Salba is a relatively unknown powerhouse seed found today in South America. The Aztec Indians referred to it as their “running food” because it gave them such amazing energy and power. Runners relaying messages relied on it as their sole source of nourishment while delivering these communications.

Gram for gram, it has 8 times more omega-3s than salmon, 1.1 times more fiber than all bran, 15 times more magnesium than broccoli, 30% more anti-oxidants than blueberries, 3 times more iron than spinach and 6 times more calcium than milk. Plus it has both soluble and insoluble fiber and it is a complete vegetable protein.

Adding it to your diet can help with digestive problems (bloating, diarrhea, and constipation), support a healthy cardiovascular system, alleviate joint stiffness, regulate blood sugar and give you more energy. It has over 30 different nutrients in their whole food form, which makes them more bioavailable to the body.

The botanical name is Salvia Hispanica and this is another name for Chia seeds. You might be more familiar with them under that name.

However, chia seeds are both brown and white, with way more brown seeds than white. Research shows that the white seeds are the more nutritionally valuable and those are what have been extracted for Salba.

While you can use chia seeds, and they are very much less expensive, you won't get the nutritional boost that you will with using only the white seeds. A bag of chia seeds is only about $5 or $6, so chose accordingly.

Here’s what one web site has to say about it: “Today, experts say Salba is the most nutritionally complete food in nature. It’s the richest plant-based source of Omega-3 fatty acids, has the highest protein content of any seed or grain, is loaded with both soluble and insoluble fiber, and contains high levels of antioxidants, calcium, magnesium and iron.”

Finally Natural Foods Warehouse is starting to carry it at $16 for a 12.7 ounce bag, so you can get it locally. It is located in the aisle that carries salad dressings and comes in a re-closable bag. My local Kroger is starting to carry it too.

You can still order it on-line by searching Google, if you prefer, but finding it is a bit of a challenge. Just keep trying and eventually you will find who carries it. Even though it is somewhat difficult to do, it is definitely worth getting, in my opinion.