You’ve probably heard about chia seeds, but have you found a way to incorporate them into your day? The main reason I would recommend them is:

“Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, grown in Mexico dating back to Mayan and Aztec cultures. “Chia” means strength, and folklore has it that these cultures used the tiny black and white seeds as an energy booster. That makes sense, as chia seeds are a concentrated food containing healthy omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and calcium.

Chia seeds are an unprocessed, whole-grain food that can be absorbed by the body as seeds (unlike flaxseeds). One ounce (about 2 tablespoons) contains 139 calories, 4 grams of protein, 9 grams fat, 12 grams carbohydrates and 11 grams of fiber, plus vitamins and minerals.

The mild, nutty flavor of chia seeds makes them easy to add to foods and beverages. They are most often sprinkled on cereal, sauces, vegetables, rice dishes, or yogurt or mixed into drinks and baked goods. They can also be mixed with water and made into a gel.”        –WebMD

I’ve heard about them for at least a year, and last week was the first time I started incorporating them into my diet.  Here’s how I’m doing it:

1 glass of water
1 packet of Emergen-C
1 tablespoon chia seeds

Let the chia seeds soak for about 5 minutes.  You’ll know they’re ready if it looks gelatinous.  Then add the Emergen-C.  Do this because it will make it taste good, okay? 

There are three videos below:  1) an interview from Good Morning America with a nutritionist speaking on chia seeds 2) my little 11 second video of my soaked seeds and 3)a Ted Talk from Chris McDougall, whose book BORN TO RUN started the chia seeds craze. In the video, he doesn’t talk about chia seeds but instead on the tribe in Mexico on which the book is based.