Experts have issued a warning about a common mistake some people make when eating chia seeds.

The antioxidant-rich superfood is known to improve digestion and ease constipation – but, if consumed without liquid, can form “a concrete-like mass in your digestive tract”, which can lead to them getting stuck.

Numerous videos suggesting eating and drinking chia seeds have gone viral recently after many claimed the seeds could be used to aid dieting.

“Chia seeds can absorb up to 27 times their own weight in water, so please don’t eat it dry, or you’ll be seeing a GI doctor soon,” gastroenterologist at California’s UCLA Health, Dr Wendi Lebrett, said in a popular video on TikTok.