Now, we don't own one, and I don't intend on owning a Chia Pet any time in the future.
I am going to tell you that I bought a package of Chia Seeds from Nuts Online a few months ago. They have been sitting in the pantry after a few baking attempts, that actually turned out quite nicely...but of course, I forgot about them until this week. Due to my upped workout schedule and my bachelor-like eating habits during the week, I'm often starving by 10am. I don't like to eat a ton of food in the morning and I try to have some fresh fruit at my desk, but sometimes, like this week, I just didn't have time to run to the store and get some.
This is where the Chia Seeds make their entrance.
I had a container of these little seeds at my desk. It said on the package that they help curb your hunger...just a teaspoon down your gullet with a water chaser and you should be set for a few hours. Needless to say, I didn't really think it would work, but earlier this week, starving and staring at the clock because it was nowhere near lunchtime yet, I opened my desk drawer and remembered the Chia Seeds.
There are many things you can make with them...like I said earlier, I even added them to some of my baking adventures. They can become and egg substitute, you can add them for texture or replace poppy seeds with them. At work, I made an oatmeal-ish concoction with them by adding some hot water and a little sugar...I let that sit for a minute and ate it all up...and man, it was delicious!
If you soak the Chia Seeds in water, even for a minute, they will start to disintigrate and form a gel. When they have soaked for 10-20 minutes, the seeds are gone and the gel remains...so the gel is what you would use for an egg subsitute.
There are many health benefits to Chia Seeds as well. They are higher in vitamins and Omega-3 Fatty Acids than Flax Seed, they even provide your body with calcium and can help with inflammation.
Here's a piece I found from Dr. Weil which explains some of the benefits. So if you feel adventureous, try some! You can find them online or in your health food section of the store.
Here's the link to the original article
| Q | What Is Chia? I heard that "chia" is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, but I don't know what it is, where to get it or what to do with it. Can you enlighten me?  |
| A | Answer (Published 5/15/2006) |
| Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows abundantly in southern Mexico. You may have seen chia sprouts growing on the novelty planters called Chia Pets, but historically, the seeds have been the most important part of the plant. In pre-Columbian times they were a main component of the Aztec and Mayan diets and were the basic survival ration of Aztec warriors. I've read that one tablespoon was believed to sustain an individual for 24 hours. The Aztecs also used chia medicinally to stimulate saliva flow and to relieve joint pain and sore skin. | |
Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows abundantly in southern Mexico. You may have seen chia sprouts growing on the novelty planters called Chia Pets, but historically, the seeds have been the most important part of the plant. In pre-Columbian times they were a main component of the Aztec and Mayan diets and were the basic survival ration of Aztec warriors. I've read that one tablespoon was believed to sustain an individual for 24 hours. The Aztecs also used chia medicinally to stimulate saliva flow and to relieve joint pain and sore skin.
Chia is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids, even more so than flax seeds. And it has another advantage over flax: chia is so rich in antioxidants that the seeds don't deteriorate and can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid. And, unlike flax, they do not have to be ground to make their nutrients available to the body. Chia seeds also provide fiber (25 grams give you 6.9 grams of fiber) as well as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin, and zinc.
Another advantage: when added to water and allowed to sit for 30 minutes, chia forms a gel. Researchers suggest that this reaction also takes place in the stomach, slowing the process by which digestive enzymes break down carbohydrates and convert them into sugar.
Chia has a nutlike flavor. You can mix seeds in water and add lime or lemon juice and sugar to make a drink known in Mexico and Central America as "chia fresca." As with ground flax seeds, you can sprinkle ground or whole chia seeds on cereal, in yogurt or salads, eat them as a snack, or grind them and mix them with flour when making muffins or other baked goods. I find them tasty and an interesting addition to my diet.
Chia is undergoing something of a renaissance after centuries of neglect. It was a major crop in central Mexico between 1500 and 900 B.C. and was still cultivated well into the 16th century, AD, but after the Spanish conquest, authorities banned it because of its close association with Aztec religion (Indians used the seeds as offerings in rituals). Until recently, chia was produced by only a few small growers, but commercial production has resumed in Latin America, and you can now buy the seeds online and in health food stores.
Because of its nutritional value and stability, chia is already being added to a range of foods. Research has shown that adding it to chicken feed makes for eggs rich in omega-3s. Feeding chia to chickens enriches their meat with omega-3s; fed to cattle chia enriches milk with omega-3s. Chia can also be added to commercially prepared infant formulas, baby foods, baked goods, nutrition bars, yogurt, and other foods. Another bonus: insects don't like the chia plant so it is easier to find organically grown varieties. I expect we'll soon be hearing much more about chia and its health benefits.
Andrew Weil, M.D.
