What are they?
Chia Seeds are originally grown in Mexico and are from a flowering plant in the mint family. They have supposedly been historically prized for their medical properties and were eaten by Aztec warriors to keep them going in the heat of battle. Apparently 'Chia' means 'strength' in the Mayan language (although I suspect that this could be some great BS made up by the people originally trying to sell them!) Are they any good for you? Well yes. It seems so, one thing that I have noticed in particular is that they really make your poop 'glide', so if you are struggling to 'go' then there little beauties might help. Chia seeds have been reported to promote healthy skin, support the heart, digestive system, build stronger bones and muscles. Some reports suggest that they may be linked to reversing diabetes. I might add in here I have not looked up these studies, but I couldn't find anything to say otherwise! Do you need to start eating them? Nope. They are a very nutritious food, so there is no problem with eating them. Try them, if you like them then ok, but just like everything, they contain calories. They are easy to over consume so if your goal is to reduce your body fat then just keep in mind how many calories you are consuming over all. They are not a magic food to reduce body fat... neither is any other food. What is in there? So as I mentioned, they help you 'go', which is the fibre. They are also high in Omega-3 fat, carbohydrate, protein, various other vitamins and minerals Two table spoons (28 grams) of chia seeds contain approx:
Chia seeds also contain essential fatty acids alpha-linolenic and linoleic acid; mucin; strontium’ vitamins A, B, E and D; and minerals, including sulphur, iron, iodine, magnesium, manganese, niacin and thiamine; and they’re a rich source of antioxidants. Because they contain loads of good stuff and various studies have suggested that they will benefit a whole host of bodily functions as previously mentioned. I am not going to bore you now with all the reasons why because quite frankly it would just take too long! So are they any good? So.. yes they are pretty good, I like to eat them in my 'overnight oats', I leave them in my porridge overnight and they soak up the liquid and form a bit of a jelly substance, which give a nice texture to my oats. I am pretty 'regular' with my morning routine and breakfast is mostly the same. I add in the chia seeds to spice up my life and it is good to know that they are also pumped with nutrients and antioxidants. It turns out that soaking them is also a good idea as it helps with digestion. I could not find any concrete negative side effects, apart from those people who have gone wild and eaten too many in one sitting... don't be that idiot. There are bunch of things you can do with them, like I said I mainly chuck them in porridge, but I have also put them into salads before, which is nice, but a bugger to clean up after. I have also eaten a 'healthy pudding' or two made using chia seeds. Let me know if you have any other ways of using them. If you fancy trying them out grab yours from our store. |
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