Chia Power

The Best Reference on Chia Seeds

Wayne Coates and Ricardo Ayerza are research scientists who were affiliated with the Office of Arid Land Studies of the University of Arizona in Tucson. They have conducted research on chia seeds since 1990. Their book, published in 2005, is a thorough and very readable treatment of the history and uses of chia seeds.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with a serious interest.

Chia Seeds in the Saturday Evening Post

This article in the Saturday Evening Post,from February 11, 2009 is one of the first widely-read articles about the benefits of consuming chia seeds.

In a Belgian study, healthy volunteers added Salba to their diet for one month and found reductions in blood pressure and triglyceride levels, and their waistlines became smaller.

Stop Action Homer Chia Pet

This has got to be the best Chia Pet video, ever!<

Find out where you can buy one!

With hope in his heart, Matt planted the Chia Tree on November 29....

Get Your Own or Buy It As a Gift

UPDATED


AS OF DECEMBER 20 (3 Weeks)

Also, see Day 14 of Gaeasoldier's Tree. 

...try this healthy holiday gift idea:

Why not give your honey a Chia Puppy?

I'm just sayin'

 

This article in Nutrition ResearchJournal is something the chia distributors don't want you to read!!

Researchers in the Department of Health, Leisure, and Exercise Science at Appalachian State University, in Boone, North Carolina recently published their results.

It's a small study, which 76 overweight/obese adult participants completed. Half of them took 50g (1 3/4 ounces) of chia seed every day for 12 weeks, and half of them took a placebo.

At the end of the study, this is the only significant difference that could be detected between the 2 groups: the bloodstreams of those who ate chia seeds contained 24% more α-linolenic acid (ALA, a form of omega-3 fatty acid).

There was no difference in:

• levels of DHA and EPA (the bio-active forms of omega-3 fatty acids)
• body composition (weight)
• inflammation, as measured by C reactive protein and 3 other tests
• oxidative stress
• blood pressure
• lipoproteins

They concluded that chia consumption "had no influence on body mass or composition, or various disease risk factor measures."

Danielle of Something Blue Studio (2009) says, "If you happen to have a kiln, making your own chia is easy!  We used low fire white talc clay…hand-built two pinch pots and sealed them together for the body…used a wire tool to scrape away some grooves for the seeds…added a few animal parts…added underglazes and then used a clear glaze only on the parts where the seeds shouldn’t grow."

In the remote mountainous regions of Oaxaca, Mexico, you can get a kind of lemonade made with whole chia seeds. It's called "chia fresca."

The chia seeds float around in the liquid and the gelcoat becomes concentrated with lemonade flavor. The seeds slide down real easy, and the drink is delicious and refreshing. (I've made it for a few friends who have said they really enjoy it.)

In the glass, chia fresca looks something like this:

But this is a photo of an entirely different drink; a drink that's made from seeds grown in Thailand.

It's Basil Seed Drink (with Honey)!

I found this drink at my local Asian market and tried it and like Lori in Champaign, Illinois, I found the drink to be a little too sweet for my liking, with a very strong artificial banana flavor from isoamyl acetate (which, BTW, was not listed on the label!!!)

Botanical fact: Chia and basil both belong to the mint family. 

Which raises some interesting questions:

• Do all members of the mint family have these gelcoated seeds?
• Are seeds of other members of the mint family made into drinks?
• If basil seeds are used in any other food products (like ice cream), can chia seeds be used in the same way?
• Did the inventors of basil seed drink get the idea from chia fresca? (Or was it the other way around?)
• Do a taste test: Basil seed drink or chia fresca? Which tastes better? Which is most nutritious?

You can buy some basil seed here and make your own!

Now you can plant chia seeds (apparently) all over the continents of this plastic globe. The package says they are grass seeds, but it sure looks like chia seed gel to me. An it appears that the continents are made of sponges.

Grow-A-World Kit, by Planet Earth.

(Hey Santa, I hope it's not too late for me to ask for one!)

