Do Chia Seeds Expire? |How to Store them Effectively

Introduction to Chia Seeds

Many preppers may be asking ‘do Chia Seeds expire?’. This is important for preppers because they love knowing which foods they can use for long term storage. In short, the answer is yes, they do expire and/or go bad. Although, stored correctly they can last for many years without an issue.

Chia seeds are the tiny black seeds (come in white as well) of the chia plant (Salvia hispanica). They’re native to Mexico and Guatemala, where they were a staple food for ancient Aztecs and Mayans. In fact, “chia” is an ancient Mayan word that means “strength”.

According to ‘The American Oil Chemists Society‘ chia seeds contain large amounts of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. Also plenty of high quality protein containing all essential amino acids with no cholesterol or trans fats at all. As well as several minerals such as calcium magnesium zinc iron potassium selenium copper manganese molybdenum among others in small quantities. The antioxidants found in them help reduce inflammation throughout your body too!

Do Chia Seeds Go Bad

As stated above chia seeds can go bad, here are some tell tale signs. If you notice the chia seeds have clumped up then that’s a good sign they have gone rancid and it’s time to throw them out. If they haven’t clumped up but on tasting them you notice a bitter taste, again that is a sure sign they have gone bad. To test if they have gone bad simply crush them and give them a smell and a taste. If there is a rancid smell or bitter taste that’s a good sign they have gone bad and time to throw them out. If they have gone bad they wont make you sick but rather they would have lost their nutritional value.

Can Chia Seeds Be Frozen?

The fact is that freezing chia seeds will extend their life making it a great idea if you have large enough storage. On saying that, storing chia seeds in a sealed bag of jar will keep them fresh for 4 to 5 years. This is such a long time that freezing is probably not necessary. Unless of course you have plenty of freezing space. Something to keep in mind when freezing, freezing requires power. Unless you have alternative power arrangements this wont be an issue. This can be a problem with some preppers that are reliant on the grid.

How To Store Chia Seeds Effectively

As with most food that we store long term, it’s best to store them in an air tight containers. With chia seeds, sealing them in a zip lock bag is great and very efficient. Using a vacuum seal is ideal but if you don’t have a vacuum sealer then push out as much air as possible. When storing in sealed jar it’s a good idea to fill to the top, this leaves a minimal amount of air and hence will last longer. The major factor for longevity is to keep them in a cool dark space in a pantry or somewhere similar. A good idea that preppers already do and are aware of is to label your containers with the date. This is good housekeeping and essential, rather than relying on memory.

How long can you store Chia Seeds

Generally speaking chia seeds will last several years. How many exactly will depend how you store them, which we covered in the section above. Stored correctly they can last 4 to 5 years and even longer if frozen. There are no accurate records of exactly how long they last but 4 years is sufficiently long time to use them. When buying chia seeds from retail shop they will invariably have a best before date but you can safely keep them far longer than stated on the pack.

Final Thoughts on Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are another example of foods that have a long life span. As with most long life foods store them sealed dark dry space. If you follow these rules you will have long lasting foods for SHTF situations. Chia seeds have strong nutritional value and in some circles is called a ‘super food’. There are many health benefits using chia seeds so this makes chia seeds a good prep food to keep in long term storage.