Day 98 - Yet Another Use For Chia Seeds

I recently made a recipe for a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie that called for chia seeds.  Since I'm new to this whole healthy nutrition thing, the only thing I knew about chia seeds was this:

Actually, I had read that they were a good source of Omega 3 and an alternative to flaxseed.  But they were also very different from flaxseed.  Flaxseed needs to be freshly ground in order to get at the valuable nutrients.  Chia seeds can be eaten as is.  Flaxseeds, once ground, need to be stored in an opaque container and refrigerated. Chia seeds can be stored in a jar at room temp.  And chia seeds have an odd way of creating a gelatinous coating (great for spreading on your chia pet) when coming in contact with moisture, which besides being weird, also makes them a good thickener.  But were there any other advantages to chosing chia seeds over flaxseeds?  Time for a little research.

This article, Flaxseed Vs. Chia Seed: Which Is Better?, explains it all.  But here are a few of the high points of eating chia seeds.

--Chia seed is higher in Omega-3s than flaxseed.
--Chia seed oil is more than 60% omega-3 making it one of the highest commercially available sources.
--Chia seed is higher in fiber than flaxseed.  Three tablespoons of chia seeds contain fifteen grams of fiber while three tablespoons of flaxseeds contain nine grams of fiber. Chia seeds are often recommended for diabetics because the balance of soluble and insoluble fiber slows the absorption of glucose.
--Chia seeds have one of the highest levels of antioxidants in a whole food.
--Chia is a wonderful source for calcium.  Three tablespoons contains 307 milligrams of calcium.
--Chia seed is easily digested and does not need to be ground.
--Chia seed will store up to two years in a dry place.

And finally, any leftover seeds can be used for your Hello, Kitty! Chia Pet!  Available here!