Calories in chia seeds

Dried. 486 kcal (2,033 kJ) per 100 g. Choose a portion below and every figure on the page updates.

Chia seeds are small, energy-dense seeds with 486 kcal (2033 kJ) per 100 g, most of it from fat. What sets them apart is fibre: 34.4 g per 100 g, so most of their carbohydrate is fibre rather than starch or sugar. The fat is largely polyunsaturated, with about 17.8 g of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the plant omega-3, per 100 g.

Where the energy comes from

Share of total energy contributed by each macronutrient, using the standard 4/4/9 kcal per gram factors:

Things worth knowing

• One tablespoon (12 g) has about 58 kcal (244 kJ) and 4.1 g of fibre, roughly 15% of the Daily Value. A 1 oz (28 g) serving gives 136 kcal and about 9.6 g of fibre.
• Soaking does not change calories. Chia absorbs many times its weight in liquid and forms a gel, so a chia pudding's energy comes from the seeds plus whatever milk and sweetener you add.
• A 1 oz serving supplies about 177 mg of calcium and 94 mg of magnesium, roughly 14% and 22% of the Daily Values, which is a lot for a small amount of food.
• Carb counts differ by label convention: US labels include fibre in total carbohydrate (42 g per 100 g here), while Australian and UK labels list fibre separately, so the carbohydrate figure looks much lower.

Converting these figures

One 1 tbsp of chia seeds is 58 kcal, which is 244 kJ. To convert any other figure, divide kilojoules by 4.184 for calories, or use the converter on the home page.

It takes 49 g of chia seeds to reach 1,000 kJ (239 kcal). See how that compares with other foods on the 1000 kJ to calories page.