July 29, 2017
Why My Family Eats Chia Seeds
In our house chia seeds are eaten daily as part of breakfast.
We mix them into our yoghurt – or, if I was feeling ambitious the night before – we enjoy them as part of my Blueberry Overnight Oats.
No matter how we include them, here are just 5 of the many reasons why we include them:
Nutrient dense
One serving (approximately 2 tablespoons) of chia seeds has only 138 calories but a ton of nutrients including (but not limited to) calcium, iron, potassium, thiamin, niacin and magnesium.
Gluten-free fiber source
One tablespoon of chia seeds has 5 grams of fiber. A huge help when the main fiber bearing grains are not allowed in your diet.
Source of Omega-3 fatty acids
You know Omega-3? The rarer of the two essential fatty acids? Well it’s hiding out in chia seeds. Chia seeds are almost 18% Omega 3 fatty acids! (17.83g of Omega-3 per 100g of chia seeds).
Vegan source of protein
One tablespoon gets you 2.4grams of protein that did not come from an animal or animal by-product.
Versatility: They can be used as egg and oil substitutes
Because they are hydrophilic they can absorb up to 12 times their weight in water, creating a gel like substance that can be used in place of eggs and oil in cooking and baking. They can also be used as a thickener in smoothies, puddings and popsicles – or, as in our household – overnight oats.
