Chia Seeds vs Hemp Seeds: Which of the Two Seeds is Better?

Part of my Health and Nutrition Coaching job is to inform people about healthy foods. Sometimes my clients ask about seeds like chia and hemp seeds. They often want to know which is better, chia seeds vs hemp seeds.

Hemp seeds are better than chia seeds due to their higher percentage of protein, minerals and vitamins. Hemp seeds have fewer carbohydrates and sodium than chia seeds. Hemp seeds provide 91% more protein making them better for low-carb diets and bodybuilding. Hemp seeds are a low glycemic food and are gluten free.

This article will include a side-by-side comparison of their nutrients. In addition, I’ll examine their tastes, textures, cooking methods, prices, glycemic indexes, whether one can substitute for the other and their health benefits.

Chia Seeds and Hemp Seeds: The Differences

Many people have heard of both seeds but don’t really know what they are. Some people ask if they’re the same.

Chia seeds and hemp seeds are different seeds from different plants. Chia seeds are edible seeds from a flowering plant in the mint family called Salvia Hispanica. Hemp seeds are edible seeds of the hemp plant called Cannabis sativa.

Chia Seeds

The chia seed plant is native to central and southern Mexico.
They were originally used in Central and South America as a medicinal food.
Ancient Aztec warriors relied on them to boost energy and increase stamina.
They are small, flattened ovals and are mottled with brown, gray, black and white colors.

Hemp Seeds

The United States used to have a ban on hemp seeds in the early 20th century which has since been lifted.
They have no mind altering or psychoactive properties.
They are are often referred to as hemp hearts.
Hemp seeds have a shell and are typically hulled before they are packaged and sold.
They are small, oval-shaped and are brown.

Nutritional Value: Chia and Hemp Seed

The following table compares the nutrients contained in each one per 1 ounce serving which is approximately 2-3 tablespoons:

	Chia Seeds (1 ounce/28.35 grams)	Hemp Seeds (1 ounce/28.35 grams)
Calories	138	157
Protein	4.68 g	8.96 g
Carbohydrates	11.9 g	2.5 g
Fiber	9.75 g	1.13 g
Fat	8.7 g	13.8 g
Sodium	4.54 g	1.41 g
Vitamin A	15.3 IU	3.1 IU
Vitamin C	0.45 mg	0.14 mg
Vitamin E	0.14 mg	0.22 mg
Vitamin B9 (Folate)	13.9 mcg	31.1 mcg
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)	0.17 mg	0.36 mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	0.04 mg	0.08 mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	2.5 mg	2.6 mg
Magnesium	95 mg	198 mg
Phosphorous	244 mg	468 mg
Potassium	115 mg	340 mg
Iron	2.19 mg	2.25 mg
Copper	0.26 mg	0.45 mg
Calcium	179 mg	20 mg
Zinc	1.3 mg	2.8 mg
Omega-3	5.06 g	2.47 g
Omega-6	1.65 g	8.14 g

Nutrient Resources¹²

Taking a close look at the nutrients above indicates both are nutrient dense. At first glance it’s difficult to determine which is healthier. Therefore, let’s take a closer look.

Hemp seeds are healthier than chia seeds due to their higher percentage of protein, vitamins and minerals. Hemp seeds have fewer carbohydrates and sodium. Hemp seeds provide more vitamin E, folate, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper and zinc than chia seeds.

Chia seeds are healthy also and contain a good number of nutrients. They provide a higher percentage of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids.

You can choose either one knowing you’re consuming a healthy seed. Depending on your particular goal, one may be better for you. I examine this in the next section below.

I mostly use the chia seeds because of the two seeds they are easier for me to find. I’ll add a few to my smoothies or oatmeal.

The following video compares the nutrients between chia, hemp and flax seeds.

First let’s take a closer look at each nutrient and macro one by one and determine the differences between each one.

Calories

Hemp seeds are higher in fat and calories, 14% more calories per 1 ounce.

Protein

Hemp seed has way more protein that chia seeds have, 91% more per 1 ounce.

Carbohydrates

Chia seeds contain 376% more carbohydrates per 1 ounce.

Fiber

Chia seeds are your richest source of fiber containing 763% more per 1 ounce.

Sodium

Chia seeds contain 220% more sodium per 1 ounce.

Vitamin A

Chia seeds contain 394% more vitamin A per 1 ounce.

Vitamin C

Chia seeds contain 222% more vitamin C per 1 ounce.

B Vitamins

Hemp seeds provide a higher percentage of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate than chia seeds.

The B vitamins provided include the following:

B1 (thiamin)
B2 (riboflavin)
B3 (niacin)
B9 (folate)

Magnesium

Hemp seeds contain 108% more magnesium per 1 ounce.

Phosphorus

Hemp seeds contain 92% more phosphorus per 1 ounce.

Potassium

Hemp seeds contain 195% more potassium per 1 ounce.

Iron

Hemp seeds contain 2.7% more iron per 1 ounce.

Copper

Hemp seeds contain 73% more copper per 1 ounce.

Calcium

Chia seeds contain 795% more calcium per 1 ounce.

Zinc

Hemp seeds contain 115% more zinc per 1 ounce.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Chia seeds contain 104% more omega-3 fatty acids per 1 ounce.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Hemp seeds contain 393% more omega-6 fatty acids per 1 ounce.

chia seeds and hemp seeds nutrient comparison

Which of the Two Seeds to Choose

Many people have particular goals which food plays a huge role in. Which one you choose may depend on your particular goal.

Therefore, in this section I examine the most common goals and determine which one is the better choice.

