Nuts & Seeds
Chia seeds nutrition facts
A 1 undetermined oz (28 g) serving of chia seeds provides 138 calories, 5 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, and 9 g fat — about 13% of its calories from protein, 33% from carbohydrate, and 54% from fat. The interactive label below toggles between a serving and 100 g.
Calorie split
| Nutrient | Per 1 undetermined oz (28 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 138 | 486 |
| Protein | 5 g | 17 g |
| Total carbohydrate | 12 g | 42 g |
| Total fat | 9 g | 31 g |
Vitamins & minerals
Per serving (28 g)
- Vitamin C
- 0.45 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.14 mg
- Thiamin (B1)
- 0.18 mg
- Riboflavin (B2)
- 0.05 mg
- Niacin (B3)
- 2.50 mg
- Folate (DFE)
- 13.9 mcg
- Magnesium
- 95.0 mg
- Phosphorus
- 244 mg
- Zinc
- 1.30 mg
- Copper
- 0.26 mg
- Manganese
- 0.77 mg
- Selenium
- 15.6 mcg
Photo by Jubair Bin Iqbal on Pexels
Selecting, storing & prepping chia seeds
- Selecting
- Chia seeds are sold whole, either black or white — the two colors are nutritionally near-identical, so the choice mostly comes down to how visible you want them in a dish.
- Storing
- Kept in a sealed container in a cool, dark spot, chia seeds keep for about 2 years — their tough outer coat is unusually resistant to oxidation compared to most seeds and nuts.
- Prepping
- Chia seeds absorb about 10 times their weight in liquid and form a gel within 10-15 minutes, which is the basis for chia pudding — stir occasionally in the first few minutes to prevent clumping.
Storage guidance from the USDA FoodKeeper database (FSIS, Cornell University, and the Food Marketing Institute).
Nutrition highlights
Per 1 undetermined oz (28 g), chia seeds is an excellent source of Dietary Fiber, Manganese, Copper, Selenium, Magnesium, and Phosphorus and a good source of Niacin, Thiamin, Calcium, Iron, and Zinc.
% of the FDA Daily Value per 1 undetermined oz (28 g) serving.
Key metrics
Nutrient density
Per 100 kcal, chia seeds delivers about 8% of a Daily Value on average across 22 beneficial nutrients. The score is its percentile for that measure among the 177 foods in our database — higher means more nutrition per calorie. How this is calculated.
- More fiber than 100% of foods · 100% of nuts & seeds
- More iron than 99% of foods · 93% of nuts & seeds
- More magnesium than 99% of foods · 86% of nuts & seeds
Density counts protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals (not fat, sodium, or sugar), each capped so a single nutrient can’t dominate, with a calorie floor so very-low-calorie foods aren’t overstated. It measures nutrition per calorie within our database — a useful guide, not a complete verdict on how “healthy” a food is.
Similar foods & swaps
The closest nuts & seeds to chia seeds by nutrition (per 100 g), and how each differs.
Complete the protein
Plant proteins like chia seeds are lower in some essential amino acids. Eating nuts & seeds together with legumes over the course of a day fills in the gaps for a more complete amino-acid profile — they don’t have to be in the same meal. Some protein-rich partners:
Questions
- How many calories are in chia seeds?
- A 1 undetermined oz (28 g) serving of chia seeds has about 138 calories. Per 100 g, it has 486 calories — a very high calorie density.
- How much protein is in chia seeds?
- Chia seeds provides about 5 g of protein per 1 undetermined oz (28 g) serving.
- What are the macros in chia seeds?
- Per serving, chia seeds has roughly 5 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, and 9 g fat. By calories, that is 13% protein, 33% carbohydrate, and 54% fat.
- Is chia seeds high in protein?
- Chia seeds has a protein density of about 3.4 g per 100 kcal, and 13% of its calories come from protein. Foods above roughly 10 g per 100 kcal are generally considered protein-dense.
- What vitamins and minerals are in chia seeds?
- Per 1 undetermined oz (28 g), chia seeds is a notable source of Manganese, Copper, Selenium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Niacin. The label above lists the full micronutrient profile with % Daily Values.
- What is the nutritional value of chia seeds?
- Per 1 undetermined oz (28 g), chia seeds has 138 calories, 5 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, and 9 g fat, plus notable amounts of Manganese, Copper, Selenium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Niacin. See the full nutrition facts label above for every vitamin and mineral.
Use it
More nuts & seeds
References & methodology
- Data source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service — FoodData Central, FDC ID 170554 (public domain).
- Daily Values: FDA Nutrition Facts label, 2016 update (adults and children aged 4+).
- Source claims: a serving supplying 10–19% of the Daily Value is a “good source”; 20% or more is an “excellent source” (FDA, 21 CFR 101.54).
- Calorie split: Atwater general factors — 4 kcal/g for protein and carbohydrate, 9 kcal/g for fat.
- Last reviewed: June 2026. Values are typical figures and vary with variety, ripeness, and preparation.
NutriFactsHub. “Chia seeds Nutrition Facts.” https://nutrifactshub.com/foods/chia-seeds