Sunday, November 11, 2012

Chia Seed Gel

Chia Seeds (yes, the very same Chia that you see advertised in Chia Pets) are amazing. They're tiny little round, black or white seeds (that somewhat resemble poppy seeds) that when come into contact with moisture, form a gel coating around itself. This gel coating, comprised of water and cellulose, more than double their bulk and help you to feel full with less food ('a dieter's dream' they're called) and are packed with a lot of goodness. 

Chia seeds are full of protein, fiber and have more Omega 3s per gram than salmon! They keep you feeling full longer and give you more energy than a cup of espresso. And because of their unique structure and water retention, you can turn them into a gel and use the gel to replace up to half the required fats in any recipe reducing the fat and increasing the fiber and protein. Amazing right? I'm hooked! I like to add a teaspoon of chia to my yogurt, I sprinkle it on my salads and I'm just starting to experiment with it in baking. Google Chia Seeds for yourself and read up on this amazing ancient grain. Seriously. Do it. 








4 comments:

  1. Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. 
    I think that you could do with some pics to drive the message home a bit, but instead of that, this is great blog. 
    An excellent read. I’ll certainly be back.
    Heirloom seeds

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  2. Replace 1/2 the fat in recipes with Chia gel.....could this be used in baking as well as cooking?  For example, replacing 1/2 cup butter with chia gel when a recipe calls for 1 cup butter....Also, do you replace with exact amounts....do you use 1/2 cup chia gel to replace 1/2 butter ?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, you use the gel in baking, not sure you can use it to replace fats in cooking. Yes, you replace it 1:1 so if a recipe calls for 1 cup of butter you can put 1/2 cup of butter and a 1/2 cup of gel. If you wanted to do away with the fat altogether you could do 1/2 cup of gel and a 1/2 cup of applesauce :)

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  3. This is fabulous and is exactly why I am able to leave banana out of my protein smoothies! The chia seeds act as a "thickener" and add fibre! It's a win win for fewer carbs!

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