Monday 1 April 2013 - Superfood Spotlight: Chia Seeds

I only started eating chia seeds recently, after their health benefits were raved about on the documentary Hungry For Change. Since then I've been sprinkling them onto my cereal each day and it's hard to imagine how something so small and easy to include in our diet can have such a big impact on our bodies.

So what are they? The chia plant name is actually Salvia Hispanica and is a flowering plant in the mint family of Lamiaceae. The seeds produced are tiny and may come in shades of brown, gray, black and white.

Why do they deserve to wear a cape? Containing 8 times more Omega-3 than salmon the seeds are the highest known plant source of the important Essential Fatty Acid. It also contains antioxidants, Vitamins A, B12 and C, complete protein (18 Amino Acids), minerals (potassium, phosphorous, folate, zinc, iron & calcium) and finally bowel-regulating fibre. That's a lot of goodness for a seed that's no more than 1mm in diameter!

What can I do with them? Since they are so small and without a strong flavour there is not a lot that you can't do with them! I've been adding mine to cereal or oats in the morning but I've also seen great chia baking recipes, savoury recipes, salads and smoothies that make good use of the seed. There's so many recipes out there they have their own url! http://www.chiaseedrecipes.com/

Where can I get them and how much will they cost me? At Woolworths in the health food aisle you can pick them up for $10.00 for a 250gram packet. I have found cheaper sources online that offer a 500gram packet for the same cost (less shipping costs I guess). Though that may seem like a bit of a hefty price tag just 15grams daily is all it takes to reap the benefits; and when you compare that to the costs of 8 times that amount in Salmon daily to get your Omega-3 it seems like the most affordable option!