Raw, Organic Chia Seeds for Health
Author: Raw Juice Girl // Category: Eat and Lose Weight, Healthy Food Recipe, Organic FoodsMany people have never even heard of chia seeds, let alone consider eating them. If you’ve heard of them, or ever bought them, it was probably for use with a chia pet when you were a child – or for your child(ren). Correct?
Not only are chia seeds edible—and drinkable—but they’re delicious. They’re also very good for you. So good, in fact, that they’ve become known as a superfood.
Health Benefits of Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are tiny little balls of goodness, exploding with nutrition and a myriad of health benefits. Yes, that’s right! Chia seeds are made up of 30% protein and Vitamins A, B, E, and D. They also contain the essential fatty acids alpha-linolenic and linoleic acid and the following minerals: calcium, phosphorus, iodine, sulfur, potassium, zinc, magnesium, manganese, thiamin, silicon, niacin, and copper. You’ll also be thrilled to find anti-oxidants!
Ways to use Chia Seeds:
- Smoothies
- Puddings
- Baking
- On top of salad
- Soaked
- Unsoaked
- Sprouted
- Added to fresh, raw juice
How to Prepare Chia Seeds
It’s fun to use chia seeds in recipes. The limit is as small – or big! – as your imagination. A great way to try chia seeds is by using the following recipe.
Raw Chia Seed Pudding
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons raw, organic chia seeds
- ½ cup of your favorite organic milk (almond, rice, hemp, or even oat are optimum choices)
- Drizzle of raw, organic honey, agave, or other healthy sweetener
Directions:
- Put your chia seeds in a bowl.
- Pour your milk of choice (or water) over them.
- Add your favorite sweetener.
- Stir, and let sit for a few minutes.
- Come back and stir again.
- Your chia seed pudding should be ready to consume within 20-30 minutes.
Chia seed pudding tip: You could also speed up the process (or enjoy chia “ice cream”) by placing it in the freezer for a few minutes, or longer, until it reaches your desired consistency.
You can get really creative with your raw chia seed pudding by adding in extras (like chopped fruit, or even flax or sesame seeds). If you’re a chocolate lover, you could add your favorite cocoa or cocao powder. You could also use various extracts or other ingredients to achieve a chia seed pudding flavor you enjoy.
Comin soon
Why chia seeds are great for weight loss
Chia seeds for constipation
Photo Credit: Cyanocorax
Tags: amino acids, chia seeds, minerals, organic, potassium, protein, pudding, raw, recipes, superfoods, vitamins
May 3rd, 2011 at 5:50 am
Hi there,
I just wanted to share my experience with chia seeds so far.
I started using them almost a year ago because i heard they were very beneficial for digestion problems. I suffered from bloating in the abdomen area for most of my life and always felt lethargic.
I was so amazed that after one day using the seeds, the bloating feeling reduced dramatically and I felt so good, full of energy and very clear in the mind.
I soaked a table spoon of the chia in a glass of water and added a dash of fresh apple juice, it tastes so nice and I love the jelly like texture.
After about a month using the chia as a drink, i started experimenting with it in my cooking. I started adding chia sees when making bread, muffins, pancakes. I added it to salads, pasta sauce and just about everything at one time or another. You could say i got a bit obsessed, but the thing i noticed is that the more often i had the chia seeds, the better i felt.
My whole family noticed a big difference in my general mood and appearance so they all tried it out as well. Now my 3 children and hubby use them everyday, they even come up with a few ideas, my youngest son (9 y/o) suggested we add the chia jelly with some strawberry jelly, we had a go at it and the whole family loved it.
There was another unusual thing that happened over the last year, i actually gained about 3 kg in weight, but i was actually quite thin and frail in stature before, but now i am feeling much stronger and my body is also quite firmer. My hubby on the other hand, lost about 7kg over the last year, he claims it was from all the extra fibre he was getting from the chia. He looks great now
and he says I look great too 
I used to always use the Australian grown chia but have now switch over to the South American Organic Chia seeds, ive heard a few people saying that the Aussie grown isnt as good as the Sth American grown chia, so i tried it out.
I have to agree, the organic ones make me feel more alert and give me a better boost than any of the Aussie ones I have tried.
The best ones I found are the Organic Chiarrific Chia Seeds I get from an online store here in Aust, its from http://www.bettaonline.com.au and i now buy 5kg at a time.
I just bought a book called Pastrymaking and Baking with Chia, its by Vilma La Presti. So many new things to try out, I will be making a few thing over the next couple of weeks and will let you know how they go, cant wait to try them!.
bye for now,
Wen.