Weight Loss

The number of calories in each meal or snack can add up pretty quickly. If you’re looking to lose some extra pounds from the belly, the number of calories will matter to you.

Therefore, of the two seeds, chia or hemp, which is better for weight loss.

Chia seeds are better for weight loss because they contain 14% fewer calories per one ounce than hemp seeds. Chia seeds contain 138 calories per one ounce serving. Hemp seeds contain 157 calories per one ounce serving.

They also contain 763% more fiber which has been associated with weight loss. Fiber makes you feel full faster which may result in eating less food.

Low Carb or Keto Diets

The goal of any low-carb diet is to take in the least amount of carbohydrates as possible. The numbers can be so limited every carbohydrate can make a difference by the end of the day.

Therefore, between the two seeds, chia or hemp, which one has fewer carbohydrates.

Hemp seeds are better for low-carb diets because they contain 376% fewer carbohydrates per one ounce serving than chia seeds. Hemp seeds contain 2.5 grams of carbohydrates per one ounce serving. Chia seeds contain 11.9 grams of carbohydrates per one ounce.

Bodybuilding

Protein and carbs both play a role in bodybuilding. Protein helps to build and repair muscle after a good workout. Healthy carbohydrates help to fuel energy and increase performance when weight training or exercising.

If gaining lean muscle mass is your goal, then the amount of protein and carbohydrates will probably matter to you. Therefore, let’s take a look at which is better for bodybuilding.

Hemp seeds and chia seeds are similar for bodybuilding because hemp seeds contain more protein and chia seeds contain more carbohydrates. Hemp seeds contain 91% more protein than chia seeds per one ounce. Chia seeds contain 376% more carbohydrates per one ounce serving than hemp seeds.

Even though hemp seeds provide a considerable percentage more protein, it’s less than five grams total. This amount doesn’t make a huge difference in your total protein for the day.

If gaining protein while limiting carbohydrates is more important, you’ll want to choose the hemp seeds.
If fueling your workouts with carbs is more important, you’ll want to choose the chia seeds.

On the days I lift weights at the gym. I’ll try to make sure I add some seeds, chia or hemp, to my post workout protein shake.

Gluten Free

For people who wish to follow a gluten free diet or have Celiac disease, the goal is clear cut, avoid gluten. Therefore, let’s answer which of the two seeds is gluten free?

Chia seeds and hemp seeds are both gluten free and good for gluten free diets.

Both of them, like many other grain products, are often grown with other crops containing gluten like wheat. Therefore, always check the manufacturer’s label to ensure they are not cross-contaminated with gluten.

Avoid types without any gluten information on the label or ones which state they can’t guarantee they meet gluten free standards.

Chia and Hemp Seed: Glycemic Indexes

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a scale measuring how fast a particular food raises the blood sugar in the blood³. Blood sugar spikes can lead to health complications with the heart, nerves, kidneys and eyes⁴.

Foods on the GI scale are categorized as:

Low-GI foods: 55 or under
Medium-GI foods: 56-69
High-GI foods: 70 or over

How blood sugars levels are affected:

Foods with a glycemic index 70 or more cause a quicker spike in blood sugar levels.
Foods with a glycemic index 56 to 69 cause a moderate spike in blood sugar levels.
Foods with a glycemic index 55 or less cause a slow spike in blood sugar levels.

Let’s examine the glycemic indexes of each one.

Chia seeds and hemp seeds are considered low glycemic index foods. They both have a GI score below 55.

Chia vs Hemp: Taste and Texture

Sometimes all the goals listed above don’t matter and the taste and texture does. After all, if someone doesn’t like how a food tastes, they will probably leave it on the shelf.

Therefore, let’s examine how the taste and texture of each one compares.

Chia seeds and hemp seeds both have a mild, nutty flavor. Chia seeds taste similar to a poppy seed or an alfalfa sprout. Hemp seeds taste like a cross between a pine nut and a sunflower seed. Hemp hearts are soft and chewy while chia seeds are crunchy when raw and gel-like when soaked in liquid.

Taste Poll

I wanted to get the opinion of real people like you by conducting some original research. Therefore, I reached out to some members of food groups, my clients and readers. I asked, what tastes better, chia seeds or hemp seeds?

46% said they preferred the taste of chia seeds.
42% said they preferred the taste of hemp seeds.
12% said they had no preference, or it depended on their mood.

I also participated in my own blind taste test. I added each seed separately into two different bowls of oatmeal. I picked the bowl which contained the chia seeds.

In the battle of taste, chia seeds taste better and was the winner in the poll and in my own taste test.

Substituting Chia and Hemp

Sometimes people will want to substitute one food for the other in a recipe. Reasons for doing this may include availability, taste, price or just for variety. This makes people wonder if they can substitute one for the other.

Chia seeds and hemp seeds can substitute for each other due to their similar tastes although the texture may differ depending on the recipe. When substituting in dry recipes use a 1:1 ratio although more chia seeds will be used per same measure due to their smaller size. In liquid, chia seeds will expand into a gel-like substance and thicken the dish therefore less chia seeds may be used.

When substituting hemp seeds for chia seeds be sure to used hulled hemp seeds. Unhulled have a shell which will change the size and texture of the seeds.

How about if you wanted to mix both together in the same recipe?

Hemp seeds and chia seeds can be mixed together in the same recipe. Combining both together improves the nutrient density and variety of the dish. One provides more fiber while the other contains more protein. Eating them together provides your body with a good number of both nutrients instead of lacking in one.

How to Incorporate Them Into Your Diet