Are chia seeds good for you? Sure, chia seeds are tiny dietary powerhouses which might be really easy to incorporate in your on a regular basis weight loss plan.
Simply 100 grams (or eight tablespoons) of chia seeds comprise 16.5 grams of protein and 34.4 grams of fiber, in accordance with the USDA FoodData Central database. They’re recognized for being a very good supply of omega-three fatty acids and for holding minerals very important to bone well being, corresponding to calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.
Chia seeds come from a plant belonging to the mint household referred to as Salvia hispanica. It originates in Central America the place it’s stated that chia seeds had been a staple of the Aztec weight loss plan. Within the southwestern United States, a relative of the plant referred to as golden chia (Salvia columbariae) was utilized by Native Individuals of the area.
One other professional of chia seeds is the truth that they’re flavorless and simple to incorporate in most recipes. Listed here are 25 versatile methods to eat chia seeds.
Table of Contents
1. Chia Water
Maybe the only means of consuming chia seeds is including them to water. Soak a ¼ cup of chia seeds in 4 cups of water for about 20 minutes. The chia seeds will develop within the water to create a barely thickened however nutritious water you’ll be able to add a bit of citrus to for taste.
2. Chia Juice
When you favor citrus-based drinks, it’s also possible to soak chia seeds in varied fruit juices. Add ¼ cup of chia seeds to 4 cups of your most well-liked fruit juice for about 20 minutes. Relying on the juice you choose, your beverage might embrace added sugars.
3. Chia Seed Smoothie
You’ll be able to embrace chia seeds in any smoothie, whether or not you favor a inexperienced goddess smoothie or a strawberry banana smoothie. Presoak the chia seeds in a bit of water or milk to make a gel earlier than including them to the smoothie.
4. Recent Chia Seed Toppings
Chia seeds additionally make an excellent topping to casseroles, salads or oatmeal. You’ll be able to garnish dishes with the entire contemporary seeds or grind them up.
5. Chia Pudding
One fashionable and well-known dessert is chia pudding. You’ll be able to eat it for breakfast or as a dessert.
Begin making chia pudding with the identical recipe you’d use for chia seed water, however add extra seeds till you attain the popular thickness. Let the combination soak for 40 minutes or extra.
Many individuals favor utilizing milk and including cocoa, vanilla and different flavors. You too can mix the combination for a smoother consistency.
6. Chia Cereal
Swap your typical cereal for chia cereal, made by soaking chia seeds in a single day in milk or a milk substitute. You should use mashed bananas or applesauce as an alternative. Combine this together with your ordinary cereal or eat the chia combination as you’ll with cereal, together with nuts, fruit or spices.
7. Chia Truffles
Make chia truffles as a fast snack by combining them with oats, cocoa and dates. You too can embrace different grains, nuts and fruits within the combination.
8. Added to Stir-Fry
Add a tablespoon of chia seeds to your favourite stir fry dish, corresponding to this sauteed cabbage with chia seeds.
9. Sprinkled on a Salad
Sprinkle chia seeds on practically any salad to make it even more healthy and add extra texture. Combine them in whereas tossing the salad or earlier than serving.
10. Dressed up Salad Dressing
Costume up your salad dressing with chia seeds. Since many industrial salad dressings comprise added sugar, contemplate making your personal salad dressing and including the chia seeds.
11. Baked in Bread
Embrace chia seeds in your bread recipes, from banana to buckwheat.
12. Chia Seed Breading
Use floor chia seeds blended together with your favourite breadcrumb coating to bread fish, meat, or greens. You too can use solely floor chia seeds as breading.
13. Chia Seed Desserts
Enhance the dietary worth of your cake recipe by including chia seeds to the cake combine.
14. Chia Seed Grains
Soaked chia seeds generally is a little too gooey, however you’ll be able to change up the feel by mixing them with different grains. Embrace them in breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert recipes that make use of grains. Add a teaspoon of chia seeds to 1 cup of your most well-liked grain.
15. Chia Seed Breakfast Bars
Some industrial breakfast bars can have as a lot sugar as a sweet bar. By making your personal, you’ll be able to minimize down the sugar and enhance the dietary profile by including chia seeds.
16. Chia Seed Protein Bars
Equally, industrial protein bars will be excessive in sugar content material. Contemplate making your personal protein bars with chia seeds at house to spice up the dietary content material and keep away from a sugar crash.
17. Chia Seed Pancakes
Add a scrumptious and nutritious texture to your pancakes with flecks of chia seeds within the batter.
18. Chia Seed Jam
Pectin is a bit of bitter, so jam makers often add sugar to make up for this. To scale back sugar in your jam, substitute chia seeds for pectin, since they’ll soak up ten instances their dry weight in water.
19. Chia Seed Cookies
Chia seeds add a dietary increase to chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal alike.
20. Thickening Gravy or Soup
Uninterested in utilizing flour to thicken soup or gravy? Truthfully, for those who don’t get the temperature and quantity good, you danger having random clumps of flour destroy a superbly good dish.
21. Egg Substitute for Binding and Baking
Do your dietary wants forestall you from cooking with eggs? You should use chia seeds as an egg substitute to interchange eggs in baking, and you need to use them as a binder. To make one “chia egg,” soak a tablespoon of chia seeds in three tablespoons of water.
22. Chia Seed Dip
As a flexible ingredient, it’s also possible to combine chia seeds into dip. Make your personal dip, or add a selfmade and dietary spin to a store-bought dip by including chia seeds.
23. Chia Seed Muffins
You’ll be able to eat muffins as a scrumptious deal with for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Add chia seeds to each candy and savory muffins.
24. Chia Seed Yogurt
Chia seeds add texture as yogurt topping when added entire, or to keep away from a “crunch,” use floor chia seeds.
25. Chia Seed Ice Cream
Equally, you’ll be able to floor or entire chia seeds to any taste of ice cream earlier than serving it.
