Chia Seeds:Not Just For Your Chia Pet

We all remember years ago when the Chia pet appeared in every store as a novelty gift.  Spread the seeds on a wet terra cotta planter, and watch it grow.  It was cute at the time, still is, and I guess it's still popular.  But the health and food industry has discovered that it's also loaded with nutrients that can positively effect your body and brain.  A one ounce serving contains the following:  Fiber, 11 Grams.  Protein, 4 grams.  Fat, 9 grams, of which 5 are Omega-3s.  Calcium, 18% of RDA, Manganese, 30% of RDA, Magnesium, 30% of RDA, Phosphorus, 27% of RDA.  They also have decent amounts of Zinc, Potassium, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B2.  Now that you know this, aren't you going to go out and buy them?  There are many more reasons to include them in your diet, and here are a few,

1.  Chia seeds are loaded with antioxidants.  Antioxidants fight the production of free radicals, which can damage molecules in cells, contribute to ageing and diseases like cancer.
2.  Almost all the carbs in chia seeds are fiber.  Fiber doesn't raise blood sugar, doesn't require insulin to be disposed of and therefore is very good for diabetics.  Because of the high amount of fiber, chia seeds can absorb up to 10-12 times their weight in water, making you feel full and theoretically, making you eat less.
3.  Chia seeds are high in many important bone nutrients.  It's an excellent source of calcium for those that don't eat dairy.
4.  Chia seeds can cause major improvements in Type 2 diabetics.  This was most interesting to me, as Ron is a Type 2 diabetic.  A study gave half the participants 37 grams of wheat brain, the other half 37 grams of chia seeds, for 12 weeks.  The results was that blood pressure went down by 3-6 mm/Hg and an inflammatory marked called hs-CRP went down by 40%.  The effect of the fiber on  reducing blood sugar spikes after meals is still being tested.

5.  Chia seeds can improve exercise performance as much as a sports drink.  The Aztecs and Mayans used chia seed to fuel performance back in the day, and look what they did!

  Chia seeds are easy to incorporate into your diet.  I make a hot cereal that I eat 3-4 days a week, which gives me a great, nutritious breakfast.  3T. chia seeds, 3T. flax seeds, 1/4 cup quinoa, 1/4 cup oats.  Add water and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the quinoa pops open.  I usually make a big pot and just dole it out each morning for breakfast.   You can also sprinkle them on cereal, yogurt, vegetables or rice dishes.  They can be added to water or juice, which makes the whole thing rather gelatinous, which I don't particularly like.

Chia seeds are not tolerated well by everyone, so either check with your doctor before incorporating them into your diet, or start slowly, about 1T. per day.  Your body will love the benefits.