Chia: It's Not Just for Pets Anymore

Remember Chia Pets, those little clay pots with seeds that you watered and then became "hair" on the "pet"? Well, now you can skip the clay pot, the water and the pet and just eat the chia seeds directly. Known botanically as Salvia Hispanica L., chia seeds pack a lot of nutrition in a small portion. 2 Tbsp chia provides about 6.6g fat, 9g carbohydrate, 8g fiber (wow!!!) & 3.3g protein. Each Tbsp boasts about 70mg calcium! and over 4000 mg of Omega-3 fatty acid. Just to get an idea of how amazing those little seeds are, 25-40 g fiber is recommended for good health so 2 Tbsp chia gets you about a third of the way there, and 140mg calcium in 2 Tbsp chia represents approximately 14% of the recommended 1000mgs calcium per day without dairy products! Chia seeds are sold whole such as this Shiloh Farms package, or under the brand name Salba (hulled chia seeds).

Another way to eat chia is in this raw, gluten-free cereal called Ruth's Chia Goodness, a combination of hemp seed, chia seed, and raw sprouted buckwheat. Chia seeds absorb twice their weight in water, forming a gel which can be used to replace eggs in recipes (used as a binder, not as a leavening). Sprinkle chia on salads, in your morning hot cereal, over yogurt or fruit, add to smoothies, or make this chia pudding.

Chia Pudding

Place 3 Tbsp chia seeds in a bowl and cover with 1/3-1/2 cup almond milk. Stir in 1 Tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract and stevia or agave to taste. Use a small whisk to mix in the cocoa, and be patient as it doesn't take to the cold liquid very well. Once fully mixed, wait 10-15 min until it is pudding-like in texture. Enjoy!

Chia Seeds