Chia seeds... do they work for weightloss?

MaitreyeeMAYHEM

I am a huge tea drinker. I love green and black teas, it helps me drink water. Are some teas better then others?

I heard this new thing that chia seeds are actually good for you. Like rice, they expand in your stomach to make you full. If you put it with tea it will possibly work better.

Is this accurate or no?

crystalewhite

It's going to take on a completely different texture, the seeds get slimey and it grosses out some people. (My husband *cough*.) I will sometimes put them in coconut water after a workout.
They do have a decent dose of fiber and a little protein, but I don't really feel full after drinking them. They also have 60 cal/TBS. Where did you hear this?

HeySwoleSister

Yeah, I was pretty bummed the first time I logged chia seeds. Not worth the calories.

I'd heard the stomach filling claim somewhere...definitely gets the side-eye. Also, chia seeds will either keep you on the throne for hours or will constipate you tremendously, depending on how much water they encounter along their little journey.

MaitreyeeMAYHEM

Well I was listening on the radio and did some research and people are saying its the new "it" thing for weight loss. I will want to eat healthy but I would mind trying chia seeds to see if I like them.

Francl27

I find them completely overrated. They add a decent texture for overnight oats, but as far as I'm concerned, that's pretty much the extent of my use for them. Too many calories for the 'benefits'. You're better off eating 150g of carrots...

MaitreyeeMAYHEM

Francl27 wrote: »

I find them completely overrated. They add a decent texture for overnight oats, but as far as I'm concerned, that's pretty much the extent of my use for them. Too many calories for the 'benefits'. You're better off eating 150g of carrots...

Carrots and celery are my favorite. hahaha

crystalewhite

If they call it "the new it thing" I immeadiately tune out.

And now I want some carrots and have none with me today.

HeySwoleSister

I use them to thicken the sauces in my stir fries if they are too watery for my liking.

OP, they don't have any weight loss properties, no food does. (No food has magical weight gain properties beyond its caloric content, either) Chia seeds are just some cool little seeds that start off looking like poppy seeds and then get kind of a slimy coating on them when they get wet.

They also can be used to grow "hair" on a terra cotta head or creature.

Xefyria

Chia seeds are usually used for their good properties (like antioxidants), not for the "stomach filling" thing. I use them. I love them.

VeryKatie

Sure, they work as much as any other food in existence. Eat too many and you'll gain weight, fit them into your calories and lose weight.

AmazonMayan

I love using it to make chia seed pudding. The texture does turn off some people. They can be filling when they've soaked up liquid prior to eating them...but I eat them because I like the pudding. That's about it lol.

ScientificExplorerGirl

I couldn't imagine them in tea. I add them to my greek yogurt or cottage cheese at breakfast. Not really a weight loss tool for me but they do help keep me ahem, regular. Add water and make sure they are fully rehydrated before eating them. Never eat dry seeds as they can choke you.

MaitreyeeMAYHEM

I normally eat flax seeds anyway and put them in my food. I was thinking about doing the same thing with chia seeds but after hearing all this maybe it won't taste as good?

CherylynBen

Chia is good for a smoothie, as are flax seeds. I only use a combo of a chia/flax blend from Carrington Farms in the a.m., with my NutriBullet smoothie. The veggies and fruit make their taste undetectable. They are "hot" because of the Omega 3's they provide. If it's not for you, you can get that in salmon instead, or other sources. I wish it was filling. I've heard people claim it to be, but I've never felt full from either chia or flax.

jellybeanhed313

EWJLang wrote: »

I use them to thicken the sauces in my stir fries if they are too watery for my liking.

OP, they don't have any weight loss properties, no food does. (No food has magical weight gain properties beyond its caloric content, either) Chia seeds are just some cool little seeds that start off looking like poppy seeds and then get kind of a slimy coating on them when they get wet.

They also can be used to grow "hair" on a terra cotta head or creature.

I never thought to use them to thicken sauces. Thanks for that idea!

