Chia seeds are not only famous for being on terra cotta planters as green hair but they are now famous for breakfast, or desserts, or snacks. You can make chia seeds into an incredibly nutritious and guilt-free meal. They are black little seeds that have contained in them; protein, insoluble fiber, and healthy fat. They are also considered very versatile i.e. they can be added to almost every meal.
Our bone of contention is whether or not chia seeds can be eaten dry. Chia seeds can be eaten dry, but it may lead to gastric distress. You have many alternative and several delicious ways by which you can eat chia seeds including baking and soaking them rightly.
What Are Chia Seeds
You can consider chia seeds to have relations with mint though they do not have a taste that is close to it. Chia seeds have no taste at all, they are considered to be flavorless but their texture is very distinct.
A gelatinous sphere surrounds the tiny crunch which is dependent on the amount of time you have soaked them. It has a noticeable texture in a very large serving much like bubble tea or tapioca. Chia seeds originated from Mexico and they were associated with the ancient cultures of Aztecs and Mayans. In recent times, they have become very popular.
Health Benefits of Chia Seeds
Their nutritional profile is very impressive and they are known for the high essential polyunsaturated fats, high fiber, and high protein. They also contain other nutrients like iron, calcium, and magnesium in very high constituent while niacin, manganese, copper, and zinc are contained in smaller amounts.
The seeds are quite popular in the plant-based meals like vegetarian and vegan because they usually help to replace the minerals and vitamins that can be gotten from animal products.
How to Eat Chia Seeds for Weight Loss
Chia seeds help in solving the problem of weight loss depending on what your current diet state. Chia seeds will help you to lose weight. People do not usually pay massive attention to the amount of fiber they eat and research has shown that about 90% of the US populations are short of fiber.
When you take adequate fiber, it will help to reduce the risk of getting almost any chronic disease such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes and it also aid to manage weight. The fiber usually makes one feel fuller than usual for a very long time which will help to give a balance to the level of blood glucose and this will ensure that you do not over-eat them. Chia seeds contain 34g of dietary fiber for each 100g of weight. Chia seeds also contain 31g fat.
Chia Seeds, Keto, and Paleo
Chia seeds could be generally considered as a plant-based diet, they are now creating something similar in Paleo and Keto diets. They are classified to be pseudo-grains, gluten-free naturally, usually unprocessed non-GMO and it makes them quite perfect for Paleo diets. Their high protein and fat counts make them associated as a Keto diet, however, they also have carbs and the majority of those carbs are considered to be fiber which will not count when calculating only net carbs.
Dry Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are not short of a powerhouse but you will have to consume them with care. The best manner to eat them is not by chewing them as they are dry. Chia seeds can soak up a lot of liquid 30 times as much as their weight. Whenever you take one tablespoon of your dry chia seeds, usually, they will soak up all your intestines’ liquid as well a dry up the stomach as they expand in size. This is not too healthy for you as the chia seeds may expand to the extent of blocking your esophagus which may land you in the hospital.
You are allowed to use your dry chia seeds in two ways:
- Use them inside foods that contain liquid before you proceed to eat them.
- Grind the dry chia seeds into the consistency of fine powder.
How to Eat Chia Seeds Dry
Your dry chia seeds are seeds that are yet to be soaked but you plan to eat them by adding them to liquid-prepared meals. Chia seeds are flavorless, so you can add them to anything you want to eat. Check below for some ways you can eat them:
Baking with Chia Seeds
You can add them to any baked items as an alternative for dairy and eggs and could be an additive. They work well in muffins and cakes because they are light but you might have to balance the recipe a little because they soak up the liquid. They may also be sprinkled just like poppy seeds on whatever you are baking. You can also add it to meatloaves, meatballs, and burgers.
Chia for Breakfast
You can add chia seeds to every of your breakfast and you will not feel starved until lunch. They contain healthy fats that help to boost the brain’s activities. You can sprinkle it ground or whole onto your breakfast smoothie, cereal, or oatmeal and can also be added to cottage cheese or yogurt.
