Chia seeds have been eaten as food by many tribes. The seeds were roasted and ground into flour for cooking and baking (Clarke, p. 111). Some also used the seeds to clean their eyes and seeds were also traded (Strike, p. 139-140). 

Chia seeds remain a popular, healthy food source to this day. 

Chia can be grown from seeds. For more information, please see the entry on Calscape for Chia.