MORE than 5500 years ago, the ancient Aztec, Mayan and Inca civilisations in Central and South America knew they were on to a good thing when they discovered a tiny grain called chia.
So powerful was its properties, they worshipped it as a religious product.
When the Spanish Conquistadores invaded Central and South America thousands of years later, they banned chia and destroyed local crops because of its influence over the native populations.
But pockets of production survived and now there is a resurgence in interest in the crop.
West Australian farmer and Chia Company founder John Foss discovered the benefits of chia in 2001 and imported the seed into Australia in a bid to build a multi-million-dollar industry.
While the Chia Company has been exporting chia products for years, it has now turned to the home market and formed a partnership with Bakers Delight.
The bakery chain began selling chia bread through its 650 outlets across Australia and New Zealand last week.
Bakers Delight group corporate communications manager, Kendra Teasdale, said the company considered chia as one of nature's complete superfoods.
Kendra said Bakers Delight was adding chia as a topping to white bread and aimed to sell 11.4 million loaves annually in Australia alone.
"This is very much about supporting a healthy lifestyle and supporting an Australian agricultural industry," she said.
"Chia has 60 per cent more fibre than regular supermarket white bread and half the total fat of other seed breads.
"It also has two to five times more omega-3 and 2 1/2 times the level of antioxidants when compared to many other seeded and wholegrain breads."
Bakers Delight did not rule out developing other chia bread types down the track.
