At the time of the Spanish conquest, Mesoamerica had among 29 domesticated botanical species, four that stood out from a nutritional point of view. The four crops used in the daily diet were: amaranth, beans, chia, and maize (corn).

Tenochtitlan, the Capital of the Aztec Empire, annually received up to 15,000 tons of chia as tribute from conquered nations. Chia seed was not just a food, but also used for medical as well as religious purposes, offering it to the Aztec gods.

The Aztecs and the Mayans, another great Pre-Columbian civilization that developed in Mesoamerica, considered chia one of their basic dietary components. Modern science explains why. Chia’s composition due to its high omega-3, dietary fiber and antioxidant content, makes it a very healthy food. Thus this seed also provides an excellent opportunity for creating an agricultural industry which can offer a healthy “new, old crop” to the world.