Superfood of The Month: Chia Seeds

Don’t be mistaken!, these poppy-seed-looking mo fo’s are a nutritional powerhouse, typically containing approximately 20% protein, 35% good fats (including a 65% omega 3 fatty acid) and 25% dietary fibre.

Easily digested and packed full of nutrients including vitamins A, B, D, E, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium. They fill you up (with the addition of liquid they swell to 17 times their original size) and slow the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar.

If you are a vegetarian, feeling a bit, ahem, backed up in the bowel department or are simply wanting to start including superfoods into your diet, then BAM! Chia Seeds are where it’s at.

Chia has no flavour, so are easy to incorporate into both sweet and savoury dishes, and can even be used as an egg replacement in baking (soak 1 Tbsp chia in 3 Tbsp water for 15mins = 1 “egg”).

My Fave ways to use them?

Berry Jam – put roughly 2 cups of raspberries, strawberries or any berry mix into a blender/food processor
with 2 tsp of chia seeds. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to a week and use on anything from spelt scones, protein powder pancakes or spooned on top of your yoghurt and muesli

Cakes – get creative and bake something that’s not only yummy, but good for you too, like I Quit Sugar Goddess Sarah Wilson’s take on the orange and poppy seed cake www.iquitsugar.com/recipe/orange-chia-seed-cake/

Smoothies – I use about 2 tsp of chia seeds in my morning smoothies. They can turn a watery mess into a nice thick smoothie, and will keep you full till lunchtime.

Where the hell do it get them?

your local health food store, online, even your local Coles, Woolworths or IGA now stock chia seeds! Make sure they are organic and shop around, as prices vary.