I bought the Navitas Naturals Chia seeds. They are great. I put them in a shaker bottle. I use them on sweet potatoes, in salads and coleslaw and just learned that they can replace half of the fat in baking. At first I didn't know if it was lowering my blood glucose or if it was something else but I confirmed it the other day. I had stopped using the seeds and my morning blood glucose shot up to the 140's. I decided to start using the seeds again and within a few days my blood sugars dropped to the 120's and the only thing I changed in my diet was the addition of chia seeds. I love them. I haven't made the gel yet I have only used them raw and they are like eating poppy seeds which I love. Hope this will help other diabetics. Navitas is a quality product and is very reasonably priced. I will definitely continue to buy them.
For health reasons, I try to eat highly nutritious low carb foods. I love tapioca but it's 100% carbs with no nutritional value. I was introduced to chia seeds and it is a highly nutritious low carb food but it is also a fun food. It absorbs 12x its weight in liquids and puffs up and reminds me of tapioca with a strawberry seed inside (and that's what it tastes/feels like). Another one of my favorites is the Mexican drink called: Chia fresca, which is basically soaked chia seeds in lemonade. You have to experience it yourself to know why it's so popular. One lb. added to liquid will create 10-14# of highly nutritious food.
Chia seeds (best known for the chia pet) are high in protein, 5x the calcium of milk and high in Omega 3 oils. Chia seeds are seeds of an herb and are grown in Mexico, south & central America and were the food of the Aztecs.
I would think you could make faux tapioca pudding with just coconut milk, chia seeds & sweetener, but I don't know how well the chia would absorb the coconut milk since it's so fatty. (Can of coconut milk, 1/4 cup chia seeds & sweetener to taste) I make it with 2 cups of water, 4 scoops of whey protein, then I soak one cup of chia seeds in this and when it has plumped up, I add 2 cans of coconut milk and sweetener. Sometimes I cream a package of cream cheese into a can of pumpkin, cinnamon and add that for more nutrition for a pumpkin pie tapioca pudding.
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When I found out I was pregnant with my first child, I read in a baby magazine about the wonderful health benefits of Chia seeds. They are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, and because healthy brain function is nurtured by Omega-3 fatty acids, I wanted to supplement my diet with something other than fish oil pills that can pack a fairly unpleasant aftertaste.
These seeds are so tiny, and so flavorless, that you can mix them into cereal, or even juice, without ever realizing you have consumed them. I have also found that adding these seeds to my breakfast keeps me fuller longer.
Chia seeds are more convenient than flax seeds, and a pound of them, costing around $12 (depending on the seller), lasts a few months.
If you want to avoid the potential unpleasantness of fish oil supplements, Chia seeds are a great alternative, and for new or expecting mothers, they are a great way to ensure your baby is getting what s/he needs for optimum brain health and development.
Lastly, you do not have to be considering motherhood to consider adding Chia to your diet. It is a wonderful, all-natural supplement that is perfectly painless (in both taste and cost) to undertake.
Who would have thought that the seeds responsible for the (infamous) "Chia Pet" would offer so much more than a gawdy table ornament?
Highly recommended.
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I'm a newcomer to the world of chia seeds. I decided to buy some out of curiosity about their nutrition and culinary attributes. (I don't have any special dietary habits; I just have a thing for chewy, gelatinous bits in my desserts and drinks. Big boba fan, here.) I got these a few days ago and have been experimenting with them every day. I'll report the good news first, then a comment on quality, and then follow with an explanation of the words of warning in the review title...
For culinary use, they make a decent tapioca-alternative pudding. I've tried soaking them in water and then adding condensed milk and sweetener, soaking them in diluted fruit juice, soaking in herbal tea, and soaking directly in whole milk with a little maple syrup and vanilla extract for something more decadent. It all seems to work, although I've heard of people having issues getting the gel to form in a fatty liquid. I made a milk-and-chia gel and put it on my morning oatmeal in place of plain milk and it was splendid! It does take 20-30 minutes for the full gel to form--not exactly fast food. It is going to take some practice to get the consistency right, or of course I could just consult a recipe (nah).
As a nutritional supplement, it's too early to tell. I am trying to lose a little weight and the chia seeds do seem to help put bulk in my belly so I can reduce my portion size at the subsequent meal. Other than that, I'm healthy to begin with, and eat a healthy diet full of whole grains and fresh vegetables, so I don't expect to see any grand improvements in my health due to chia.
