Chia Seeds - The amazing food you NEED in your life!

Hi all,
 
You may or may not know about the latest health craze... Chia seeds!
 
Here are some of their benefits:
 

• Reduce glucose levels
• Help manage and/or stop sugar cravings
• Enhance athletic endurance
• Good source of Omega-3 fatty acids (increases brain function and decrease depression)
• Very neutral flavour
• Rich in anti-oxidants
• High in calcium, magnesium and manganese
• Excellent source of fibre
• Name comes from the Mayan word Chiabaan meaning 'strengthening'
• It contains ALL eight essential amino acids
• Almost always naturally organic as the high oil content of their leaves serves as a natural insect repellent

 
To help put you in the picture, here are some nutritional comparisons. Each 2 tbsp serving of chia offers:

• Five times the omega-3 content of a 1/4-cup serving of walnuts
• Twice the iron and magnesium of a cup of spinach
• As much calcium as a half-cup of milk
• As much potassium as a third of a banana
• More than twice the fibre of a cup of oatmeal

So... How do you make the most of this amazing new super food and incorporate it into your diet? The great thing is... It's very easy to! Obviously every one is different and it depends on your specific diet but the general consensus is that you should aim to have about 2 tablespoons a day.
 
You can just sprinkle the seeds over almost any type of food (yogurt, fruit salad, etc) or stir them into any drink (smoothie, etc).
 
Have a look at my next post (here) to see a simple recipe for a chia seed energy drink.

Rach xx