Adding Some Chia Into Your Life

 

Okay, so in last Thursday's post I touched on some of the benefits of chia seeds. Well I love these little superfood seeds so much, I thought it would be great to write about those benefits a little more in-depth.

Let's start with a list shall we?

1. They balance your blood sugar - The gel that Chia forms can slow digestion and help to balance blood sugar levels.
2. They Energize you - There is no insulin spike needed to lower your blood sugar level after eating Chia. This is because the gel that they create when mixed with water or liquid helps to digest carbohydrates at a slow and uniform rate. That means fewer energy crashes and cravings for refined or sugary foods.
3. Omega 3s & Weight Loss - They have more omega 3's than Atlantic salmon does and contain more than 60% of the essential fatty acid in one serving. We need those healthy fats in order for our bodies to stay lean and believe or not, these fats will also help you lose weight. Yep, that's right. Fat is not the enemy (unless its hydrogenated or trans fats were talkin' about). This is because they aid in balancing key hormones such as cortisol and insulin that exert tremendous control over your weight. Omega 3's are also a great way to improving your immune system.
4. More fiber than your bran cereal - depending on the brand you choose, 2 tablespoons will give you about 7 grams of fiber! Don't forget to drink water though. Since these little seeds absorb so much of it you want to keep things moving in the right direction. This will also help to reduce blood cholesterol and keep you feel satiated longer.
5. Calcium & Protein - Drum roll please......15% of your daily calcium intake in a single serving, which is 200 mg! That's just over 1/3 of the amount that's in a glass of skim milk. It also has 4 grams of protein. It is one of the most complete plant based proteins out there. Great news for vegetarians!

They contain more calcium, protein and fiber than flax seeds. Plus they do not need to be ground up to reap their benefits, which adds some nice fast convenience. Chia seeds are also naturally gluten free.

I should also mention that they are very high in antioxidants including vitamin C and E, minerals magnesium and potassium, and vitamin B, which are essential for good health. They are full of cleansing and hydrating properties that hydrate you from the inside out. Ancient Mayans and Aztec warriors would cross the dessert for days at a time, keeping chia seeds under their tongues to prevent dehydration.

What would a serving be?

A typical serving would be 2 tablespoons a day. That would give you 100% of your omega 3's per day.

Is there any difference between black and white chia seeds?

I've been wondering this for a while myself and after a little internet digging I found that there really is no major difference between the two. There seems to be a consensus that the white ones are higher in nutrition, but it appears to be a myth.

Where can I buy them?

You can find them at your local health food or grocery store. For the Canadians out there I usually like to buy my chia seeds at the Bulk Barn. It's just a little cheaper to buy in bulk. You can also purchase Bob's Red Mill chia seeds online here for a good price. I also like Prana's organic raw chia seeds which you can also buy online.

What is the shelf life of chia seeds?

They will last for up to 5 years when you store them in a cool, dry place.

Sounds too good to be true right?

Here's the nutrition profile for Prana Chia Seeds:

Chia seeds don't have any strong flavour so they blend well with almost any food. That's the great thing about chia!

Have you tried chia seeds before? What is your favourite way to use them?

Strawberry Chia Jam

Mmm, delicious sweet strawberries.

Strawberries for me.

There's nothing like local fresh fruit from your farmers market in the summer time. I have oodles of strawberries from my latest visit this Saturday. It's just too easy to buy more than you need when they're such a good price and they're so juicy and fresh! I'm saddened though that there are no local cherries this year, because the crops were ruined by the weather we had in the spring. I will still justify the splurge to buy them even though they are 6.99 lb. :o being imported from the US.

I suppose I over compensated the lack of cherries (my favourite fruit) with more strawberries during this past Saturday visit to the market. That's okay though because nothing beats biting into a fresh strawberry.

Check out this monster looking one!

I recently learned a trick to keep them they're freshest for longer. If you store them unwashed in a glass container with a tight fitting lid in the fridge they will keep slightly longer than if you were to store them uncovered. Then just wash and cut them as you need them. It works for any kind of berry too.

However, if you buy way more than you can eat in a week like I did, and you don't like wasting perfectly good strawberries...you MAKE JAM! Not just any jam, pure strawberry maple jam made with local maple syrup, strawberries and ...chia seeds!

This powerful little seed is praised for its health benefits and being an excellent source of omega 3 essential fatty acids. They're benefits are similar to flax seeds, but multiplied x10, and are a great way to lower cholesterol as they hold 9 times their weight in water, and have both soluble & insoluble fiber. The soluble kind will absorb water and can help reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your blood stream.

I usually have them stirred into my oatmeal nearly every morning.

I've seen this method of jam making on blogs before and so I decided to give it a go and make my own version. It was so simple to make! I think I will put a spoonful of this jam on my oats tomorrow morning instead of stirring in chia seeds.

Strawberry Chia Jam

Ingredients:

• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 2.5 tbsp pure maple syrup 

Method:

1. Rinse and dry your berries, then slice them over a bowl.
2. Mash them with a fork or potato masher.
3. Mix in the chia seeds first and stir well to incorporate them. Then stir in the maple syrup.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer to a mason jar and place in the fridge to let it set and thicken for at least 30 mins before you use. 

This will last for at least a week.

Perfect for toast, topping oatmeal or pancakes with, peanut butter and jam sandwiches, or even spread on top of warm scones!

Pair it with some natural nut butter spread on whole grain ryvita crackers or melba toast and you've got a great mid-afternoon snack. It would be great with some greek yogurt and granola too.

Have you ever tried making chia jam before?