As for the quality of the product, these seeds seem to be mostly charcoal-grey with a few white and brownish seeds mixed in. I hear the brown seeds are the immature and nutritionally inferior ones. Oh well; it doesn't seem to be anything close to a majority. However, in every single spoonful of the seeds, there are tiny, gritty, hard, shiny black lens-shaped specks! They seem biological, with a waxy coating that makes them repel water. They do not absorb liquid like the seeds do. Sometimes I see them floating on the surface of whatever liquid I put the seeds in, but by the time I'm done with my chia drink/pudding, they've made their way to the dregs in the bottom of the glass or bowl. They are unpleasant to bite down on, but probably just soft enough not to chip my teeth, at least.
Now, the words of warning. I had a biggish spoonful of chia seeds with my cup of tea a couple of times the day I received them. Apparently a cup of tea is not enough liquid to take with dry chia seeds. I didn't have a proper bowel movement for two days! Oof! So DRINK LOTS OF LIQUID! More than you think you need to! And probably start slower than I did, with about a teaspoon a day for the first day or two. I thought "Heck, it's just food, how bad can it hurt me?" but their moisture-absorbing properties make chia seeds slightly trickier to incorporate into your routine than your average food.
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Nutritional benefits of Chia seeds are incredible. Here are a few to start:
*According to studies, Chia possesses the highest percentage of the polyunsaturated fatty acids(linolenic and linoleic) of all crops. Chia seeds contain 60% omega 3 fatty acids.
*The protein content of Chia is higher that other nutritional grains. Unlike other grains, it is a complete protein, meaning that it has the appropriate balance of all essential amino acids. About 19 to 23% of chia seeds weight is protein.
*Chia seeds are high in fiber, a 15 gm serving of chia seeds will provide 4 to 5 gm of fiber. Our body requires at least 35 gm of fiber a day to stay healthy.
*Chia seeds contain boron which is essential for bone health.
*Chia seeds are rich in calcium, about 2 oz of chia seeds contains 600 mg of Calcium, as compared to 120 mg for a cup of milk.
*Chia seeds have 2 times more potassium than banana.
*Chia seeds have 3 times more antioxidants than blueberries
Regardless of the astonishing nutritional values of Chia seeds, it also tastes very good. My girlfriend and I make a big pot of "steel cut" oatmeal at night (the quick way is throw a cup of oats in 4 cups of boiling water and just let it sit overnight), put in a good helping of Chia seeds, and the next morning you have a wonderful breakfast that could last all week depending on how many people are eating it. Feel free to add a little cinnamon, peanut butter, fruit, or your own oatmeal favorite additions.
There are many other recipes for eating Chia, but oatmeal is my personal favorite. I started eating Chia last year after reading the NY Times Bestseller 'Born to Run' about how a tribe of Mexicans that eat Chia will drink beer, smoke tobacco, and then run up to 500 miles in a footrace the following days. One of the primary contributors to the tribal Mexicans' seemingly supernatural physical ability is that their diet is full of the nutrient-rich Chia seeds. I haven't put in 500 miles. But after previously failing to finish a 26-mile marathon without chia in my diet, I added chia to my diet and my knees allowed me to finish my first 26-mile marathon! Could the chia seeds have helped? I think so. I certainly had more energy and my joints felt better my second attempt at a marathon when "on" the chia.
I started out paying an arm-and-a-leg at Whole Foods for Navitas Naturals Chia Seeds, but have since started buying it on Amazon for a fraction of the price. Buy some Chia seeds and make a delicious bowl of oatmeal for one of the healthiest breakfasts possible.
First off i was a bit weary due to other reviews sayin the cereal was expiring soon. My cereal came packed very well, 4 boxes of beautiful rice krispies treats cereal which didnt expire for about 8 months. opening the first box was epic...those first big chunks were huge! and despite shipping the cereal was in great condition. Now, as someone who eats cereal once maybe twice a week, i tell you this. all 4 boxes were gone in a week. This cereal is simply AMAZING. childhood memory lane. i ordered frankenberry and booberry afterwards too, but this cereal is 10x better then both. Fortunately, i found a specialty store which carries this cereal :) but had i not, i would be spending alot more money on amazon.
