Chia Seeds - Super food for all diets?

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Bernard

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I was reading about these seeds in a newsletter from our local vitamin store and was pretty amazed that I had not heard about this Aztec staple food before. Check it out:
...Here are ten benefits to using chia seed in your life. Chia seeds are:

1. Nutritious. Chia seed provides ample calcium and protein to your tissues. The seeds are also rich in boron, which helps the body assimilate and use calcium. The nutrients also support proper brain functioning.

2. Water loving. The seed can soak up ten times its weight in water. Do this fun experiment. Put one tablespoon of chia seed in a cup of water and stir. Wait a few hours and see what happens. When inside your body, the seeds help you stay hydrated longer, and retain electrolytes in your bodily fluids.

3. Easily digestible. The shells are easily broken down, even when swallowed whole. This is an improvement over flax seed, which have to be ground up to be digested properly. If you eat flax seed whole, it will just pass through.
...

Chia Seed - Ten Benefits from this Power Food and Brain Food

... The Nutritional Science Research Institute, NSRI, a non-profit
organization committed to both the rigorous scientific testing of
products and nutritional supplements from natural sources tested chia and
confirmed that it is a low glycemic index food suitable for diabetics.
Their research also showed that taking 40 grams of Chia (Salvia hispanica
L) per day results in significantly decreased systolic blood pressure.
C-reactive protein (CRP), a blood protein that is a measure of chronic
inflammation, was also reduced significantly.

Another study by the University of Toronto study tested the Salba variety
of Chia seed. They found it to be more effective than the expensive and
risky medications currently used for decreasing blood pressure, thinning
blood, reducing inflammation and controlling blood sugar.

Participants in the study were Type-2 diabetes patients. Doctors observed
the following within three months: clotting factors dropped 20 percent,
levels of C-reactive protein (a key marker of inflammation) fell 30
percent, systolic blood pressure dropped six units.

And the benefits go even further -- 100 grams of this chia strain has as
much Omega-3 fatty acid as a 32-ounce Atlantic salmon steak, as much
magnesium as 10 stalks of broccoli, as much calcium as 2 1/2 cups of
milk, and as much iron as half a cup of kidney beans.

Chia naturally contains the highest percentage of Omega-3 of any
commercially available source. It is also high in vitamins and in
insoluble fiber (which makes it excellent for appetite suppression and
intestinal cleansing). ...

Chia -- Science Agrees Seed Is the Perfect Food

There appear to be a number of gluten free Chia seed flours being sold (at least over the internet). I'm going to get some of the seed and start sprinkling it on my salads. :)
 
hmmmmm, this sounds goood

I was reading about these seeds in a newsletter from our local vitamin store and was pretty amazed that I had not heard about this Aztec staple food before. Check it out:

Chia Seed - Ten Benefits from this Power Food and Brain Food



Chia -- Science Agrees Seed Is the Perfect Food

There appear to be a number of gluten free Chia seed flours being sold (at least over the internet). I'm going to get some of the seed and start sprinkling it on my salads. :)

this would help my prehypertension

Any idea where I can get it around here (in Indiana I mean)? Or should I just look online?
 
I found it at the Vitamin Shoppe. You might try your local vitamins/whole foods stores.

They are pretty good in lemonaide/juices. They gain a tapioca like texture when soaked in water/drinks.
 
hmmmmm

I shall do some looking......

They sound good, and ANYTHING that is like tapioca is DEFINITELY worth it!:clap::clap::banana::woot:

Sorry, it's been so long since I've been able to have any of that, I DREAM about it sometimes.......weird, but what can I say?

:roflmao:

Thanks, Mr B!
 
I personally know somebody who makes a drink out of chia seed mixture. I honestly do not know the brand. I also read other articles that indicate they are extremely healthy.
 
There is

a Vitamin Shoppe opening up somewhere nearby, so I am going to see about getting some chia seeds, but I wonder how they will mix with the celiac problem. We will have to wait and see....
 
Is this the same stuff as the Chia pets? So I could get nutrition, and a living kitchen sculpture. :)

I'm strongly in favor of healthy grains. One of my favorites is Quinoa (pronounced Keen-Wah) It's gluten free, too.
Quinoa is gluten-free, high in fiber and a complete protein, meaning it has all nine amino acids. Quinoa also contains high amounts of lysine, manganese, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. Due to quinoa being a complete protein, it is an excellent food choice for the gluten-free vegan.
http://www.celiac.com/articles/21825/1/Quinoa-the-Amazing-Gluten-Free-Grain/Page1.html
 
Yup, it's the same stuff Chia pets.

