Chia Seeds

Chia seeds take the phrase “tiny but mighty” to a whole other level. These tiny seeds are packed with key nutrients like calcium, fiber, and omega 3 fatty acids. Just 1/4 cup gives us 20% to 26% of the calcium we need in one day, and over half the amount of fiber. But when it comes to omega 3, that same 1/4 cup of chia seeds can give us about 5 times the amount we need in one day!

There are many health benefits we can get from eating chia seeds. They are fantastic for our bones, our brain, our digestion, our heart, and our immune system. Plus, Chia seeds are a good source of lignans, second only to flax seeds. Lignans are phytochemicals with very strong anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory powers.

Make sure you don’t eat your dry chia seeds whole, though, because they will pass right through you and you will get none of the benefits. It’s also not a good idea to eat your dry chia seeds (ground or whole) on their own, especially followed by water, because they could expand inside of you causing indigestion or, in the worst scenarios, even blockage. 

To get all the nutrition these seeds offer, you can do one of these things:

1. Mix 1 Tbs of chia seeds with 2-3 Tbs of water to make a gel that works really well as egg replacement.
2. Soak 1/4 c of chia seeds in 1 cup of plant-milk for 4 hours or overnight to make chia pudding. You can also add 1 tsp of vanilla and 1 Tbs of maple syrup to add flavor. Enjoy the pudding with fresh berries or other fruit.
3. Grind your seeds and sprinkle a small amount of the powder on your soup or salad.

Check out our personalized calculator below to see how much nutrition you or your loved ones can get with one portion of chia seeds.