We've had lots of home-grown tomatoes which we like to eat with real mayonnaise. Unfortunately, these calories can add up: one tablespoon has about 100 calories, most of which comes from fat. (Mayonnaise, if you make it yourself, is really just a mixture of raw egg yolk, vegetable oil, vinegar, and salt.)

So today, I mixed chia gel 1:1 with mayonnaise and added a little extra salt. The texture was perfect, and the taste delicious. (Even though it looks a little like frog's eggs.)

MORE: I copied the write-up below from a now defunct blog entitled "Eat This."

Chia Gel to Extend and Replace Mayonnaise

Adding chia gel to mayonnaise in a 1:1 ratio works well to cut down on fat and calories in a recipe. 

Say your recipe calls for 1/2 cup of mayonnaise. This has 800 calories and 88 grams of fat.

It only takes about 1 tablespoon of chia to make a quarter cup of chia gel if using a 1:4 ratio for a thicker gel. (1 part chia to 4 parts water). 1 tablespoon of chia has about 50 calories and 3 grams of fat.

So cut your 1/2 cup of mayo down to 1/4 cup and mix it with 1/4 cup of chia gel.

The total calories and fat ends up being 450 calories and 47 grams of fat instead of 800 calories and 88 grams of fat. 

You just saved 350 calories and 41 grams of fat. This is great news when making anything that calls for a lot of mayo, such as egg salad, tuna salad, or pasta salad. Plus, chia seeds are good for you so you're doing something healthy for your body.

Note: using white chia seeds such as Salba instead of black chia seeds will make the mayo/chia mix more aesthetically pleasing but it doesn't affect the flavor at all if you use black seeds. It might be a good idea to have both black and white seeds on hand in the kitchen for different uses.

 

Don't miss the horseplay in the bloopers at the end. Otherwise it's pretty lame.

 

Chia seeds may be hazardous to your plumbing!!

 Blogger Kevin Gannon has been trying to grow a Chia Obama without much success.

But in the process, he's accidentally grown chia seeds in a few other places, for example, in this margarita glass, and,  UNFORTUNATELY, in the drain of his sink!!

I've done the same thing. And I almost had to call the plumber!! Draino to the rescue!!

So be sure to clean up after your chia planting experiments.

Don't pour your chia gel down the drain.

Flush it, instead!!

(reposted from 08/2009)

Dear Margaret

I have been consuming chia for the last year and have followed and enjoyed your blog for some while. I am writing to ask if you have any thoughts on the potential damaging effects of heat (baking, cooking, etc.) on chia's nutritional value. I am thinking about chia's omega-3 content, in particular. <snip> I am beginning to question whether one can safely bake or cook any chia without damaging if not completely destroying the nutritious content of this wondrous seed.

  Thanks for your time.  Regards,   Philip

On Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 9:45 AM, Margaret  wrote:

Philip,

Thanks for the question. I have also been concerned about this issue so have just spent an hour or so doing research.

I've found virtually no evidence to support the notion that short chain omega-3 fatty acids are destroyed during normal cooking.

One of my favorite nutrition bloggers, Andy Bellatti, addressed this question in a blog post (no longer available). He agreed with me that whole or ground chia seeds can sustain high temperatures without losing omega-3 value.

He says: "Don’t be scared to use hemp or chia seeds in muffin recipes. Although heating instructions may specify the oven temperature to be set at 350 or 400 degree Fahrenheit, the internal temperature of a muffin right out of the oven is usually no higher than 250 ot 275 degrees Fahrenheit."

6.11.2009  from Angie's blog: Nutritional Noshes.

So I had this question the other day about Chia seeds that I think some of you might find as interesting. A lady with a cancer asked me about the differences between flax seed and Chia seeds because she was worried about how flax can have estrogen type affects. There is some truth to flax seed having similarities to estrogen called phytoestrogens in plant products like soy and flax. Chia seeds, on the other hand, do not have these properties. So females who have a family history of female cancers (breast, cervical, ovarian) or have had/currently have female cancers should avoid phytoestrogens in flax and soy. I recommended to her to replace her flax with Chia seeds so she can still get all the health benefits without the phytoestrogens! ... Chia can be put in anything and you barely notice it!

The pottery figure is quite primitive as were the original pottery made in Oaxaca, Mexico.

