It seems you can’t stroll down the aisles of your local supermarket these days without stumbling across a super food (which is great news, don’t get me wrong!) Chances are good you’ve had an encounter or two with chia seeds but haven’t had a clue what they are or why you should throw them in your trolley.
I’m here to tell you that chucking a packet of two into your basket might not be a bad idea. There are a million and one (slight exaggeration but close) ways to integrate the humble chia seed into your diet and reap the rewards that this little powerhouse has to offer.
So why should you get on the seed train? For starters, chia is packed full of nutrients. Super high in fibre, Omega 3, antioxidants, calcium, iron, potassium and vitamin C, this gluten free seed is also incredibly high in protein. It’s not often that plant based forms of protein are given the ‘complete protein’ tick (meaning they contain 8 essential amino acids for healthy growth and development) but chia manages it.
A tablespoon a day is the recommended daily intake, though you may find you need a little more or less in some recipes.
Keen to start getting your chia on? Try one of these easy ways to effortlessly include it in your life.
– In a smoothie – Adding a tablespoon of chia to your smoothie will not only add all the aforementioned nutrients, it will also help thicken up the mixture, making it more thickshake than milkshake.
– On your cereal – If you’re a fan of muesli or porridge in the mornings, add a spoonful to the mix before adding your milk. The taste is mild enough not to interact with any of the other flavours and the texture will add yummy crunch.
– In cakes and muffins – Adding a small amount of chia to your favourite cake or muffin recipe is a great way to up the nutrients, without adding any nasties. Both sweet and savoury recipes can benefit. Just make sure you don’t add too much as chia soaks up liquid very quickly which can change the consistency of your recipe.
– As an egg substitute – As previously mentioned, chia absorbs liquid very quickly. If you’re short of eggs, or making a vegan friendly dish, you can combine 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water to form a thick gel like paste which can then be substituted for a single, large egg.
– In place of other seeds or nuts – Chia can make an excellent replacement for a variety of other seeds and nuts due to its taste and texture. Try substituting some into your favourite recipe.
by Naomi Cotterill
Naomi is a sugar free eating, green smoothie scoffing mum to one toddler and two cats. When not wearing her mummy hat, she writes and blogs about all things parenting, lifestyle and wellness for a number of print and online publications including her own site (Not) Just A Mummy (www.notjustamummy.com) If she’s not blogging, making up songs about eating avocado sandwiches or getting covered with sand at the beach, you can usually find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest
