Cha Cha Cha Chia

Remember these?


No no, I am actually talking about these. HAHA!





So I've had a lot of questions about Chia Seed lately. What to do with them, what are they good for, etc? I found the information below quite helpful and now I love Chia Seeds even more, haha!

What makes the Chia Seed the super food that many claim it to be?
- 30% of the chia seed’s oil is Omega 3 oil. C40% of its oil is Omega 6 oil. This provides the nice balance those who take supplemental Essential Fatty Acids are looking for. The chia seed’s substantially dense percentage in alpha-linolenic fatty acid also makes this seed a healthy dietary source of fatty acids.

- You do not need to grind the Chia Seeds to digest it. It is a relatively easy to digest seed, whereas flax seeds are not. Often, one has to grind flax seeds to be able to process them in their digestive system. That is not the case with chia seeds.

- The chia seeds are great for athletes because they are highly hydrophilic. Being hydrophilic means it absorbs large amounts of water. Chia Seeds can absorb over 10 times their weight in water making them a great enhancer in hydrating our bodies.

-They absorb the water we drink holding it in our system longer.
Studies show that eating chia seed slows down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrate calories into simple sugars. This leads scientists to believe that the chia seed may have great benefits for diabetics.

-The chia seed gels when becoming wet and this gel, when in our digestive systems, helps prevent some of the food, hence calories that we eat from getting absorbed into our system. This blockage of calorie absorption makes the chia seed a great diet helper. Eating the seeds also helps dieters by making them feel fuller faster so they will be less hungry!

-Chia seeds provide antioxidant activity

-Mix Chia seeds into yogurt, sprinkle them on cereal in the morning, add to salads, or even add them to your baking. There are many ways to add chia seeds into your daily routine!

Information provided by www.healthmad.com

Beeks eats had a great recipe for Chia Seed Granola. I threw in dried cherries as well.

3 cups rolled oats, (we use gluten-free)
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (I used dark Agave nectar instead.)
Vanilla extract and cinnamon to taste.
2 T safflower oil
2 T chia seeds
1/3 cup dried cherries or berries (add at the end of baking)

Mix all together in a bowl or directly on a cookie sheet, bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes, making sure to mix up the granola one or two times while baking, to ensure it doesn't burn. Should be golden light brownish.

This is great for on the snacking, pre or post workout snacks, etc.

Let me know if you try it.

Cheers,
LC