Out Newest Discovery

Chia Seeds

Pat and I first heard of chia seeds from the highly recommended read, Born to Run.  We learned that the seeds have huge health benefit.  These seeds originate from ancient Guatemala and Mexico and were used by ancient Aztec warriors.  Without knowing much more than that and unsuccessfully searching for them at local health food stores, I finally decided to order some from online.  

The seeds arrived a week ago with three printed sheets of recipes.  One of the sheets included the recipe for chia gel.  Somehow, I decided this would be a good start as you can add it to just about anything, we have added to a few of things so far.  After a few days of eating the chia seed gel in things, I realized that I was not experiencing my 'sugar drops' that occur at consistent times throughout they day (typically indicating that I need a snack).  This alone is enough to fuel my love affair with the tasteless, little seeds and prompted me to do a bit of research on why they make me feel awesome.  Here is what I found out:

• Chia seeds are extremely high in the essential fatty acid, omega-3, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein.  Eaten raw, chia seeds contain a rich concentration of essential fatty acids, with 30% of their fat coming from omega-3 and 10% from omega-6, considered the perfect balance for healthy human tissue.
• Fibers in the chia seeds, known as mucilages, form a gel-like texture in the stomach when you eat chia, creating a barrier between carbohydrates and the digestive enzymes that break them down, which slows down the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar resulting in a natural aid for controlling diabetes
• Chia helps folks feel fuller faster and remain sated for longer periods of time due to their high fiber content and nutritional density. 
• They can hold 10 times their weight in water making them a great enhancer in hydrating our bodies, a valuable tool for athletes or anyone looking to improve their day to day performance and endurance.  
• Eating chia seeds can help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure as a result of the balance of EFA's and the high concentration of fiber.

So far, Pat and I have tried them in water, AM berry smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal, homemade hummus , and Gatorade; all these items have been excellent so far.  We have also tried the 'gel' via spoon (which is textually  repulsive) and eating the seeds whole (which is great).  This weekend, I think I am going to venture into grinding them down and using them in cookies or bars.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_hispanica (of course I research with wikipedia!!!)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christina-pirello/change-your-life-with-chi_b_446413.html