- Hide menu

Chia Seeds

LoadingFavoriteAdd to favorites
Chia Seeds

Below I am listing just few health benefits, how chia seeds works and how to use them.  This is just to give you an idea what they are all about… but trust me, there is a lot more information on the net to help you with further research.

Using Chia Seeds in Raw recipes

Health Benefits

  • 1 ounce of chia seeds contains; Calories 138 / Fat 9 g / Carb 12 g / Fiber 10 g / Protein 4.7 g
  • High in antioxidants.
  • Due to their high level of fiber, it doesn’t raise blood sugar. This makes chia a low-carb friendly food.
  • Chia seeds contain more Omega-3s than salmon, gram for gram.
  • They are a complete source of protein, providing all the essential amino acids in an easily digestible form. They are also a fabulous source of soluble fiber.
  • Helps control acid reflux.
  • High in protein, lipids, & antioxidants.
  • Slows glucose absorption.

How it works

  • Like flax, chia is highly ‘hydrophilic’ – the seeds absorb water and create a mucilaginous gel. They can hold 9-12 times their weight in water and they absorb it very rapidly – in under 10 minutes. Soaked chia seeds will appear to contain not seeds or water, but an almost solid gelatin.
  • Can cause raw breads/crackers to be more of a gray color if you use a higher percentage of chai compared to other flours/ binders.
  • If you are not able to use flax seeds, you can usually use chia seeds in place of the flax.  Do know that it can affect the end color of your recipe if you use a large amount.
  • They are neutral in flavor.

How to use

  • Grind chia seeds, as needed,  to a fine powder to use as a flour.
  • They can be eaten raw, soaked in any liquid, added to porridges and puddings, or added to baked goods.
  • Sprinkle or stir them into yogurt.
  • Due to their ability to absorb both water and fat, they can be used to thicken sauces, soups, porridges, crackers and raw breads.
  • They can also be mixed with water and turned into a gel.
  • Chia can be used in many types of recipes – savory and sweet ones. In salad dressings, cookie mixtures, smoothies, crackers, ice creams, juices and many others.
  • Chia seed protein contains no gluten. This makes it ideal for anyone with a gluten sensitivity or simply wanting to find a replacement for gluten-containing grains like wheat, barley, rye, and oats.

chia seeds close up in wooden bowlChia Gel Basic Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup chia seeds
  • 2 cups water

Preparation:

  1. In a mason jar add the seeds and water together. (slightly warm water will form gel faster)
  2. Shake container for 15 seconds, with the lid on.
  3. Let stand for 1 minute and shake again. This mixture (i.e., basic chia gel) will store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
  4. You can modify this recipe to suit your needs. For example, you may prefer to grind the seeds (and thereby release the essential fats for better assimilation). Or you may prefer to use more water in order to achieve a less thick gel. Play with the process until you discover what works best for you. In fact, get creative with it!

Notes:

  • This makes a 6:1 ratio (water to seed), which is an ideal ratio for a basic chia gel.
  • Experiment with using more or less water, depending on your preference, or the consistency of the food item to which you’re adding it.
  • It is often recommended a 9:1 ratio (3 cups water for every 1/3 cup chia seeds) to individuals who desire a thinner gel.

How to Use Chia Gel:

Add this mixture up to equal parts by weight to sauces, drinks, yogurt, salad dressings, jams, jellies, salsa, cereals, yogurt, dips, puddings, soups, or other liquid or creamy foods. The gel won’t affect flavor but definitely increases nutritional value.

27 thoughts on “Chia Seeds

  1. Patricia says:

    Can I use dry chia seed directly into my smoothies?
    what are the benefits of preparing chia gel?

    • amie-sue says:

      Hi Patricia, yes you can add them to your smoothie dry. They don’t have any enzyme inhibitors so they technically don’t need to be soaked before consuming. Having a chia gel on hand is nice if you want something to be instantly thickened. Though adding dry to liquid will thicken too, it just needs a little time to sit and do its magic. I go through phases where I make up large jars of the chia gel. In the morning I would pour some into a bowl add some fruit juice, stir and eat. So good for you!