SuggaD

I really like chia pudding. Not bad in a green smoothie either.

rjsnau

I think they are not great from a weight loss perspective. 60 calories in a tablespoon is alot and they doesn't fill you up. But from a health perspective I think they are great. I have noticed a good change in my cholesterol profile after a couple months of having 1.5 Tablespoons in my smoothie. As with anything I just make sure it fits in my calorie profile and will leave it out if I know I have a high calorie meal coming.

MaitreyeeMAYHEM

Whats the difference between chia seeds and flax seeds?

jgnatca

I am suspicious of the latest newest thing, right out of the gate. But I do like to try new foods just for the fun of it. Just don't expect magic results.

I suggest your first venture with chia seeds be as a pudding.
http://dailyburn.com/life/recipes/chia-seed-pudding-recipes/

What is the difference between chia seeds and flax seeds?

Chia seeds make baby chia plants. Flax seeds make baby flax plants. Put a spoonful of chia in a bowl and add water. Watch them plump up. Flax won't do the same. Flax has lots of flax oil, is high fiber and high calorie, and will help you be regular. Chia is full of highly soluble fiber and is also high calorie, and will help you be regular.

Another highly soluble high fiber product is konjac root. You may want to try that as well, but take with a lot of water.

jgnatca

As for what tea is better, it all depends on what you want from your tea. Do you want a little caffeine boost? Then have tea made from the tea leaf. This could be green tea, oolong, orange pekoe, or whatever you enjoy.

Herbal teas all have different properties. Ginger will help settle your stomach, and chamomile is calming.

alfiedn

I find chia seeds to be very mild in flavor and perfect for that reason. I very much enjoy chocolate chia seed pudding, but I also use them dry in peanutbutter oat energy balls.

illyich

MaitreyeeMAYHEM wrote: »

Whats the difference between chia seeds and flax seeds?

About $6.

Chia seeds, at least here in TN, are about 3 times as expensive as flax. They've got great fiber and protein, but for the taste and the price, no thank you.

hesn92

I was disappointed with them, I put them in my oatmeal and yogurt. They are weird to eat and get stuck in my teeth, and they didn't really provide that much in the way of fiber per how many calories they were (which is what I wanted them for)

So people put them in their tea? Does that make it kind of like bubble tea lol

cathipa

They are not for weight loss, but could support a healthy diet is how I view them. They are high in fiber and protein for the quantity. Calorie wise, yes they are high, but a tablespoon will only be about 50 calories. Plus they are rich in omega 3s. I've used them in smoothies and overnight oats. I've mixed them with blended fruits to make "jelly".

sarah_hite

I don't know if they fill you up, but I mix them with heated wheat bran and water to get my fiber for the day (It tastes kind of like oatmeal). They also have protein, omega 3s, and other beneficial nutrients.

MaitreyeeMAYHEM

How much is a bag? I don't wanna be out a whole lot of money if I don't like it.

JPW1990

MaitreyeeMAYHEM wrote: »

Whats the difference between chia seeds and flax seeds?

Not much, one gets slimy, the other one doesn't. I use flax for baking, and I accidentally bought what I thought was flax meal on sale, turns out it was flax/chia blend. It makes slimy porridge instead of normal porridge, and it's slightly more filling. Haven't tried it with baking yet, since I have no idea what the chia will do in a cake.

MaitreyeeMAYHEM

Ive put them in my roasted veggies, meatloaf or when I make Mexican food. I need to get better at it though. I usually get the ground ones.

JasonH_DFW

Pros: good fats, almost all fiber, good micros, cheap
Cons: high calorie (nearly high as nuts), gives some people alot of gas due to the fiber, gets slimely quick

Hollywood_Porky

TrineX wrote: »

Chia seeds are usually used for their good properties (like antioxidants), not for the "stomach filling" thing. I use them. I love them.

This - really food should be viewed for its nutritional densities and not necessarily it's caloric content. Best example is broccoli - not much in calories but full of nutrients - so you don't need a lot of broccoli to gain the value of the food. Further, it will promote satiety.

Love Chia as well. Use them in my workout smoothies daily - makes them thicker - and their nutritional profile suggests they are the best seed you can eat.

SciranBG

They only help with temporary weight loss by the way of being high fiber. They also help as a thickener.