Chia: One Serving = One Happy Body

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Chia, it’s the latest craze! Not Chia Pets (although those are still around), now it’s just chia seeds. From cereal to beverages, chia is popping up in products all over grocery stores.  We’re here to share where this seed comes from, why you should add it to your diet and give you some of our favorite recipes.

A brief history, and benefits:

Native to Mexico and Guatemala, chia was a staple food for the ancient Aztecs and Mayans. In ancient Mayan, the word "chia" translates to "strength". If that’s not enough for you to give it a try, the little seed contains calcium, manganese, phosphorus, and is a great source of healthy omega-3 fats.

Benefits of a chia filled diet:

  • Prevent Blood Sugar Spikes: The gelatinous coating chia seeds develop when exposed to liquids can also prevent blood sugar spikes. Chia is being studied as a potential natural treatment for type-2 diabetes due to its ability to slow down digestion.
  • Fights Insulin Resistance: Insulin resistance can be harmful for your overall health as well as being tied to an increase in belly fat. Chia fights this with a stabilizing effect on blood sugar.
  • Improves Digestive Health: Fiber anyone? One serving of chia (one ounce or 2 tablespoons) has 11 grams of dietary fiber — that’s a third of the recommended daily intake for adults.
  • Promotes Brain Health: Chia seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids. With nearly five grams in a serving, this one is a no brainer!
  • Maintains bone and oral health: A serving of chia seeds has 18% of the recommended daily intake for calcium, which helps you keep your teeth and bones stronger.
  • Protein without Cholesterol: Chia seeds are a great source of protein for vegetarians without cholesterol. One serving has about 4 grams of protein, nearly 10 per cent of the daily intake.

You bought some chia, now what?

Chia seeds can be eaten whole or milled, unlike flax which must be ground to access their health benefits. This means you can easily put chia in everything! It’s easy to integrate chia seeds into your meals since they are tasteless and won't impact the flavor of your food. Sprinkle chia whole on salads and toast. Add them into your smoothies. When adding chia to liquid it turns into a gel which depending on the liquid to chia ratio makes for a fun gelatinous drink, or a creamy pudding. Here are some of our favorite chia recipes, enjoy!