  2. David says:

    Hey There…. Okay BLECH. Just BLECH. :) Okay for the past couple days I have been adding 4 tablespoons of Nutiva Milled Chia seeds into my protein smoothie. The taste was a bit off, but because I sweeten in with stevia, plus so many other super foods it wasn’t that strong. Just off a bit. But last night I made some salad dressing where I added about 8 tablespoons to about 1 cup or more of water, with 4 garlic cloves, Sea Salt, Cumin. I tasted a tiny bit with my finger tip and it tasted great. After 10 minutes I poured it over my quinoa, it was SOOO bitter, I couldn’t taste anything, but the bitterness. At first I thought hmm maybe it was from not washing my quinoa well enough. But I taste the remaining left, and it was fine.

    So I grabbed the bag of chia and downed a large teaspoon of it, and it was BIITTTTEERRR. Also the chia was also making my shakes taste a bit off. So this has been my first time after 9 years of raw eating, trying anything chia seed related- Is this how they taste? I hope not. I want to eat it for its omega 3’s, but man it’s intense. So I’m asking a pro, since everywhere I have read says it virtually has zero taste, Did I get a bad batch? I hope so. I wanted to make crackers, etc with it as well, since ground flax is very time limited in terms of its omegas.

    What say you? smile.

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning David…

      Well, in my experience… you either got a bad batch of chia seeds or it was the quinoa. If you don’t soak and rinse the qunioa, it will have a bitter taste for sure. I spent several months eating plain chia get for my breakfasts and it never had a bitter taste, so make sure you are rinsing your quinoa and try a different batch/brand of chia seeds and see if that makes a difference for you. Good luck! amie sue

  3. David says:

    Thanks Aime. Yeah it was the Chia Seeds. As I had the same bag of quinoa earlier today and it was fine. I contacted the company, just to ask, and they were so cool about it and said it shouldn’t have tasted that way, and they for no cost are sending me a replacement, even though I didn’t order it from them, but through a diff website. So all they asked was the batch date on the bag, etc. They said it was probably just that specific batch. So we shall see. But if it happens again, which I doubt, I will try a diff brand.

    I was thinking, I know people don’t eat these seeds if they taste that way, hehe.

    • amie-sue says:

      Ah, good, that makes sense. Believe it or not but last night as I was tossing and turning in bed, this conversation came to mind. I was thinking how every once in a while I buy a Kombutcha tea that has chia seeds in it. LOVE those… but anyway, sometimes I notice a few black chia seeds floating around. I never gave them much thought but I have noticed that the few times I have bitten down in direct contact with the seeds in it, they taste bitter. So, I think a few bad seeds squeak their way in. I am happy to hear that the manufacture is making it right and sending a free exchange. Keep me posted if you would. Have a blessed day David. amie sue

  4. Lay Koon says:

    Hi Amie-Sue,

    Good day! Any difference between black and white chia seeds other than the colour?
    Have you come across salba seeds? Are they really better than chia seeds? Cheers, Lay Koon

    • amie-sue says:

      Lay Koon…

      As you know, chia seeds come in two colors: black and white. While white seeds are rarer than black seeds, there is no significant nutritional difference between the two. White seeds are often more expensive because of their rarity, but some people prefer them because of aesthetic reasons. The seeds come from the salvia hispanica plant, originally grown and harvested in Central and South America thousands of years ago by the Mayans. Here is an interesting article if you are interested… http://www.dancingalgae.com/chiaseedsblackorwhitepagetwo.html

      Salba is a type of chia different than the–mostly Mexican or Southern U.S.–chia purchased in the U.S. Salba for the U.S. is mostly grown in Peru. Salba seeds are white chia seeds. The scientific name of salba and chia seed is Salvia hispanica or Salvia columbariae. I have seen Salba seeds in the store but I don’t really see a difference. I think the main thing to keep in mind when buying chia seeds is to put aside the color, and aim for freshness and organic. Those are my two criteria. I find when I often purchase them from bulk containers that there bits of other fragments mixed in and you run the risk of them being old.

      I hope that helped some Lay… Happy New Year! amie sue

    • chia lover says:

      there is no difference between black and white chia seeds other then the color. When produced, seeds are mixed coloured so when you want with seeds only then these are separated from the others.

  5. Michelle says:

    I soak a batch of chia seed (ratio of water was much less than chia) with goji berry in a container in my fridge and use them every day in my smoothies. But after a while of not being used, Some thick, white stuff is formed mostly on top. I was wondering this is because of the thick gel, or it’s mold?! I doubt if it’s mold cause it in the fridge, and it’s nothing but water, chia, & dried goji berry. But was wondering, what if it is? Is there any possibility?

