Super Salba: learn why this gluten-free superfood could become your favorite kitchen staple.(SUPPLEMENTS: CHECK OUT)(Recipe)

"Salba" may sound like a sexy dance or an exotic genre of Latin music, but in fact, it's an ancient grain whose qualities are perfectly suited for modem-day health challenges. Prized by the Aztecs as a superfood (although the word, as we know it, hadn't been invented yet), Salba offers a simple way to improve digestion, increase energy, help heal a variety of conditions, and even lose weight. And it's gluten-free.

For people with digestive distress, such as those with celiac disease, the results are "almost instantaneous," says Sherrill Sellman, ND, a Tulsa, Okla.-based naturopathic physician and author of The Return of the Ancient Seed. "They start to have more energy and they are able to heal and repair," she says. "So their mood changes and they really notice some incredible improvement." Sellman's patients have also experienced relief from arthritis pain, improved hair growth, easier weight loss, and fewer colds and flu.

Salba can also help diabetics. In a study published in Diabetes Care, Salba improved blood sugar levels and lowered blood pressure and inflammation among a group of 20 people with type 2 diabetes. Those in the study consumed about 3 tablespoons of the seed per day.

How Salba Works

When mixed with a liquid food or digestive juices, Salba becomes gel-like, enabling easy absorption of its nutrients. In the stomach, it creates a sense of fullness, which helps control appetite. Salba is also high in omega-3s, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein, a highly absorbable, synergistic combination of nutrients.

How to Benefit from Salba

Add 1 tablespoon of Salba seed or 2 tablespoons of ground seed to your daily diet. Supplements are also available for specific health situations.