Do you remember the CHIA PET?
Not only is the chia seed used to create that fluffy green tchotchke that used to adorn your windowsill back in the 80’s (or maybe still does!?), but now you should EAT them too!
Chia seeds are small black and white seeds from the Salvia Hispanica plant. They are tiny nutritious powerhouses that are easy to incorporate into your diet. Just sprinkle them on you morning breakfast, put them in a shake, or on a salad, or even bake with them (as I often do), to get these little guys into your super food line-up. They actually expand and form a gel like consistency when soaked in liquid (i.e. water/milk, etc.) which can create a good binding agent when you don’t want to use eggs in baked goods, or if you want to make an easy and healthy fruit-chia jam, or a chia pudding! (fyi -it is not advised to eat them dry by the spoonful because they absorb so much liquid very quickly)
So here’s the nutritional breakdown:
Amount Per 1 oz (28.4 g) (2 tablespoons)
Calories 138
(% Daily Value*)
Total Fat 9 g 13%
Saturated fat 0.9 g 4%
Polyunsaturated fat 7 g
Monounsaturated fat 0.7 g
Trans fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg 0%
Sodium 5 mg 0%
Potassium 115 mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 12 g 4%
Dietary fiber 10 g 40%
Protein 4.7 g 9%
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 17% Iron 12%
Vitamin B-12 0% Magnesium 23%
As you can see they are a great source of protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids (4.9g omega-3), and a super source of fiber!
You will find them in these recipes:
Blueberry Coconut Overnight Oats
You can also see my favorite brand of chia seeds to use for my family!
(*Sources: www.authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-health-benefits-of-chia-seeds/,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_hispanica, USDA,
http://www.webmd.com/diet/truth-about-chia?page=2)
4 Comments