Chia seeds: What are the benefits?

ereck44

I sprinkle them in my cream of wheat. They taste like poppy seeds, and give the farina a little crunch. I use them most for the fiber factor. Didn't know Dr. Oz touts them, but then not surprised.

HikerRR50

best use: Take half a glass of water - half full or empty doesnt matter. Stir in a large spoonful of chia seeds. after 15-20 mins they will look like little frog eggs/fish eggs. Hide the glass. Tell a friend to close their eyes and drink this special smoothie and try to place the taste..... after they ponder the texture awhile tell em they just drank frog eggs. (best used on vegitarians)

smaihlee

Bought a bag. Tried a few different ways. Utterly unimpressed. Don't like the texture of the puffed-up seeds--it's rather creepy. But even if I put the seeds in, say, my homemade "Kind" bars, they manage to get stuck in every crevice of my mouth and I don't realize it until they've puffed up and I feel that glob taunting me from the molar region of my mouth. I can chew gum, swoosh water, brush my teeth, and toothpick every gap but hours later I still feel them in my teeth. It is maddening.

After a while of worrying about the stupid stuck seeds, I started developing irrational thoughts. What if I completely miss one and it's lodged so inconspicuously that I don't find it for weeks and it sprouts in my mouth and a I turn into a real live Chia head?

WHAT WILL I DO THEN????

Seriously, I can think of 100 other ways to achieve health benefits, with much less harm to my mental and dental health.

BigGuy47

Chia seeds have soluble fiber. This can help lower cholesterol and control blood glucose (for those with metabolic conditions).

Chia seeds have insoluble fiber. Add enough water and this will help you poop (if you need a little help pooping).

LAnne16

I use them for their.... digestive help.

Kamikazeflutterby

I've been meaning to try them to make overnight strawberry jam. Apparently their ability to swell up can replace the normal thickeners and sugar in jam, though they have absolutely no preservative qualities and any jam made with them would have to be eaten fairly quickly.

So far I've been too much of a cheap *kitten* to buy a huge bag of them just to assuage my curiosity.

Bumbumbelly

If your looking for quality information on what your eating it is imperative that you do your own research. A great website and resource is Thrive.
http://thriveforward.com/
Although it promotes a plant based diet the information on food's nutrients and how to "fuel" your body is so valuable.
Bottom line there are a lot of fads and quick fixes out there..... Your body was created to eat REAL food.
Chia to me is not a fad but a staple. It works great for my dietary and endurance needs. It helps promote muscle recovery as well. BUT it took me 2 years to really understand the benefits and incorporate it correctly into my diet.

iechick

I've been meaning to try them to make overnight strawberry jam. Apparently their ability to swell up can replace the normal thickeners and sugar in jam, though they have absolutely no preservative qualities and any jam made with them would have to be eaten fairly quickly.

So far I've been too much of a cheap *kitten* to buy a huge bag of them just to assuage my curiosity.

I made freezer jam in the crock pot this summer using them and it turned out nicely. I put it in small plastic containers and then just pull one out and let it defrost overnight in the fridge. We usually eat the container within a week so there's been no issues of not having preservatives in it

Ang108

I have seen a lot of hype over these lately, my mum even bought them and made me start sprinkling them on my cereal while she blabbered on about something.
I still have no idea what they are good for! Want to help me out?

Chia was before the conquest an important food crop after maiz/corn in Mexico and most parts of Meso America. Until recently it has been fallen out of popularity for several centuries, except as a drink here in some parts of Mexico and isolated areas of Central America. Chia water is still popular in parts of Mexico, especially in poor areas, because it has a somewhat " filling " quality , due to the mucosity of the seed.
It does not have any " special " nutritional qualities, but can be useful in supplementing a diet for those who think it might be beneficial.
According to the USDA, a one ounce (28 gram) serving of chia seeds contains 9 grams of fat, 5 milligrams of sodium, 11 grams of dietary fiber and 4 grams of protein. The seeds also have 18% of the recommended daily intake of calcium, 27% phosphorus and 30% manganese, similar in nutrient content to other edible seeds such as flax, amaranth or sesame.
One pilot study found that 10 weeks ingestion of 25 grams per day of milled chia seeds, compared to intact seeds, produced higher blood levels of alpha-linolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 long-chain fatty acid considered good for the heart, while having no effect on inflammation or disease risk factors. This means that Chia might be beneficial for general heart health ( maybe something to consider for those who run a lot, or long distance ), but not so much for those who eat Chia as part of an anti inflammatory/anti-immune diet. My verdict: it's a dietary tool, but not better or worse than many other healthy foods. Nothing really special about it. Luckily it is very cheap ( about 50 cents a pound ) and I mostly buy it as bird food.....the birds seems to really like it.....:o).

judychicken

I put them in my yogurt with Hemp Seeds also..

awtume9

just the way you guys are describing the texture is making me gag... :embarassed:

qtgonewild

I put them in my smoothies.

jwdieter

just the way you guys are describing the texture is making me gag... :embarassed:

It's very similar to tapioca in texture, when it's a major component. When blended into smoothies, the drawback is kinda like mixing most berries - very small seeds. It's a seed with a soluble shell that absorbs liquid.

extra_medium

Chia water is still popular in parts of Mexico, especially in poor areas, because it has a somewhat " filling " quality , due to the mucosity of the seed.
It does not have any " special " nutritional qualities, but can be useful in supplementing a diet for those who think it might be beneficial.

I love how in poor areas it's used as a cheap way to trick people into feeling full because they can't eat, and in the US it's used as an expensive way to trick people into feeling full so we don't eat.