    • amie-sue says:

      Hi Michelle, I guess the possibility is always there. Do you make this chia gel often this way? Has it happened before? It might be sediments off of the chia seeds or the dried berries that is being captured in the thick chia gel. I really don’t know. Try making the chia gel without the goji berries and see if it does it again. Could be something on the berries. Sorry… Have a great evening. amie sue

    • Eileen says:

      Dried fruits have high levels of yeast on their skins. Grapes come to mind – not a good idea to soak fruit and seeds together for more than a short while.

      • amie-sue says:

        Hello Eileen,

        Interesting.. Never heard this. Can you please provide me with some links as to where you read this? I would love to read up on it. Thanks, amie sue

  6. Michelle says:

    Thanks Amie-Sue. I hesitantly tasted it, and wasn’t taste any different than before. The texture of the white stuff mostly was similar to a foam, but in a way looks like mold. I put dried goji berry and chia seed together in one container only to save room in fridge, and so they’ll be ready as one ingredient in my smoothies. But I as you said, I’ll try separating them to see what happens. Thank you:)

    • amie-sue says:

      Always better to air on the side of caution. I will be interested in hearing if it happens again with the ingredients separated. Have a great weekend Michelle. amie sue :)

  7. Love chia seeds! Best discovery when making the transition to a clean and healthy Raw Vegan Lifestyle. Actully just had some in my raw buckwheat porridge. Soaked overnight in homemade almond milk! :D

  8. Carolina says:

    I love also chia seed, since they are a perfect complement for your dishes and your mood. They are very very rich in omega-3 fats.
    Please, see this link for more nutrional informtion:
    http://www.nutrition.org/asn-blog/2012/03/the-real-scoop-on-chia-seeds/

    This one is a the most complete web page about chia seeds, but it is in Spanish:
    http://chia-chiaalimentomilenario.blogspot.com.es/2009/11/informacion-cientifica-n-1.html

    Love and peace

  9. arwa says:

    what is the quantity that we should take in a day.

    • amie-sue says:

      Arwa,

      I don’t think there is a set quantity, but I would start out with 1 tsp a day and work up to maybe 2-4 Tbsp. Chia is full of fiber and may take your body time to adjust. This is just a recommendation, listen to your own body as to how it responds and adjust from there. Have a happy day, amie sue

  10. JILL GASKILL says:

    When I eat soaked chia seeds. they make my bones hurt as do other seeds and nuts, I know most seeds and nuts have anti nutrients like phytic acid and I wonder if this is why chia makes me hurt. I do soak them overnite in water, but that does not prevent it. How did ancient cultures prepare their chia seeds before eating?

    • amie-sue says:

      Hello Jill,

      It looks like you have some allergic reaction going on. Have you talked to your healthcare provider? There might be other underlying issues going on. Sorry to hear this. amie sue

  11. Amica says:

    Thank you for much inspiration that come my way from you. Here’s a little information for those that may need to know. I have been using chia seeds for a while now and not until I listened to a lecture recently by Dr. Fuhrman…or was it Greger 🤨 did I learn that to access the omega 3 the chia seeds must be ground. Like flax. The research showed that eating whole seeds did not increase blood levels of Omega 3 but the ground seeds gave a nice rise of 3’s in the body. Of course how you eat the seeds is your choice but personally I do not eat them for their flavour. 😊 Ciao!

    • amie-sue says:

      Good evening Amica,

      Thank you for taking the time to share this. Would you happen to have a link to his lecture regarding this? I don’t think anyone uses chia seeds for their flavor since they are flavorless… but just like anything else we put in our bodies… we want to know the best way to use them so we can glean from their nutrients. I look forward to hearing back from you. Blessings, amie sue

  12. MC says:

    Hi Amie-Sue,

    Is there no anti-nutrient at all in chia seeds? I am thinking of phytic acid particularly. I do put a spoonful of apple cider vinegar when I soak mine in almond milk but is this necessary?
    Thank you for being such a reliable source of info when it comes to raw food and how to make the most of the good stuff it has to offer!

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning MC,

      They do have some and what you are doing sounds fine. I usually don’t put apple cider vinegar in mine, just soak in liquid and use it however I have planned for them but the vinegar would add some benefits too. blessings and have a wonderful day, amie sue

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *