Chia seeds, not just for clay planters......

Still_Sossy

I read a great article in Clean Eating magazine last night about Chia Seeds. I always thought they were a goofy thing you stuck in a clay pot and watered! I put two links to share some of their benefits for nutrition and for endurance for runners or endurance athletes. I have to go shopping and get a hold of these babies! If any one is currently including them in their diets please let us know how you like them and what benefits you have seen. There were so many links to post so I just picked 2.
Would love to hear comments about this seed!


http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-ingredient-chia-seeds/

http://velorunner.blogspot.com/2010/03/chia-seeds.html

arliss1

We love them at our house! I mix two tablespoons of seeds in a tall glass of water and then add some lemon juice and sugar to taste. Very refreshing and very good for you.

JesaGrace

Wow, never heard of that....where do you buy them...any grocery store...or health food store.?

msemejuru

My family loves them. We sprout them in sprouting jars and use them to top salads, sandwiches and pitas. Spouting them gives them tons more nutrients and they add great crunch to foods. We also make alfalfa and mung bean sprouts but chia seeds are the fastest - only 3 days. I had a chia pet when I was younger and I never thought to eat it!

piccolarj

I love Chia seeds!! I make a mix of peanut butter,1/2 banana and a scoop of chia seeds, mix it all together and spread it on wheat bread before I do a long bike ride. They really give you lasting energy and good for protein and fiber!!

piccolarj

My family loves them. We sprout them in sprouting jars and use them to top salads, sandwiches and pitas. Spouting them gives them tons more nutrients and they add great crunch to foods. We also make alfalfa and mung bean sprouts but chia seeds are the fastest - only 3 days. I had a chia pet when I was younger and I never thought to eat it!

Wow I never thought about sprouting them. I will have to try that!!!

Still_Sossy

Found this while shopping for them...

7 Good Reasons To Start Eating Chia Seeds

1.Help weight loss. Chia seeds are popular for weight loss. They reduce food cravings by preventing some of the food that you eat from getting absorbed into your system. This blockage of calorie absorption makes them a great diet helper.

2.Feel fuller faster: They can also help your diet by making you feel full. This is because they absorb 10 times their weight in water, forming a bulky gel.

3.Hydration for athletes: They are also great for athletes because the "chia gel" can hydrate the body.

4.Reduce your blood pressure: There's evidence to suggest they can reduce blood pressure.

5.Omega-3: They are the richest plant source of Omega-3 (the vital fats that protect against inflammation—such as arthritis—and heart disease). In fact, they contain more Omega-3 than salmon!

6.Benefits for diabetes: Because chia seeds slow down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrates into simple sugars, studies indicate they can control blood sugar. This leads scientists to believe chia seeds may have great benefits for diabetics.

7.They are easier to digest than flax seeds, and don't need to be ground up.

Zeromilediet

These are a great source of fibre and nutrients! I soak a teaspoon of chia seeds in 1/2 cup water for 20 minutes, then add it to a smoothie. They can be soaked and added to anything like soup, homemade salad dressing, drinks. Soaking cause them to form a gel so don't go crazy adding them to things until you learn how much is appropriate. I've read the black chia seeds are better for you than white--I buy them at a bulk food place; a small amount goes a long way.

Joaninha777

wow so can you put them in just about anything??

I'm going to look for them, can you find this at a food store like shoprite?

asltiffm

I haven't tried using them yet but I bought some on my last trip to the Asian market...so that would probably be a good place to look for them. Thanks for all the suggestions on how to use them. )

michellemh1022

Sounds interesting. I think I'll look into this!

emrogers

I love them! I add them to whatever I can. I run so I need them for the stamina and natural energy they give you. I add those and bee pollen to my morning oatmeal!!! what a treat!!!

piccolarj

I have the black ones and I order mines from Vitacost.com because we don't have a whole food store close by.

koosdel

I had no idea... I gotta try some.

jacquejl

Bump

chiawoman

Chia seeds are the highest plant source of Omega-3, an essential fatty acid that is missing from our diets. While we get our fair share of Omega-6s, we are in need of increasing our Omega-3s so that these two are in a 1:1 ratio. Chia seeds do not need to be ground and contain natural anti-oxidants so that rancidity is not a concern. Since it is a member of the mint family, pesticides are not used on the crop.

I sprinkle the seed (a heaping tablespoon) on my salad each night. An internet site that has seed at reasonable prices is www.azchia.com. This is Dr. Coates' site, who was one of the original people who started the research to bring this lost crop back to production.

leslielove

My family loves them. We sprout them in sprouting jars and use them to top salads, sandwiches and pitas. Spouting them gives them tons more nutrients and they add great crunch to foods. We also make alfalfa and mung bean sprouts but chia seeds are the fastest - only 3 days. I had a chia pet when I was younger and I never thought to eat it!

what is this sprouting jar you speak of? that sounds like an amazing idea! i love alfalfa sprouts with hummus, onion, and eggs in a wrap and i'd love to use chia sprouts instead!


i add a tbsp to my oatmeal every morning and let it sit to thicken.. i feel like i'm eating more oats for the same serving size because of the chia gel they're tasty little buggers on their own too!