What are chia seeds?
Chia seeds are small seeds, often dark grey, brown, tan or sometimes black in color. Chia seeds come from a plant called “Salvia hispanica”, commonly known as chia. The chia plant is a flower in the mint family and originates from Southern Mexico and Gautamala. Historically, like Spirulina, another popular ‘superfood’, records show chia seeds were cultivated by Mayan Aztecs in the 16th century.
Why use chia seeds?
Chia seeds are considered a ‘superfood’ because of their nutritious composition.
- Richest plant source of Omega-3s. Sources claim chia seeds contain more Omega-3 fats than salmon.
- High complete protein, calcium, potassium, fiber and iron content.
- Antioxidant content comparable to 2 to 3 times that of blueberries
- Chia seeds have a mild taste which makes them work well with any recipe.
- Easy to digest
Chia is reported to be beneficial for a vast range of issues, for example:
- weight loss/balance
- thyroid conditions
- hypo-glycaemia
- diabetes
- IBS
- celiac disease
- acid reflux
- lowering cholesterol
How to use chia seeds?
Chia seeds are often added to smoothies or simply added to water. There are recipes for making a chia gel by combining 1/3 cup of chia seeds with 2 cups of water mixing and refrigerating. The chia gel can be added to smoothies, salad dressings, or even using chia gel in place of oil when cooking.
Buy Chia Seeds Online
A few resources
- http://www.mychiaseeds.com/Articles/BakingMySeeds.html
- http://www.rawreform.com/content/view/345/127/
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chia_seeds
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