And did you notice? There's no Ch-ch-ch-Chia Jingle!

Chia Pet Presidents!

Find out where you can buy one!

Matt's Chia Tree with Star Light

With hope in his heart, Matt planted the Chia Tree on November 29....

Get Your Own or Buy It As a Gift

UPDATED


AS OF DECEMBER 20 (3 Weeks)

Also, see Day 14 of Gaeasoldier's Tree. 

Avoid the mall tomorrow and....

...try this healthy holiday gift idea:

Why not give your honey a Chia Puppy?

I'm just sayin'

 

News Flash: Chia seed does not promote weight loss or alter disease risk factors in overweight adults

This article in Nutrition ResearchJournal is something the chia distributors don't want you to read!!

Researchers in the Department of Health, Leisure, and Exercise Science at Appalachian State University, in Boone, North Carolina recently published their results.

It's a small study, which 76 overweight/obese adult participants completed. Half of them took 50g (1 3/4 ounces) of chia seed every day for 12 weeks, and half of them took a placebo.

At the end of the study, this is the only significant difference that could be detected between the 2 groups: the bloodstreams of those who ate chia seeds contained 24% more α-linolenic acid (ALA, a form of omega-3 fatty acid).

There was no difference in:

• levels of DHA and EPA (the bio-active forms of omega-3 fatty acids)
• body composition (weight)
• inflammation, as measured by C reactive protein and 3 other tests
• oxidative stress
• blood pressure
• lipoproteins

They concluded that chia consumption "had no influence on body mass or composition, or various disease risk factor measures."

DIY Chia Pet

Danielle of Something Blue Studio (2009) says, "If you happen to have a kiln, making your own chia is easy!  We used low fire white talc clay…hand-built two pinch pots and sealed them together for the body…used a wire tool to scrape away some grooves for the seeds…added a few animal parts…added underglazes and then used a clear glaze only on the parts where the seeds shouldn’t grow."

Chia Seeds or Basil Seeds?

In the remote mountainous regions of Oaxaca, Mexico, you can get a kind of lemonade made with whole chia seeds. It's called "chia fresca."

The chia seeds float around in the liquid and the gelcoat becomes concentrated with lemonade flavor. The seeds slide down real easy, and the drink is delicious and refreshing. (I've made it for a few friends who have said they really enjoy it.)

In the glass, chia fresca looks something like this:

But this is a photo of an entirely different drink; a drink that's made from seeds grown in Thailand.

It's Basil Seed Drink (with Honey)!

I found this drink at my local Asian market and tried it and like Lori in Champaign, Illinois, I found the drink to be a little too sweet for my liking, with a very strong artificial banana flavor from isoamyl acetate (which, BTW, was not listed on the label!!!)

Botanical fact: Chia and basil both belong to the mint family. 

Which raises some interesting questions:

• Do all members of the mint family have these gelcoated seeds?
• Are seeds of other members of the mint family made into drinks?
• If basil seeds are used in any other food products (like ice cream), can chia seeds be used in the same way?
• Did the inventors of basil seed drink get the idea from chia fresca? (Or was it the other way around?)
• Do a taste test: Basil seed drink or chia fresca? Which tastes better? Which is most nutritious?

You can buy some basil seed here and make your own!

Grow-A-World Kit, by Planet Earth

Now you can plant chia seeds (apparently) all over the continents of this plastic globe. The package says they are grass seeds, but it sure looks like chia seed gel to me. An it appears that the continents are made of sponges.

Grow-A-World Kit, by Planet Earth.

(Hey Santa, I hope it's not too late for me to ask for one!)

Chia Mayonnaise

We've had lots of home-grown tomatoes which we like to eat with real mayonnaise. Unfortunately, these calories can add up: one tablespoon has about 100 calories, most of which comes from fat. (Mayonnaise, if you make it yourself, is really just a mixture of raw egg yolk, vegetable oil, vinegar, and salt.)

So today, I mixed chia gel 1:1 with mayonnaise and added a little extra salt. The texture was perfect, and the taste delicious. (Even though it looks a little like frog's eggs.)