I recently had a dark chocolate bar with quinoa in it (so it was healthy, of course).
 
Ohhhh....chocolate is wonderful for one's health, too! As long as it is dark chocolate with minimum sugar in it. I eat at least 1 oz. a day, whether I need it or not!

:)
 
Just bumping this up...

I've only just recently heard of chia seeds and thought I'd give them a try since they're so good for you. I'm trying to be more healthy and I've resumed my exercise routine......

Do any of you still consume chia seeds? My small bag was $20 at Walgreens, so over-priced. I've noticed them much cheaper, in bulk on Amazon...

Thoughts?
 
I order them in bulk on line. I throw them into smoothies and occasionally into oatmeal or on my cereal. You can also put them in salad dressing (sort of like a poppyseed dressing).
 
They seem expensive, but once you start using them you will realize that you can't eat more than a little bit at a time (hint - they expand tremendously in water whether before you eat them or in your digestive tract), so a $20 purchase goes a long ways. I like throwing them in some lemonade.
 
I bought some Chia seeds as well (but forgets to use them). They make ya feel full too.
 
I mix them in with my yoghurt. I can't handle the texture change in drinks.

I've been paying $5.50 for 150 grams at Coles (for Australian readers.)
 
The chia is a great nutrient. I'm a vegan and really like to brag about the Omega 3's and any type of brain food I have a good experience with. One way I use them is to blend them into a drink that I make with our Vita-Mix blender. I make all types of green drinks/smoothies. I will be using them next as a binder to make raw falafels that I dehydrate. I used to choose flax seeds as a binder for recipes, but the chia seed has taken the lead, and without the taste that some don't like.

Also, for the most part, Chia's most always come packaged organic. Apparently the crop is pretty much pesticide resistant in nature, practically nullifying any reason to use any harmful pesticides.

Bernards right, they're not that expensive due to the immense expansion. I use a teaspoon per person of drink that I make. I let it soak for about 5 - 10 minutes in the blender with the water before blending. Lets the seed re-hydrate and "do its thing".

I'm going to try the lemonade. :)

Here's a typical recipe:
*All ingredients are organic

12 ounces Filtered R/O Water (Add more to thin out the drink if need be.)
1/2 Banana
1/2 Apple
2 to 4 Leaves of Kale
1 teaspoon Chia
1-2 Teaspoon Spirulina (I get mine from Mountain Rose Herbs. They also have Organic Chia)
** The brain nutrients in this stuff has been very nice to me. Gamma Linolenic Acid, B- Vit's, Vit-A and on, and on...nuff said.

I also add 5 tablespoons of "Ultimate Meal" for a complete meal. It completes a meal and adds all the vitamins I need. The owner of this company lists where each one of his ingredients come from. Very reputable and chooses only the best organic or sustainable sources.

This is a base recipe and you naturally you can mix a drink all sorts of ways. Substitute for the fruit of the season. Strawberries are also in-season right now. I'll add those quite a bit, substituting the apple. Stone fruit is coming and will always the time to enjoy that in a blend. I also soak dried Goji berries and add them to the mix.

Freeze what's in season now so you can have something for later. Play around. All in all, the Chia goes down in green type of drinks well and really fills you up.

Cheers!!
 
I love using chia seeds! I get them at Costco, around $7 a bag. I sprinkle them on yogurt, oatmeal and salads. Just recently convinced my husband to start using them on his cereal.

frshbeat, we also have a vita-mix and I put chia seeds in our smoothies. Will have to try your recipe! We are also vegetarians (not vegan though) .
 
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I'm kind of an organic person, and I LOVE Chia seeds. I put them in oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, and salads. I eat all of those on a pretty regular basis, so I get a decent amount in my diet :)

I also order my stuff online. I like to check out the local health food store the first time I buy stuff, then I order online because it is sooo much cheaper. I like using swanson vitamins (I think it's swansonvitamins.com). You can even get cheap walnuts, which are usually super pricy.
 
Not for keto

They are not suitable for a ketogenic diet, see the folowing nutritional values for protein and carbs:

100 gr chia seeds:

490 kcal/2052 kj

714mg Calcium
700mg Calium
390mg Magnesium
1067mg Fosfor


Vitamines:
Niacin 6.13mg
Thiamin 0.18mg
Riboflavin 0.04mg
Vitamine A 44IU


Chia's, complete protein with 10 essential amino acids
contain the following anti-oxidants:
chlorogenic acid
caffeic acid
myricetin
quercetin
kaempferol flavonols


Chia seeds:
fats:

Omega-3 60-64%
Omega-6 18-20%
Omega-9 5-7%
20% protein
27.5% vessels
40.29% carbs
 
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