of greatest benefit in an endurance horse diet because of its properties as:

• Anti inflammatory
• Anticoagulant
• Hypoallergenic
• Immunostimulant

A field trial was conducted with 6 endurance horses during 6 months. Three of the 6 animals were fed 2 cups of Super Salvia Chia Seeds as a supplement to the normal grain ration. The 6 animals ran 120 km 3 times during that period, being trained and fed on a similar basis, except for the Super Salvia Chia supplement.

The above mentioned animals showed the following improvement:

• Improved digestion and digestibility of the whole ration.
• Better skin condition: Improvement of dermatitis (summer itch), lower allergy to insect bites (reduced skin test lesional area in horses with Culicoides hypersensitivity).
• The anti inflammatory effect of Super Salvia chia seed was suggested by lowering of the AAT enzyme.
• Quicker recovery (heart rate, respiratory rate and rectal temperature)
• Cardio vascular improvement.
• Higher immunity levels and lower stress (lower increase in neutrophils and lower level of plasma cortisol).
• The better performance realized was reflected in racing results and best condition prices obtained by the Super Salvia Chia supplemented horses.