MORE: I copied the write-up below from a now defunct blog entitled "Eat This."

Chia Gel to Extend and Replace Mayonnaise

Adding chia gel to mayonnaise in a 1:1 ratio works well to cut down on fat and calories in a recipe. 

Say your recipe calls for 1/2 cup of mayonnaise. This has 800 calories and 88 grams of fat.

It only takes about 1 tablespoon of chia to make a quarter cup of chia gel if using a 1:4 ratio for a thicker gel. (1 part chia to 4 parts water). 1 tablespoon of chia has about 50 calories and 3 grams of fat.

So cut your 1/2 cup of mayo down to 1/4 cup and mix it with 1/4 cup of chia gel.

The total calories and fat ends up being 450 calories and 47 grams of fat instead of 800 calories and 88 grams of fat. 

You just saved 350 calories and 41 grams of fat. This is great news when making anything that calls for a lot of mayo, such as egg salad, tuna salad, or pasta salad. Plus, chia seeds are good for you so you're doing something healthy for your body.

Note: using white chia seeds such as Salba instead of black chia seeds will make the mayo/chia mix more aesthetically pleasing but it doesn't affect the flavor at all if you use black seeds. It might be a good idea to have both black and white seeds on hand in the kitchen for different uses.

 

Chia Pets at the Hampton Classic Horse Race

Don't miss the horseplay in the bloopers at the end. Otherwise it's pretty lame.

 

WARNING!!! Be careful with your chia gel!

Chia seeds may be hazardous to your plumbing!!

 Blogger Kevin Gannon has been trying to grow a Chia Obama without much success.

But in the process, he's accidentally grown chia seeds in a few other places, for example, in this margarita glass, and,  UNFORTUNATELY, in the drain of his sink!!

I've done the same thing. And I almost had to call the plumber!! Draino to the rescue!!

So be sure to clean up after your chia planting experiments.

Don't pour your chia gel down the drain.

Flush it, instead!!

Mailbag: Chia and Heat

(reposted from 08/2009)

Dear Margaret

I have been consuming chia for the last year and have followed and enjoyed your blog for some while. I am writing to ask if you have any thoughts on the potential damaging effects of heat (baking, cooking, etc.) on chia's nutritional value. I am thinking about chia's omega-3 content, in particular. <snip> I am beginning to question whether one can safely bake or cook any chia without damaging if not completely destroying the nutritious content of this wondrous seed.

  Thanks for your time.  Regards,   Philip

On Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 9:45 AM, Margaret  wrote:

Philip,

Thanks for the question. I have also been concerned about this issue so have just spent an hour or so doing research.

I've found virtually no evidence to support the notion that short chain omega-3 fatty acids are destroyed during normal cooking.

One of my favorite nutrition bloggers, Andy Bellatti, addressed this question in a blog post (no longer available). He agreed with me that whole or ground chia seeds can sustain high temperatures without losing omega-3 value.

He says: "Don’t be scared to use hemp or chia seeds in muffin recipes. Although heating instructions may specify the oven temperature to be set at 350 or 400 degree Fahrenheit, the internal temperature of a muffin right out of the oven is usually no higher than 250 ot 275 degrees Fahrenheit."

Phytoestrogens and Chia?

6.11.2009  from Angie's blog: Nutritional Noshes.

So I had this question the other day about Chia seeds that I think some of you might find as interesting. A lady with a cancer asked me about the differences between flax seed and Chia seeds because she was worried about how flax can have estrogen type affects. There is some truth to flax seed having similarities to estrogen called phytoestrogens in plant products like soy and flax. Chia seeds, on the other hand, do not have these properties. So females who have a family history of female cancers (breast, cervical, ovarian) or have had/currently have female cancers should avoid phytoestrogens in flax and soy. I recommended to her to replace her flax with Chia seeds so she can still get all the health benefits without the phytoestrogens! ... Chia can be put in anything and you barely notice it!

Original Chia Pet Commercial

The pottery figure is quite primitive as were the original pottery made in Oaxaca, Mexico.

And did you notice? There's no Ch-ch-ch-Chia Jingle!