Mila

Q) How is Mila different from other types of Salvia hispanica L.?
A) There are many types of chia, but Mila -- "The Miracle Seed" -- is named as such for three main reasons.

First, we carefully select our seed from different regions, paying special attention to such important factors as climate, soil, and time of harvest as these affect the seed quality. We also look at seed maturity; the omega-3 content of immature seeds is very low so it''''s important to choose mature seeds for our blend.

Second, we look at the seed cleaning aspect to ensure that the chosen seeds are of the absolute best quality. Despite seed choice, if a grinding process is then used, it becomes easy to mask the inclusion of lower-quality seeds. Mila, on the other hand, undergoes a cold fracture process to mechanically open the seeds, and only the best seed blend is used.

This proprietary cold-fracture system ''''-- our third unique factor ''''-- carefully controls how the seed is opened, resulting in no increase in temperature, a factor which would otherwise lead to unwanted oxidation. Unlike the abrasive and harsh process of grinding, which causes the oils to be released and lost, our process preserves the nutritional value of the seed and increases bioavailability, meaning your body will get more out of the seed as your stomach acids access all aspects of what the seed has to offer.

It is the unique combination of these three factors -- our carefully selected blend, our cleaning process, and the mechanical-opening of the seed -- that makes Mila the best source of chia available.

Q) How is Chia related to ancient Aztecs?
A) Chia was one of the most important crops of the Aztecs. They had four main crops: corn, beans, chia, and amaranth, so it was 3rd on the list of importance! The Aztecs knew how valuable it was so they used it as a food, for medicinal purposes, as well as religious ceremonies. We learned this from codices written 500 years ago when the Spanish conquered the Aztecs, and their reliance on chia is well-documented. The Aztecs grew a number of different varieties of chia. They had white seed and black seed selected for their different properties. So...why did it disappear for 500 years? The story of chia is an interesting one upon which there is much recent speculation. Many believe that, because chia was used for religious ceremonies as both an offering to the Gods and for consumption, the friars outlawed chia. The Spanish were interested in producing crops with which they were familiar, and since chia couldn''''t grow in Europe, the Spanish determined it to be nothing of value, leaving a few rogue natives to head to the hills to be the "keepers of the seed" until it was rediscovered roughly two decades ago.

Q) Is Mila organic?
A) Because chia is a member of the mint family, insects never bother the crop. Without the risk of insect infestation, chia crops are never sprayed, which leaves no chance of residual pesticides. Unlike with leafy veggies where pesticides are used, we don''''t have to worry about contamination. Mila is not technically organic because there is a potential that some growers used fertilizer, but that would not have trans-located into the seed. So while Mila is grown organically, it is not certified organic.

Q) Is there a difference between white and black Salvia hispanica L.?
A) There are two main colors of chia: white and black. To be clear, there is no pure white or pure black, per se, as both are found within each other. The black seeds -- just as in any dark fruit, such as a blueberry -- are higher in antioxidants, but essentially, there is no major difference between white and black seeds.

For Mila, we use a mixture of both black and white seeds, creating a special blend selected for all the different properties that, together, create the best mixture and highest combination of all essential nutritional elements.

Q) How does Harvest time affect the quality of the product?
A) If the crop is not harvested at optimum maturity, the quality suffers and as such is lower in total oil and omega-3 content as well as other nutritional components.

Q) How did Salvia hispanica L. become known as ?chia??
A) The Aztec word for this crop was ?chian? but was shortened to ?chia? through translation from Nahuatl, which is the native language of the Aztecs.

Q) Is there a nutritional difference in the varieties of the seed?
A) Yes. The oil content, amount of omega-3, protein and phytonutrients vary. Mila is made using seed selected for containing the highest amounts of these components.

Q) What conditions affect the nutritional properties of the Salvia hispanica L.?
A) As with any oil seed crop, cooler climates increase oil content. In chia, cooler climates also increase the omega-3 content.

Q) What is the difference between ground and the Mila process?
A) Conventional grinding heats the seed, which in turn leads to oxidation and decreased oil quality and to an extent, quantity. Thus, grinding reduces the shelf life of the product. The Mila process opens the seed and increases the surface area exposed to the digestive process. This ensures the highest bio-availability of any other form of Salvia hispanica L. known.

Q) What is Bioavailability?
A) Bioavailability is a technical term used to express nutrient availability and absorption. The more bioavailable the product, the more beneficial it is to the body.

Q) How many variations of Salvia hispanica L. are out there and are they considered equal in nutritional benefits?
A) The Aztecs had numerous varieties; however, today this number has been reduced significantly due to mixing of the seed following the Spanish conquest. Not all have different nutritional profiles since the vast majority of seed available today came from the same mixed source of seed.

Q) What factors affect the nutritional value of Salvia hispanica L.?
A) Climate, rainfall, soil conditions, altitude, latitude and agronomic practices all contribute to the quality of the seed.

Q) How do you determine which seed goes into Mila? Is there a Quality Control process or grading system for the Salvia hispanica L.?
A) All of our production is analyzed in certified laboratories. Based on these analyses, we select only the highest quality seed which is then mixed and processed to produce Mila.

Q) What happens to the seed that doesn''''t make the cut for use in Mila?
A) Mila truly is a unique product which can only be grown in limited supply! Our mission is, "To Change the Health and Wealth of the World" and whatever seed does not make the cut is utilized in many different channels of distribution to achieve that mission.