Chia Power

My TEDx Talk

 

How I Used to Spread the Word About Chia Seeds

Over the years, I have had some fun sharing my knowledge of chia seeds with the public. It all began with a booth at the Women's EXPO Long Island.

When I first started, in 2008, almost none of the visitors to my booth knew that chia seeds were edible. I sold a few Chia Pets that year, and enough chia seeds to cover the cost of my exhibitor fee. 

 

By 2014, virtually everyone who stopped at my table was familiar with chia seeds. Many stated that they had a pound of chia seeds in their kitchen that they didn't know what to do with. Others told me that they stir a spoonful of chia seed into their morning oatmeal. This year I had the opportunity to share literature and offer tastes of products donated by my sponsors. Health Warrior Chia Bars were especially popular, as were the ChiaBia Bars donated by Arizona Chia.

My $2 Chia Card Kits were a big seller that year,  for the first time. Maybe I'll try to put them on Etsy one of these days.

In 2014 I exhibited at Stony Brook University's Wellness Expo. Over 2,000 students and staff attended. I invited participants to sample chia products donated by our sponsors, and to complete a simple "Chia Taste Test" evaluation form in exchange for a free sample: bars, whole seeds, or Chia Pets!

I found that not many students were aware of the nutritional benefits of chia seeds, but they were very enthusiastic about the products they sampled, especially the Mamma Chia Vitality Beverage.

 

 

Vegan Chia Seed Egg Replacer

My daughter has been baking vegan cookies lately and told me that this works fine. From the website, Vegan Baking:

This recipe makes the equivalent of 1 egg.

3 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon white chia seed meal

You basically mix the two together well and let it sit until the gel forms. Go to the website for more details.

There's no reason not to use black chia seeds, and one of the commentors says you can even mix the chia meal in with your dry ingredients and add water to the whole mix. I'm not so sure about that.

 

Does Chia Grow Wild in New York?

According to the USDA PLANTS database, chia is grows wild in Florida, Texas and New York. More information is available at the link.

The New York occurrence has to be an error. More research is needed.

Weed Seeds in Your Chia

Have you found these round hard things among your chia seeds?

 

I recently received this photo from a reader who wanted to know what they were. She found them in a 6 pound bag of chia seeds that she had bought online.

I referred the question to Dr. Wayne Coates who says that they appear to be weed seeds from wild amaranth or pigweed. They are not harmful but they may have a strong taste.  He goes on to say, "That is the problem today many companies . . . are selling absolutely poor quality chia.  Either out of ignorance or they do not care."

So buyer, beware! This is animal grade chia and not the best quality.

 

 

Superfood Video Link

This is an excellent and entertaining video summarizing the superfood values of chia seeds.