That's right, it's Chia time! And yes, I am talking about the same seed that was made popular by the Chia-Pet. I first learned of this magic seed as a dietary supplement when I read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, and the more I learned, the more I wanted to try it. So I did... what surprised me most, was how easy it was to add Chia seed to my regular diet as well as the creative uses it lends itself to.
In Born to Run, Christopher McDougall describes a tribe of super athletes called the Tarahumara who live in the Copper Canyons in Mexico. This tribe produces athletes that most have never heard of who have gone against our top ultra-marathoners (50, 100 mile races) and beaten them hands-down. In the book, McDougall describes the Chia-seed as a part of their regular diet.
He describes a drink, called Chia Fresca, which combines chia seed, water, sugar, and the juice of a lime. He introduces the Chia Fresca by telling the story of an explorer of the Copper Canyons who was on the verge of death when he encountered someone who gave him a drink that revived him... behold the Chia Fresca! Which turns out to be a common drink in Mexico.
What's surprising about the chia seed is how easy and inexpensive it is to obtain, and how easy it is to use in a regular diet. I also learned a lot about why the American diet is so messed up and that adding some chia to my regular diet helps balance the diet and can be useful in preventing common diseases.
It's also pretty cool what chia does in liquid. After a few minutes in water, chia binds with the water molecules creating this gel-like exterior. It feels really neat on the tongue and really doesn't have much taste. I've actually used it to thicken liquids, instead of using corn starch or flour.
I had never heard of Omega 6 fatty acids, as Omega 3s have become all the rage. Apparently Chia seed, has a perfect ratio of Omega 3s and Omega 6s, both considered essential acids. Basically, our diet is teeming with Omega 6 fatty acids which are apparently pro-inflammatory, but we are lacking in Omega 3s which are anti-inflammatory. In a well balanced diet, there would be a balance between the Omega 6s and Omega 3s, but we process out some of the Omega 3s that naturally occur and boost up the Omega 6s with vegetable oils. Chia is a natural way to help balance the 3s and 6s, and a good balance of these has been linked to lowering the risks of heart disease, diabetes, inflammatory diseases, arthritis, and many more. It has also been linked to better memory and focus and more energy.
Now, chia isn't the only way to balance these things, but it's an easy way. You can simply put a tablespoon of chia in a glass of water; you could add it to cereal, yogurt, or rice; you can put it on top of pancakes, mix it with peanut butter and put it on your sandwich, etc. The possibilities are limitless. I've actually used it in what I call "Ch-Ch-Ch Chili" where, in place of meat, I put chia seeds in the bean mixture. You can use a 6:1 ration of liquid to chia- place it in the refrigerator giving it a couple of stirs. After a little while it forms a gel (almost like jello, but a little soupier). You can use that gel in place of fats (oils) in baking breads, pancakes, cakes, etc. You can make Chia-Fresca, I just put a tablespoon of chia and a tablespoon of sugar in 16 oz of water and squeeze the juice of a lime into the drink. Give it a stir and wait about 5-10 minutes.
I even use it in my marathon training by adding a tablespoon of chia and a tablespoon of sugar to 10oz bottle of water. I stuff the bottle in my CamelBak and when I need a boost, I down the elixir.
Seriously, though, just Google chia seeds... if you order from http://www.getchia.com/default.aspx they will actually send you a list of recipes with your seeds.
Just a suggestion! Be adventurous and take a chance... it certainly doesn't hurt, and it's incredibly healthy.
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