Monday, I gave in and bought some Chia. It seems like it is a new trendy health food item that is versatile and can be put and made into anything.
I sprinkled a spoonful on my salad on Monday night. I was so creeped out that one was going to get stuck in my teeth and I was going to sprout chia out of my mouth. Spinach & quinoa gets stuck in my teeth, why wouldn’t chia? I totally flossed afterwards!
Tuesday I bought some vanilla almond milk and made a pudding sprinkled with chopped raw almonds (instead of the figs, and currants) and shredded coconut.
I do have to run to the store to get more PB. It seemed like our last jar we went through it SO fast. But I do plan on making some chia protein bars this week.
I guess chia has a lot of health benefits and I would totally call it a superfood.
Chia is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids, even more so than flax seeds. And it has another advantage over flax: chia is so rich in antioxidants that the seeds don’t deteriorate and can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid. And, unlike flax, they do not have to be ground to make their nutrients available to the body. Chia seeds also provide fiber (25 grams give you 6.9 grams of fiber) as well as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin, and zinc. Another advantage: when added to water and allowed to sit for 30 minutes, chia forms a gel. Researchers suggest that this reaction also takes place in the stomach, slowing the process by which digestive enzymes break down carbohydrates and convert them into sugar. Chia has a nutlike flavor. You can mix seeds in water and add lime or lemon juice and sugar to make a drink known in Mexico and Central America as “chia fresca.” As with ground flax seeds, you can sprinkle ground or whole chia seeds on cereal, in yogurt or salads, eat them as a snack, or grind them and mix them with flour when making muffins or other baked goods. I find them tasty and an interesting addition to my diet.
Since these little bad boys absorb so much water (and are a good source of fiber) I totally increased my water drinking intake this week.
Like I said earlier, I am trying not to creep myself out by thinking that one is going to sprout in my mouth or gut. Something like what our parents said about swallowing a watermelon seed. I KNOW it is not going to happen…
Have you tried chia? What is your favorite way to consume it?