Hey Rewilders, Amanda here :)
One of my best friends sent me a text the other day which said, “tell me everything you know about chia seeds”. My initial response was “they are amazing”, but to write everything I know about chia seeds, well, that is a little too long for a text, so I decided to make it into a post!
This video pretty much sums up my knowledge: HERE
… just kidding :) I love chia seeds, and below is everything I know about them.
Chia Seeds 101: The quick and dirty facts
- Chia seed are an ancient superfood …ooohh sexy right?
- Chia seeds are a plant-based source of omega-3 fats which most people think they can only get from fish. If you are a vegetarian, then fret no more… chia seeds come to the rescue!
- Move over blueberries… chia seeds are loaded with three times the amount of antioxidants.
- They have five times the amount of calcium in milk!
- Chia seeds have more potassium than a banana, more fiber than oatmeal and more iron than spinach.
- The are a complete source of protein (meaning they contain all nine of the essential amino acids your body needs.
Chia Seeds 101: For Athletes (and btw, we are all athletes)
- Consuming chia seeds increases energy and endurance (just try and you will
seefeel) - They have the ability to “hold water” which will prolong your hydration and help you retain electrolytes
- They can absorb up to twelve times their weight in water, making them great for pudding recipes.
- Due to their binding properties, they make a great egg replacer in baking.
- Recipes from some of our favorite blogs:
Gooey Banana Bread Batter Instant Steel Cut Oatmeal by Oh She Glows (Katie, I think you are going to like this one!)
Post-run Berrylicious Smoothie by Oh She Glows
Raw Cocoa Crackers by Choosing Raw
Pumpkin Chia Seed Chocolate Chip Cookies by Pure2Raw
Chunky Monkey Super Omega-3 Energy Bars by Free Coconut Recipes
So as it turns out, these little gems do more than just help your chia pet grow hair! :)
Amanda,
Let me first just say that I LOVE you and I LOVE Rewild! Thank you so much for writing this post…. I am definitely going to share this with my mom and sister who are also recent vegetarians/athletes! I will let you know how the recipes turn out =)
I am sure you will hear from me next time I am wandering around whole foods discovering all of these new magical gems and needing you to tell me “everything you know”! thanks again!
<3 Katie
I’m a huge fan of chia seeds! Especially for running. I use them to make a sort of raw vegan chocolate milk by soaking some over night and then blending them in the Vitamix with cacao powder, macca, 5 dates, ice and water. If you blend it on high then it breaks the chia seeds down and leaves a consistency similar to whole chocolate milk. Probably wouldn’t work in a normal blender but the Vitamix is a BEAST! :)
that sounds awesome and yes we LOVE LOVE LOVE our Vitamix too! I am going to try that drink tomorrow! I (Amanda) already have all the ingredients :)
Amanda! Great post! I wanted to reach out to you because I am great friends with a guy named Marc. He has been in the Organic natural foods industry for 35 years. His specialty is all things Chia. As you know I am sure, getting Chia seeds in an organic form is far superior. He has partnered with some farmers in Central America to get USDA organic chia seeds and chia oil. Would you be interested in having Marc do a guest post? I just want to get the word out about him because he’s got a ton of knowledge. Check out the products section on the site. We’re going to be adding chia recipes this month.
Let me know if you would be interested in talking. Thanks and keep up the great work on Chia!
Nate.