Description

What is Chia and what is it good for?

Packed with nutritional benefits, many people have found chia to boost energy, build endurance, stabilize blood sugar, reduce appetite, aid digestion and elimination and lower cholesterol.

Botanical name: Salvia hispanica
Other names: 

These amazing little seeds come from Mexico and Guatemala, and were an important staple food crop for the Aztecs, used by warriors for endurance and energy. Packed with nutritional benefits, many people have found chia to boost energy, build endurance, stabilize blood sugar, reduce appetite, aid digestion and elimination and lower cholesterol.

Chia seeds are the highest known plant source of Omega-3, with 8 times more than salmon. Unlike other sources of this important Essential Fatty Acid (eg. Flax or fish oil), it is in a highly stable form due to its powerful naturally occurring antioxidants. Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid that has been found to benefit heart health, regulate cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation.

Chia is an easy way to add healthy nutrition to your daily diet, with Vitamins A, B12 and C, complete protein (18 Amino Acids), minerals including potassium, phosphorous, folate, zinc, iron, and calcium as well as bowel-regulating soluble and insoluble fibre.

Preparation: Sprinkle these flavourless seeds on salads, muesli, oatmeal, stir fries, smoothies, muffins or bread batter, or cereal. Soak seeds overnight and add to cereal, smoothies, fruit salad, or eat by the spoonful! Optional: use a spice/coffee grinder to make a fine meal-like consistency. Can be used in baking as an egg replacement.

Reference: Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitex_agnus-castus, Davis Hoffman (2003), Medical Herbalism, p. 595-9, Matthew Wood (2008), The Earthwise Herbal, p. 523-526