Raw Food Info: Chia Seed Recipes

If you bought yourself a nice bag of organic chia and now you want to know how to use chia seeds in the food that you make, check out the chia recipes below.

* The statements below have not been evaluated by the FDA (or your country's equivalent). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

First I'd like to talk about chia seed nutrition. When chia seeds are submerged in water the seeds open up, often absorbing nine times their weight in water, and form a tasteless gel called chia gel. The gel helps to keep your body hydrated.

Chia gel is made up of 90% soluble fiber, which benefits the digestive track. The soluble fiber forms a wall between carbohydrates and the body, allowing a slow release into the body, giving the feeling of being full which a great way to control the appetite. This has been suggested to be very helpful for people, like diabetics, who have trouble controlling their sugar levels.

The chia seed has twice the protien of any other seed or grain and five times the calcium of milk. Chia seeds also contain boron which is a trace mineral that helps with the absorption of calcium. The essential fatty acids, Omega 3 and Omega 6 are also present in the seeds.

Incorporating chia seeds into the daily diet has shown to enhance the nutrient absorption of all foods, including nutritional supplements. It can be uses as an aid for GERD, ulcers, gastritis and irritable bowel syndrome.

Other suggested chia seeds health benefits include: assisting physical activity (endurance), added nutrition, as well as controlling weight or sugar levels. Eating raw chia seeds helps retain maximum nutritional value. And of course, choosing an organic chia seed (or chemical free) will give the most benefit.

Sprouting chia seeds: Chia sprouts are easy to make. That is essentially what you are growing when using the famous chia pet. Chia seed sprouts are very nutritious and are potentially at it's peak nutrition while sprouting. The enzymes are abundant and the chlorophyll is present. Read this organic sprouting article to get a general idea how to sprout seeds and beans.

Chia seeds calories: 68 calories per tablespoon of dry seeds - Buy Some Here

The best way to consume chia seeds is to take them only after being soaked in water (or dry with some other liquid) so they do not absorb the fluid within your body possibly leading to dehydration. The seeds may be added to water, juice and other foods.

Possible directions for use:

>> Put 1/3 cup dry seeds into 2 cups of warm water then whisk
>> Wait 15 minutes then whisk again, then store chia gel in the fridge
>> Use 3 tablespoons 3x a day of the gel

You can mix them into any drink or food or just take the chia gel as is. Once a day you may take up to 1 tablespoon of the dry seeds and add them to fluid or sprinkle them on food, but be sure to drink fluid at the same time so the seeds hydrate from the fluid being consumed at the same time rather than the fluid in your body.

Chia Milk

This chia milk recipe yields 5 cups. Chia milk is rich in essential fats and protien. Because of the soaking in the water, it is also particularly rich in enzymes. Keep in the fridge and try to consume within 1 week. The antioxidants help keep it well for that length of time.

>> In a jar or glass, soak 4 tablespoons of raw chia seeds and 2 tablespoons of raw walnuts overnight in 3 cups of water.
>> Pour soaked seeds and walnuts into blender.
>> Add 1 cup of water. Turn on blender at medium speed.
>> With blender running, add 2 tablespoons of raw tahini, 2 tablespoons of raw honey, and optionally a dash of vanilla.
>> Add 1 more cup of water. Blend until smooth.
>> Enjoy!

Chia Cacao Squares

1/4 cup of chia seeds
1/2 cup of organic brown rice syrup (or alternative sweetener)
1/2 cup of raw honey
1 cup of raw organic almond butter
1 cup raw pepitas
1 cup of raw oragnic almonds
1/2 cup of organic sesame seeds
1/2 cup of organic sunflower seeds
1/2 cup of organic coconut
1/2 cup of truly raw cacao powder

Grind nuts and seeds using a hand blender like the Tribest Personal Blender. Blend ground nuts and seeds, brown rice syrup, honey, coconut, cacao powder, and almond butter together. Press into lightly greased (truly raw coconut oil) 9x13 glass cake pan. Chill for several hours, then cut into squares. Serve...enjoy :)

A lot of organic grocers are starting to carry black chia and white chia products. For online purchases of truly raw, organic, chemical free chia seeds we recommend The Raw Food World.

Click Here For All Chia Products At The Raw Food World

* The statements above have not been evaluated by the FDA (or your country's equivalent). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

To Purchase Raw Foods and Snacks, Click Here.