Chia seeds? Better Skin, Weight loss…! Top TEN – Check this out…

So I recently purchased Chia seeds to add to food, along with Hemp seeds, which I will post on separately.  The MAIN reason I got them was because I knew they were super high in antioxidants and super high in Omega 3s – which are SO important when you are pregnant and nursing (or postpartum and not nursing).  Omega 3s are SO great for kids, whose brains are still forming, along with the older generation brains to help prevent Alzheimers (google studies, alzheimers and omega 3s to check that one out!)

Anyway – I did not realize some of the OTHER cool things about them – I think they might surprise you.  First may I suggest a really yummy way to eat them – I will make an AWESOME smoothie with my Vita Mix (the most awesome blender ever) with pomegranites, pears, and raspberries or bluberries – sometimes I also add kiwi.  This is GREAT for the winter because those things are all in season – except you may have to buy frozen berries.  We pick 50 lbs every summer at a U pick place and are always stalked for smoothies and sorbets.  Then we just sprinkle the seeds on the top.  Thats it -the kids know its the “crunchy bits” as I call them.  And HERE are some of the other benefits!  I will also post them below:)

1) Chia seeds HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT, because they form a gel when wet that expands in your stomach and helps you to feel full!  The gel is formed when Chia seeds are wet with water – they expand in size and weight, but the size and weight are made up of water, which has no calories, yet your stomach registers as full.  Not a bad combo…and as you will see – its full of some good stuff, not a synthetic foam or synthetic fiber or weird things weight loss companies come up with to help you feel full.

2)Help you have BALANCED BLOOD SUGAR because of its unique combo of soluable and insoluable fiber which slows down the conversion of sugars into starches.

3) HELPS PREVENT DIVERTICULITIS/DIVERTICULOSIS!  With the overabundance of  highoy processed foods and white processed flour on the market, rich sources of fiber are hard to come by.  The gel that forms and contains soluable and insoluable fiber is a great asset to promoting steady digestive flow and decreasing irrability.

4) ABUNDANT OMEGA 3s – as I mentioned – these are a GREAT reason to try these.  One thing that the article adds is that Omega 3s promotes WEIGHT LOSS because they decrease the inflammation in the fat cells.  Its not all about calories – ya all.  The newest evidence from TONS of studies point to the inflammation of the fat cells being a big deterrant in weight loss.  They article sights a newsweek article pointing to a control group that lost 2 lbs more on average with Omega 3s than the group without in a weight loss study.

5)Chia seeds are one of the few plant sources that are a COMPLETE SOURCE OF PROTEIN.  So unlike other protein sources – like legumes which have to be eating with another half source of protein – these are complete.  This help you have more energy all day long, as its also coupled with antioxidants and vitamins and minerals – and fiber!

6)BAKE WITH LESS FAT!  All you do if HALF the butter that is in your recipes and exchange it for the gel the chia seeds form.  You can google how to do that.  And its perfect for baking – and makes it taste very fresh.  PERFECT FOR CHRISTMASTIME!!  Make it for your friends who are trying to be healthy – and let them know you are taking their healthy into consideration.  I always appreciate that kind of thoughtfulness 🙂

7) AS mentioned – TONS of antioxidants!!  They can stay fresh for 2 years at room temperature, in part because of their antioxidant levels.  They are higher than blueberries, pomegranites and acai berry – and easy to add to anything.  They combat EARLY AGING of the skin and INFLAMMATION of various tissues.  I always get lots of questions about sagging skin.  This will help the elasticity and integrity of your skin.

8)Cut CRAVINGS for food.  If you are deficient in calcium you will have cravings for cheese and ice cream.  Well – Chia seeds are HIGH in Calcium!!  Great for my pregnant and nursing moms – withOUT all the dairy all the time, which can be hard on the digestive system.  It has more calcium than whole milke, WITH magnesium and boron, which are essential to help you actually ABSORB the calcium.  I personally do not like milk – so for me, this is another calcium rich food besides spinach to add to my arsenal.

9) Pack a flavorful punch!  Chia seeds never take on or add to the flavor of anything -so you can add them to anything – chocolate smoothie, fruit smoothie, cereal, yogurt, (my newest fav) – steel cut oatmeal with chia seeds, a bit of butter, bit of honey, and a bit of cinnamon.  YUM!  Add them to ANYTHING!

10)SAVE MONEY  – chia seeds are VERY easy to get organically because they are a naturally pest repellent .  And its got so many weight loss and vitamin and mineral benefits, you can cut down on your vitamins you are taking, that are possibly not a very high grade (can we say Sams club, and GNC vitamins that are only required to be FOOD GRADE not pharmeceutical grade!!  Big diff!)  So this can save you money and make you look and feel great 🙂

Anyone have any great ways to use Chia?  Have you tried them before?  I got mine at a health food store in Ohio – Jungle Jims- or something like that.  For a big bag I paid $16 or so – but I bet you could look online and get them cheaper