Chia was first used by the Aztecs as early as 3500 B.C. and was a cash crop in the center of Mexico between 1500 and 900 B.C. It was used as food, mixed with other foods, drunk as a beverage, ground into flour, included in medicines, and pressed for oil.
When the Spanish conquerors landed the new land in 1500s, they repressed the natives, and suppressed their traditions and chia, as the result, was deliberately eliminated. Chia survived only in regional area in Mexico for the last 500 years.
It was until early 1990s, a group of American and south American scientists, nutritionists and agriculturalists began collaborating in commercial production of chia in Argentina. At present, chia is grown in Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Bolivia.