Posted by Jess on Monday, August 13, 2012 · 215 Comments

1. Chia is gluten free

2. It is super high in dietary fibre, making it great for digestion and healing digestion issues.

3. It contains 20% Omega 3 ALA, making it a super food for the brain and heart. Chia has eight times more Omega 3 than salmon!

4. It boasts 20% protein

5. The protein is a complete protein with all 8 essential amino acids

6. It is high in antioxidants (It has a four times higher ORAC value than blueberries)

7. Chia contains five times more calcium than milk

8. Chia contains seven times more vitamin C than oranges

9. It contains three times more iron than spinach

10. It contains twice the potassium content of banana

11. It is food for healthy skin, hair and nails

12. It has a positive impact balancing blood glucose levels (making it awesome for diabetics)

13. Chia makes a great egg replacement. Just combine with water to form a gel, and add it to recipes that call for egg.

HOW MUCH CHIA SHOULD WE EAT?

Nutritionists recommend that 15g/0.53oz (one tablespoon) of chia is consumed each day. Be sure to drink plenty of water as chia is very high in fiber.

HOW CAN WE EAT IT?

I eat chia seeds sprinkled on my rolled oats for breakfast with blueberries and bananas.

You can also:

+ Sprinkle it raw onto almost any food
+ Add it to breakfast cereals, salads and soups
+ Add it to bread and muffin recipes