A hundred grams of uncooked dry chia contains a whopping 38 grams of fiber! Well, not that you are advised to eat it all in one meal, but, that amount of fiber fills in more than your daily dietary requirements. That is just amazing.
Aside from that, chia seeds are also low in carbohydrates and most of the calories you get come from omega 3 and omega 6. It contains a good amount of B-vitamins and a lot of minerals! No wonder chia has been branded a superfood.
Benefits of Eating Chia
The nutrients packed in chia seeds can have a great impact not just on your weight management. Also, while having an awesome time losing or maintaining your weight, you also get to improve your immunity and avoid sickness. But it doesn’t end there. Some of your bodily functions improve too!
Digestive Health
One of the most obvious benefits of adding chia to your diet is having a good regular bowel movement. The fiber you get from an ounce gives you more than a third of your daily need.
Omega 3 For Healthy Heart and Low Blood Pressure
Omega 3 is known and proven to lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of acquiring heart-related illnesses. Chia is one plant source known to have a high amount of omega 3. Pregnant women would also benefit from eating chia.
DHA, a type of omega three, promotes the development of fetus inside the mother’s womb.
Lower Blood Sugar
Incorporating large amounts of fiber in your diet can help balance your blood sugar too. This means that regular consumption of chia can help you reduce the risk of having diabetes or manage sugar levels.
Weight Loss and Weight Management
It’s not just a superfood that can help you improve your bodily functions, but can also help you reduce and manage your weight effectively (assuming you exercise too!). The high content of fiber can help you feel fuller, longer.
Chia can absorb water up to 11 times its original weight! As the pass through your digestive tract, it flushes away toxins and keeps your hunger in check. Bottom line is, you won’t get hungry that much!
Chia for Weight Loss
As mentioned above, chia can help you lose weight. But how can it do that? There are actually two ways on how chia assist in weight loss.
First, this type of seed contains all the nutrients needed to help boost your energy levels. The more energy you have, the more inclined you will be to perform workouts and other physical activities on a regular basis. The more you exercise, the faster your metabolism will be. With faster metabolism, you can be able to burn more calories, even if you are at rest.
Second, chia seed can help ward off unwanted and unhealthy cravings. Aside from its high fiber content, chia (when mixed with any type of liquid) will produce a gel that can prolong the absorption of carbs in our digestive tract. As a result, you will feel fuller for longer and it will decrease your chances of craving for unhealthy snacks and sugary food items.
How to Incorporate Chia Seeds in Your Diet
Now that you know how beneficial chia seeds can be and how it can help you lose weight, the next thing that you should try to understand is how to find a way on how to incorporate chia seeds into your daily meals. Well, there are lots of ways on how you can do that. Here are some amazing ways how to eat chia seeds:
- Top them up!
If you are not a whiz in the kitchen, this is the easiest way to include chia seeds in your daily meals—use it as topping. You can use it to add a crunchy texture to your oatmeal, yogurt, fruit mix, trail mix and even in your popcorn.
Just a warning, though, when mixed with any dish that contains liquid, the seeds tend to become gelatinous and it may not be as palatable as you want them to be. If you want to maintain their crunch, it is recommended that you sprinkle them on top of your meals right before you eat them.
- Mix them with your baked goods.
Love baking? Well, chia seeds give you an opportunity to make your baked items a lot healthier. You can do this simply by tossing the seeds into your pancake mix, waffle and muffin batter or your homemade granola mix. Don’t worry: these seeds have a neutral flavor so they won’t affect the taste of your delicious goodies.
- Add them to your breading.
If you don’t like the idea of biting on full sized chia seeds, you can simply crush them or use a grinder before mixing it in your recipe.
If you love all things breaded—may it be fish, chicken, seafood or vegetables, you can use chia seeds to being the crunch factor (and at the same time, level up the health factor) of these dishes into a whole new level.
- Sneak them into your smoothies.
Do you get your morning boost of energy from smoothies? Add chia seeds to your smoothies and you can get your daily fill of fiber in the morning too!
- Superfoodify your popsicles.
Popsicles are a great treat, especially during the summer season. However, consuming a piece or two can double up your calorie intake as these are filled with unwanted fats and sugars. One good way to make your popsicles healthier is to blend fresh fruits of your choice, coconut water and chia seeds in a blender and freeze it up. Now, you have the yummiest and healthiest popsicle you can ever taste!
A Few Things To Keep in Mind
Yes, chia seeds are called superfood for many good reasons. For one, they can help boost your health. Second, it can be used to facilitate a faster and more efficient weight loss process.
But if there is one thing that I want you to understand, it is this: chia seeds are no magic pills. Incorporating them in your diet is just a part of the equation of staying healthy and losing weight. If you wish to live a healthier lifestyle, don’t forget the basics—regular workout and proper diet.
Author Bio:
My name is Kristin, and I’m a housewife with big love for cooking. When I’m not bringing on the Food Network and attempting to become America’s Next Top Chef, I’m browsing online for unique recipes to awe my friends with. Now I ‘m a founder and main editor for Taste Insight, my blog about nutrition and vegetarian food!