Chia Seeds are healthful, delicious, and easy to incorporate into our daily lives with some simple tips! Chia Seeds are considered a superfood because of their high nutrient value and powerful benefits that load the body with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. And, as an added bonus, chia seeds aid in weight loss!
The benefits of chia seeds include:
• High in essential fatty acids (30% omega 3, 40% omega 6)
• Keep the body hydrated (chia seeds absorb 10 times their weight in water)
• When wet, chia seeds gel in the digestive system and prevent some food absorption, which leads to weight loss
• Keeps the body full longer
• Controls blood sugar (slows down body’s conversion of carbohydrates into simple sugars)
• Easy to digest in the body
Chia seeds are nutritional powerhouses, and can be used in place of flax seeds. In fact, they are more nutritious than flax seeds, and offer the body more omega 3s. Unlike flax, they do not need to be ground up to be absorbed by the body. They are full of antioxidants too, which helps the seeds from going rancid. Chia seeds offer a wealth of goodness, including fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, niacin, and zinc.
There are many ways to add chia seeds into your diet. Some examples include:
• Sprinkle seeds on top of your salad
• Add seeds to your smoothie
• Add seeds to your yogurt
• Bake them into your desserts (great in banana bread, cookies, etc)
• Make pudding or porridge out of seeds (recipe below)
• Sprinkle them on top of your sushi
• Eat seeds raw (nutty flavor)
Chia seeds can be found at your local health food store, and opt for organic when you can. If you're ready for better nutrition, weight loss, and overall health, start add chia seeds to your diet!
Here is a simple recipe for Chia Seed Pudding:
Ingredients: (1 serving)
1. ¼ cup raw, organic chia seeds
2. 1 cup milk (almond milk, organic milk, or any healthful milk variation)
3. 1 teaspoon raw cocoa powder (optional, adds chocolaty flavor)
4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
6. 1 tablespoon sweetener (organic maple syrup, raw honey, or stevia)
Directions:
1. Place chia seeds in a clean bowl
2. Combine milk, cacao, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and sweetener in another bowl
3. Pour the milk mixture over chia seeds and mix vigorously for at least 1-2 minutes
4. Let stand at least 30 minutes, mixing occasionally throughout, you should notice the seeds getting bigger and starting to gel (Optional: let the mixture stay in the fridge overnight, for a wonderful breakfast treat)
5. Optional: sprinkle some berries, banana slices, or a few chopped nuts
6. Enjoy!
If you have any questions about snack ideas and appropriate portion sizes, feel free to contact me at thetaralist@gmail.com and visit TheTaraList.com. Remember, your health is in your hands and you can indeed unlock the tools to attain optimal wellness!
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