Chia seeds can be grounded to your waffle or pancake batter. Just like eggs, they are considered to be binding agents so you can substitute them (three tablespoons) for butter and egg in making plant-based pancakes.
Other Ways to Use Dry Chia Seeds
You can use Chia seeds for bliss balls or protein snacks. They can also be used to process chocolates, nuts, dates, and other ingredients. You can also use them for your no-cook cookie and granola bars.
Soaking Chia Seeds
You can also enjoy your chia seeds by soaking them before you eat them. They will need to take up enough liquid that they won’t take in more.
How to Eat Soaked Chia Seeds
Chia seeds get soaked within 10 minutes and several hours. It all depends on how you have scheduled it. They can be soaked up in any liquid that you are using to prepare your meal including broths, juice, milk, or water. You will have a little more control over the result of the recipe when you soak them in advance because they will have been soaked up of liquid and will not soak your main recipe ingredients.
Drinking Chia Seeds
Chia can be added to water which you can drink. They don’t have any flavor, so you will only be left with textured water that could be more appealing or less than your plain water. The same can be done in tea or fruit juice. Because it is hard to notice them, you could add them to coffee. They can also be added to smoothies adding thickness to the smoothie when they are soaked and have become blended.
Chia Seeds in Dressings, Gravy, and Sauces
Chia seeds help to add texture and depth to soups and sauces and also to nutrition. You can use them as an alternative to flour to help thicken your sauce such as gravy. You should use ground seeds if you wouldn’t like the chia texture signature. You will enjoy the healthy fats and proteins by adding to stir-fry meals. However, you may have to add some extra liquid to it. They can also help to soak liquid whenever too much is added into your veggies.
You can also add them to chili or soup and they will become soaked while the food is getting cooked. Chia seeds can also be added to your pasta sauce and you will enjoy all the healthy fats and proteins as well as the fiber. They can also be added to store-bought salad dressings and also the homemade ones. All you need is to add one tablespoon and shake it to spread out so that they don’t get clumped together.
Other Ways to Use Soaked Chia Seeds
You may also add chia seeds to your oatmeal, quinoa, rice, and some other grains. You may wait until the grains are about 90% cooked or ready before you add the chia seeds and also some extra liquid if you will need it. Chia seeds can be used to replace all or some of the gelatin or pectin in your jam and it will make your recipe less sugary to help overpower the pectin taste.
Chia can also be used to make chia pudding which can be added for dessert and can also make a filling and energizing breakfast. If you want to make your chia pudding, add ¼ cup ratio of your chia seeds to one cup of the liquid (milk or any other alternative). Choose almond milk or coconut milk is very good for its flavor. Mix it and allow it to stay inside the fridge for up to an hour and the seeds will soak up the milk and then turn it into a very thick pudding-like tapioca. You may also add any flavoring as you want, check below for some flavorings:
- Pumpkin Spice
- Banana Orange
- Vanilla Blueberry
- Pineapple Mango
- Lemon
- Chocolate Raspberry
- Cinnamon and Apple
Related Questions
Can chia seeds reduce blood sugar?
Chia seeds contain insoluble fiber that helps you to slow down how the bloodstream absorbs glucose and this will help you to balance and regulate a balanced blood sugar level. It will help you avoid sugar lows and highs and also crashing of energy in a day. You should, however, not rely on the chia seeds if you are diabetic or glucose intolerance, follow instructions from your doctor to manage it.
Do chia seeds make you poop?
Contained high in chia seeds are fiber, insoluble fiber in particular that passes through the digestive tract without getting absorbed and then add bulk to the remainder of waste inside the gut and this makes chia seeds to help in the regularity of the bowel movements. It may, however, lead to the feeling of constipation, gassy, or bloated if you take too much that you are not used to without drinking enough water.
Can chia seeds reduce belly fat?
Chia seeds may help play an important role in helping to reduce your belly fat, though exercise plan and balanced diet help to do this. If you use chia seeds alone, you may decrease a bit in weight but it will not help you to excessively lose weight.
