Chia Chat
 

I'd love to know more about chia. How do you use it? Where do you get it? Nutritional info? Anything you can think to share, I am sure others would love to learn more too. Thanks.

When I was researching chia it took awhile to find sources that weren't selling something. Here are a few:

Andrew Weil

Living and Raw Foods

Chia and diabetes

Nutrition Data

one more with some recipes

I've been using them every day for the last week and a half. It's too early to know about other health benefits but they definitely help me stay full longer. I have 1 ounce with breakfast, either chia pudding or in my smoothie, and I stay full until lunch time. This is a near miracle for me because I am a serious morning eater (10 am snack and usually starving by 11:30). I've been sipping chia fresca all afternoon with equally good results. My energy level has seemed to stay higher longer but I want more time before I call that a chia benefit. Also , umm , my system seems to be working optimally if ya know what I mean.

I'm most interested in the long term benefits of the omega 3s and ALAs but so far am impressed enough with the short term benefits to stick with it. In fact I just received an order for 3 lbs :)

Karen, check your larger grocery stores or health food stores. Several grocery chains in my area carry them, and the prices vary. I like the Spectrum brand. :)

I've been adding a heaping TBSP to a 32oz. bottle of SF pink lemonade that I sip from all day, and it really does keep me feeling full. I've been stirring some into my yogurt, too.

I agree that it helps me feel full longer. I drink it in the afternoon in a large glass of iced, herbal tea and it helps keep the "noshies" at bay. I also drink it in a large glass of crystal light directly after dinner and it hits that sweet tooth and keeps the snacking monster away.

I am a little confused, is this considered SB friendly? Is a fiber supplement also?

I just ordered three lbs from Amazon. Our Co-op sells it in bulk but this was easier and cheaper.

Yes, seeds are South Beach friendly. The links have more information about possible benefits including amount of fiber (there's lots).

I still haven't found these, but tomorrow I'll be going to Walmart to grocery shop and I think I'll swing by Harris Teeter on the way. Harris Teeter has a lot of things I don't normally see in other stores. I want to try them out really badly. They sound wonderful.

Question, since they're seeds are they supposed to be limited? Or what would be a daily amount we could have?

Thanks for the info, guys! I'm going chia hunting soon. : )

~~Sally

Thanks chicks! I am going to try it. I think my DH will want to as well once he reads some of the purported benefits.

I was at school all day so getting in last on this.

The cheapest I've found them is at Amazon. I got a 5lb bag. Wholefoods has them, but they are more expensive.

I think they are wonderful. I got my daughter hooked on them too.
I just sip all day. You can also add them to foods since they have no taste....great in dressings. But I just like the way they do in drinks.

Today was crazy. I had a meeting in a town 30 minutes from here at the school board office this morning. Then I decided to go ahead and go work on my classroom some more and didn't pack anything ahead of time cause I thought I was coming home. I had a huge green smoothie about 6:30 this morning, then nothing but tea with chia seeds in it at school. I finally stopped around 2:00 realizing I had not eaten since that smoothie..
those chias kept me happy till I finally ate at 2:30. I keep some in a plastic container in my purse and won't ever be without them. Not only do they fill you up, but have so many health benefits...just the protein alone is great.

Oh and Mel....I just love Harris Teeter. My sister has one in NC and I just drool in that store. My brother in law went to a super HT once and called it the "Taj Ma Teeter". Lucky you!!!! I have to drive to either New Orleans or Baton Rouge to Whole Foods to get special stuff.

I've spent practically my whole summer researching foods and chia was one of the first I got turned on to.
I'm trying to get as much "raw" as I can without giving up my beloved seafood. Raw foods research is really interesting and I've learned so much about so many new things I've never heard of. SB kind of put me on the trail to even do more.

Many of you had said they're tasteless, but one of those links talks about a slightly nutty flavor, and great taste. Any comments on that?

I might have to stop at the local whole foods place and check them out!

Twynn, I think they pick up the flavor of whatever you add them to, but on their own, they're tasteless.

I haven't noticed any taste even in the chia pudding. Once the seeds expand any hint of nuttiness seems to disappear.

I was looking on Amazon and wondering do you buy the seeds or powder? I noticed that a lot of you are adding this to tea, pudding, etc do you add the whole seeds or are you buying powder or grinding them up?

I'm using seeds. As soon as you add them to liquid they get soft and gelatinous. I am curious about the powder and might try some when baking season rolls around again.

