What is chia gel and why should you care?
According to Dr. Weil "Chia is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids, even more so than flax seeds. And it has another advantage over flax: chia is so rich in antioxidants that the seeds don't deteriorate and can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid. And, unlike flax, they do not have to be ground to make their nutrients available to the body. Chia seeds also provide fiber (25 grams gives you 6.9 grams of fiber) as well as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin and zinc."
HealthWarrior.com explains the benefits of eating Chia.
A 16-oz pouch of chia contains the same as:
According to Dr. Weil "Chia is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids, even more so than flax seeds. And it has another advantage over flax: chia is so rich in antioxidants that the seeds don't deteriorate and can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid. And, unlike flax, they do not have to be ground to make their nutrients available to the body. Chia seeds also provide fiber (25 grams gives you 6.9 grams of fiber) as well as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin and zinc."
HealthWarrior.com explains the benefits of eating Chia.
A 16-oz pouch of chia contains the same as:
- Fiber of 4 pounds of oatmeal
- Protein in 3 lbs of tofu
- Antioxidants of 2 pounds of blueberries
- Omega-3s in 10lbs of salmon
- Calcium in 4 lbs of 1% milk
- Magnesium of 15 pounds of broccoli
Add chia to anything!.. soups, smoothies, baked goods. You'll notice that it soaks up water.. so, just add more water to your recipe. It really is that easy. This gooey substance is basically what will happen in your belly.. slowing digestion and absorption.
And who wouldn't want that?
That just blew my mind. Never would have thought about eating chia.
ReplyDeleteWhich is funny because chia was cultivated in central Mexico from 1500 BC to about 1600 AD. It was huge with the Aztecs and Mayans, including their warriors! It's truly a health food. If you google it you'll find stories of people living on 1 T of chia seed + water for 24-hours. I think I read a study/test done where one group of hikers ate food and another group ate simply chia seeds + water.. and the chia seed group kicked their butts. So I hear.
ReplyDeleteHere are two very interesting recipes - pinole (which I've never heard of!) and chia fresca, apparently a common Mexican beverage:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nomeatathlete.com/tarahumara-pinole-chia-recipes/
They really are amazing little things, bizarre and yummy in a beverage!
ReplyDeleteThe Tarahumara Indians of Chihuahua Mexico are extreme long distance runners; traditionally they carried a pouch of chia seed to sustain themselves and stay hydrated while running for days.
I've used the soaked seeds topically in my dog's eyes, to treat a stye.
I'm glad you mentioned this -I'll have to start putting chia in our hibiscus ice tea again!
To treat a stye, really? You must tell me more about that. Zoidberg has runny beagle eyes sometimes because he's alway putting his nosey nose into things.
DeleteWhen you add it to tea.. is it hot or cold? How much do you add?
re:stye, just put a few soaked seeds in his eyes, they'll work their way out and flush some gunk. Doesn't seem to bother them. It's the same idea as using cod liver oil to clean a terrier's eyes after they 'go to ground'-just less gross and smelly.
ReplyDeleteFor tea, we add a few tablespoons to a pitcher when it is going into the fridge to chill ...so I guess when it's warm. I doubt it matters if it's warm or cold. Just wait a few minutes for it to get gelatinous. Hi Zoid!