Chia Seeds (chee-uh)- the superfood that many are talking about! It is part of the mint plant family, the edible seed of Salvia hispanica. The ancient Mayan word for ‘strength’, these powerful little seeds are prized for providing sustainable energy. In fact, they used to be a dietary staple.
Chia Seeds have a huge amount of nutrients with very few calories, and they are high in quality protein! They are also loaded with antioxidants. Almost all the carbs in them are fibre, giving them the ability to absorb 10-12 times their weight in water. Not only do they have all these amazing benefits, but they are extremely easy to incorporate into your diet.
Chia seeds are easy to add to your diet; pop them into your smoothies, sprinkle them on salad, add them to muffins or seed loaves or make tasty chia seed pudding.
MORE reasons to eat Chia Seeds:
- Anti-inflammatory omega 3’s
- Digestive soothing soluble fibre
- Stabilising blood sugar
- Endurance and fitness
- Chia seeds are high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and protein. All of these nutrients are essential for bone health
How does it grow?
Chia seeds can even be grown at home, and the pretty flowers make a lovely addition to your garden. Chia is harvested from the flower once most of the petals have fallen off, but before it starts to brown. It can then be dried and the seeds can be separated and are ready to use!
Photo credit: www.ancientgrains.com
Now that you know you need to include these nutritional dynamites into your diet, it’s time to put a jarful in your pantry and enjoy them. We’ve got a few recipes for you to try: Chia Seed Recipes
You can find chia seeds in the health aisle at Food Lover’s for a great price.
