Are you looking for a healthy seed for cooking/baking? If so then one of the best options is the superfood included in chia seed recipes that include the well-known chia pudding. One serving of chia seeds has just 2g of net carbs, which makes them Keto-friendly. In recent years people have been looking for foods that are low-carb and high-nutrient. Chia and flax seeds have been trending since they meet both requirements. You can use the seeds in several ways including grinding them up for a good source of fiber. It’s the high-fiber content that makes the super seeds low in carbohydrates. Chia seeds are also high in several vitamins and minerals.
Chia seeds can be used in a wide range of recipes that range from pizza to pudding, and from butter to BLTs. One of the most popular uses of chia seeds is for low-carb baking. These ditch high-carb ingredients like refined flour and white sugar, and swap in low-carb options like almond flour and chia seeds. There are so many recipes available, it’s just a matter of doing your homework to find options that suit you in terms of taste and texture. This will help you to choose wisely.
What Exactly Are Chia Seeds?
Chia Pets were popular figurines that were launched in 1977. They featured sprouted chia seeds and introduced many people to the superfood. However, the history of chia seeds dates back to ancient history. It’s believed the Aztecs first ate chia seeds around 3500 BC in Central America.
Chia seeds are produced by the Salvia hispanica plant, which is part of the mint family. The small black seeds are sold under different names including “chia.” It’s been consumed in other regions including the South-West USA.
The seeds are loaded with nutrients, which makes them a superfood. They’re high in protein, vitamins/minerals, and fiber. Another key feature is chia seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These are healthy fats that provide benefits for the heart, brain, hair, skin, etc.
The tiny seeds are also high in other nutrients. They include magnesium, iron, zinc, and calcium. These are all important for the body to function properly. They’re also sky-high in fiber. For example, one serving of chia seeds is mostly fiber so there’s just 2g of net carbs, which gives it a thumbs-up for low-carb diets.
There are other key benefits of the seeds in terms of nutritional value. For example, they’re whole foods, which makes them a better option versus refined flour, white rice, and white bread. They’re also gluten-free since they don’t contain the substance in wheat, barley, rye, etc.
Chia seeds are also non-GMO. This is critical if you’re looking for natural foods without genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Chia seeds can be eaten in different ways. For example, you can eat raw seeds. You can also add them to different foods like:
- Yogurt
- Salads
- Oatmeal
- Soups/Stews
- Shakes/Smoothies
These are some of the many dishes you can add chia seeds to. Besides the nutrients, you get from the seeds you also get a crunchy texture.
Top Chia Seed Recipes
- Limeade: Here’s what you get when you combine two citrus fruits and a super seed.
- Raspberry jam: This one gets the sweet berries and crunchy seed in one spread for toast, muffins, and bagels.
- Apple oatmeal: Try this recipe with three superfoods including grain, seed, and fruit.
- Yogurt cups: This one gets fresh fruit and tiny black seeds for lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
- Pudding: This is probably the most famous out of the top chia seed recipes with tiny seeds. There are many variants including orange juice.
- Super-seedy bread: Oatmeal and chia seeds team up in this new twist on an old-school recipe.
- Gluten-free tortillas: This recipe includes the classic flatbread used for burritos and tacos—with a twist.
- Muffins: You can add lots of healthy ingredients for more nutrients like peanut butter and banana.
- Raspberry lemonade: Add fresh fruit and crunchy seeds to the classic drink.
- Mixed-bean salad: Three bean salad gets a twist with a chia/vinaigrette dressing.
- Turmeric: A healthy beverage including healthy herbs for a nutritious and delicious drink.
- BLT: This one gets a tomato/chia jam, which tastes better than it might sound at first.
- Breaded fish: The breading includes cornmeal and seeds for some munchy-crunchy goodness.
- Oat crackers: These include a wide range of grains/seeds including oatmeal and chia seeds. You get lots of colors/textures.
- Kale salad: The chia seeds are in the dressing, which also includes lemon juice for some zing.
- Ice pops A refreshing treat on a super-hot day. You get blueberries and black seeds.
- Blueberry smoothie: Blueberries are one of the highest antioxidant foods. They’re paired here with the tiny seeds.
- Pizza: This one is topped with lots of healthy ingredients including the super seeds. You can go with low-carb crusts.
- Energy bars: You can add any dried fruit like pineapple for a pick-me-up anytime during the day.
- Pancakes: You can add flax seed for more nutrients/texture, and bacon for healthy fat and healthy fat.
Top Health Benefits of Chia Seeds
Healthy fat
In recent years health experts have been stressing the importance of healthy fat. That includes omega-3 fatty acids from foods like fatty fish, nuts/seeds, and olive oil. These fats are a better option versus trans/saturated fat.
It turns out a high good/bad fat ratio is more important than just lowering total fat. So it’s critical to consume enough healthy fats like omega-3s. That’s why chia seeds are a good option since they’re quite high in healthy fat.
Fiber
The seeds are high in fiber. The vast majority of the carbohydrates are from fiber. While the body doesn’t digest it the nutrients can improve digestion. So if you’re having digestion problems like constipation you should consider these seeds for your cooking/diet to add nutritional value.
Weight loss
There are a few ways you could lose weight by consuming the seeds. One is the high fiber content. This can help to improve digestion and rid the body of unwanted fat, toxins, etc. Another way you might lose weight is through the high-protein content. This can help you feel fuller so you’ll eat less.
Blood sugar
The 1-2 punch of protein and healthy fat help to control blood sugar levels. This is a major problem today due to foods high in refined carbs and white sugar. These ingredients can cause various health issues like blood sugar spikes. Over time that can cause inflammation and weight gain.
Low-carb
This is one of the key benefits of the tiny black seeds. The seeds’ total carbs don’t make them Keto-friendly. However, since most of the carbs are from fiber you get 2g of net carbs. That’s because the fiber isn’t digested. The result is the seeds are a low-carb food so low-carb dieters should consider chia seed recipes.