Chia Seeds, Supercharging Your Protein & Calcium Intake

Chia Seeds are extremely versatile. Unlike Flax Seeds they don’t need to be ground before use. They can be sprinkled on salads and yogurt or cereal, added to smoothies or baking.

If you soak them in liquid they become gel like, great for making puddings or thickening gravy. You can use them as an egg substitute. You can use them as a gluten free alternative to breading.

You can sprout them for use in salads. Or if you don’t want to eat them, make your own grass head for the kids.

Do They Fit My Diet?

Vegetarian – Yes
Vegan – Yes
Raw – Yes
Paleo – Yes
F.O.D.M.A.P Friendly – Yes

How To Use Chia Seeds:

Puddings
Sprinkled, salads yogurt cereal
Thickening Gravy
Egg Substitute
Gluten Free Bread

Chia Seed Benefits

Good source of Omega 3
High In Calcium
High In Dietary Fibre

Tips

May irritate the gut if unaccustomed to a diet high in soluble fibre.
They get stuck in your teeth.

Chia Seeds Benefits & Nutrition

If we look at the benefits of Chia Seeds, we can see why they are becoming so popular. Nutritionally, like flax seeds they are a good source of plant based Omega 3 fatty acids – ALA in particular.

They are high in soluble fibre. This type of fibre gets fermented, feeds the gut flora and has a host of health benefits. Chia seeds are very high in calcium, just a tablespoon of Chia Seeds have more calcium than a glass of milk.

They are also contain phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, iron, iodine, copper, zinc, sodium, magnesium, manganese, niacin, thiamine, silicon, and anti-oxidants.

What are Chia Seeds?

Salvia Hispanica is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, native to Mexico and Guatemala and commonly known as Chia. You find the seeds in white or black, nutritionally they are similar.

Chia seeds have been around as part of the human diet for thousands of years.The Aztecs and Mayans were pretty big fans of the seeds and they were an important part of their diet.

Chia became known in America in the late 70’s and early 80s not as a superfood, but as a terracotta pot figurine called Chia Pets. The seeds were used to coat the terracotta and then sprouted to look like fur. Check out the original TV advertisement here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzY7qQFij_M

Chia Seeds, Supercharging Your Calcium & Omega 3