Chia seeds...so what's all the 'hoo-har'???!!

So if anyone has ever read 'Born to run', by Chris McDougall, read a health related magazine or even overheard people talking on the train to work, you might be familiar with the amazing nutritional super seed; Chia seed.
Despite the endless health benefits (keep reading!!), it actually seems to work!
A family friend of mine was told to get his blood pressure and cholesterol levels down or he is at great risk of a heart attack. after doing some research, he turned to Chia seeds. After a few months of eating these wonder-foods, he was able to reduce both his cholesterol and blood pressure to healthy levels.
A relative of mine took Chia seeds as a general 'health tonic' each day, and noticed that she became a lot more 'regular', she felt a sense of increased energy (which the native tribe of ultra marathon runners used as their 'Gatorade' and protein recovery, in 'Born to run') and believed that she was a lot more 'clear-headed' each day. She took a blood test to see if it

- Omega 3's (evidence that it can reduce depression, improve brain function, it contains as 8 times more than salmon!))
- Fibre (1 tablespoon has more than a packet of oats),
-Calcium (5 x more than milk),
-Iron (3 x more than Spinach)
-Antioxidants (4 x as much as blueberries)
- Reduces and balances blood sugar levels (ideal for diabetics)
- High in Protein (contains all 8 amino acids)
- Gluten free (hooray for coeliac's!!).
- Vitamin C (7 x more than oranges),
- Excellent for skin, hair and nails.



So how much do you need to eat each day to notice any benefit?
You should be having a minimum of one tablespoon. Just make sure you drink plenty of water with them as they are very high in fibre.
You can purchase Chia seeds from the health food section of your supermarket or local health food shop.

How can I eat it??
You could easily blend it into your daily smoothie, I sprinkle it on breakfast cereal and yogurt, its great soaked in water over-night (or heated in the microwave if you're in a hurry) to make it gelatinous for your breakfast or as a dessert with cinnamon and yogurt or berries, it can easily be added into soups, cake/bread mixtures, on top of salads or stir-fries....

Have a look at this web site for more ideas! http://www.chiaseedrecipes.com/

Would love to hear how you use it already, or any positive experiences you have noticed by incorporating Chia into your diet!!