I've found them at Shoppers food warehouse in the hispanic spice section. I can get a 3 oz package for 0.99. I've seen it on line but to me it seems really expensive.
I like how they swell up in water.

I have never heard of this stuff ever before reading this post. I am curious and will have to check it out online.

thanks for the info, guys! I really hadn't heard about this anywhere else...

So I bought a bag the other night. I put 1 Tablespoon seeds in a glass of seltzer water with lime and my husband tried some. He made the most horrid face and said something like "that's weird!" But guess what? He's now addicted and is putting it in his water all day long.

This is totally fun -

I heard about it on this site-some one was talking about Dr. Oz's belly fat burning shake or something like that. I had to ask if it was the same stuff as the chia pet and guess what-it is. The ones you eat are a special food grade instead.

it kind of reminds me of the old soda from the 90's, Orbitz. Weird at first but oddly addicting :)

Chia found, chia bought, chia tried.

Chia loved!

Also, chia expensive. : (

Cha-cha-cha-chia.....sounds too weird for me. Glad you guys all are liking it. I say whatever works for ya then do it!

Bought my first bag!! Yeah, it's a wee bit expensive, but it seems like it'll last a while? I'm thinking I might buy some lemons tomorrow and make some lemon water with them!!

Last night I put some in a little chocolate coconut milk and added a little vanilla...not bad...like choc. pudding.

Now for fun. I had a glob left over at the bottom of a glass the other day and instead of throwing it out, I threw it in a pot I have a tomato in outside. In 2 days it sprouted, so I tried it. Very good...has a peppery taste to it. Would be great in salads and on sandwiches. I think my stuck at the bottom ones will continue going outside. yum.

I told the husband I was going to rub some chia seeds on his head before it rained. He didn't think I was very funny. : )

I really wish they had another name. It's hard to get the "chia pet" image out of your head.

I have that problem with the stupid song

I use Anutra and I sprinkle it my smoothies and yogurt. I get it from Vitacost.

I bought some today!

I just mixed some plain non-fat Greek yogurt with chia seeds, a teaspoon of cocoa, Splenda, and vanilla, and BOY was it good. I want more. Going now to check the limits for yogurt on PH1 . . . .

I tried some in my iced tea this afternoon and while they got a little gooey, most sank to the bottom of the glass. I had to keep stirring to drink them. My guess is this was like bubble tea. I need to maybe try them in food instead.

Do they dissolve more for any of you?

No they don't dissolved. The only beverage I would use them in would be a thick smoothie. Nothing else.

I wonder--my bag says "chia seeds meal." I wonder if the brand I bought (actually grown locally) has been ground?

No, the don't dissolve. A straw takes care of the bottom settling.

I use one of my water bottles and just keep shaking between sips.

I had it in my yogurt before Church this morning and we should floss thoroughly. I could feel the little seeds puffing up as they absorbed saliva!

I tried some in water later on and they did NOT dissolve, just got puffy. Maybe mine are too old - I've had them a while.

LOL...I tried it in water last night (read somewhere later that it's 1/3 cup per 2 c. water??!!) with a lemon. We had friends over, and they laughed saying they looked like little tadpole eggs!

The taste/texture didn't bother me though, although I'm not sure I'll do it again. I think I'll stick to smoothies, etc.

Had some in my Crystal Lite Lemonade & other than trying to slosh them back down after they stuck to the sides of my glass and using a straw to suck them up, they were great! Felt quite satisfied afterwords.

Taj Ma Teeter, I love that!!!! lol!! :D

They have the most vast selections of things I've never tried before.. it's awesome! I haven't been there yet like I wanted to, to find the seeds, but soon I hope to make a visit there and see if they have any. Maybe I'll find another cool discovery in there too.

I tried the chia last night and really liked it, but I like bubble tea and things with textures like that. I just had it in some "sassy water" and felt very healthy. This morning things "moved" very well event though I hadn't taken my usual psyllium last night, so I'm imagining chia performs the same function. I'll continue to use it, I really liked it, and maybe I'll get my husband to try it out.

So, I have been wanting to try these for a while but didn't want to pay 20 bucks at WF and everywhere I found online had decent prices but the shipping ended up doubling it...

I found some on Amazon Nutiva Organic Chia seed 14oz for 7.95 and free shipping... Just in case any of you were in the same boat as me :)