Salba: The Ancient Aztec Food You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

I like to think I’m pretty savvy when it comes to exotic foods. Buckwheat? I’ve sprouted it. Kambucha? I’ve drunk it. And my favorite grain isn’t wheat, corn, or rice—it’s amaranth.

But then I saw an advertisement for a grain I’d never heard of before. It’s called Salba, and the manufacturer makes some pretty dramatic claims for it.

Despite the wording of the advertisement, Salba isn’t a grain—it’s a seed. Further investigation revealed that Salba isn’t a distinct species, but a trade name for a particular variety of chia seed, otherwise known by the scientific name Salvia Hispanica L.

Credit for Salba’s development goes to a company called Core Naturals, who claim that their control over Salba production allows them to provide a more consistent and higher quality product. And the company has performed testing that allows them to make health claims that growers of other chia varieties can’t make.

Salba has a similar nutritional profile as other chia seeds, and probably similar health benefits as well. But Salba does contain higher levels of some nutrients. A tablespoon of Salba contains about 2.5 grams of protein and 2,500 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids. Compared with regular chia seed, that’s about 32 percent more protein and 19 percent more Omega-3s.

There is a catch, however. Salba sells direct for $24.95 a pound, and the lowest price I could find on Google Product Search was $17.12. Compare that to regular chia for as low as $6.79.

You’ll have to decide for yourself whether Salba’s premium price is justified by the company’s guarantees. But whichever product you choose, the health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids provide a good reason to add chia or flax seeds to your diet.

How Salba Stacks Up Against the Competition