Chia

Chia: The little seed that could


Yes, chia! The same seed that was slathered over terracotta pets (The Mr. T. one was the best!). It turns out that this ancient seed is experiencing quite the re-emergence thanks to its nutritional might.

It’s now one of Well Fed Man’s favorite new superfoods (can anyone out there actually tell me what defines a ‘superfood’?? Broccoli, yes. Oreo cookies, not so much?).

For hundreds of years, chia was consumed by Aztec warriors to boost endurance and it also played a special role in spiritual ceremonies. Then along came the Spanish and chia almost went the way of the dodo.

Reasons to scream Ch-ch-ch-chia! include impressive amounts of ticker-friendly omega fats, dietary fiber (more than almost any other food), complete protein, antioxidants, iron, zinc, and the bone-building trio: calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.

The high viscosity of chia’s abundant soluble fiber slows digestion in the stomach, which is said to help moderate blood sugar levels and reduce hunger.

The great thing about chia is that, unlike flax, the seed does not need grinding to be properly absorbed because the seed coat is softer. Plus, high amounts of antioxidants allows it to have a longer shelf life than flax.

Diminutive chia comes in both black and white. A chia expert I spoke with assured that contrary to what is marketed (yes, we’re talking about you overpriced white Salba) there is little nutritional difference. Though, black chia may actually contain more antioxidants because of the black pigment (antioxidants tend to be pigments).

Chia seeds have very little taste so you can add them to all sorts of things such as oatmeal, smoothies, yogurt, salads and soups to add a nutritional boost without messing up the flavor.

One of the neatest tricks chia pulls off is its ability to absorb several times its weight in water. This means you can make a chia gel and use it to thicken up fruit spreads, gravy, puddings etc. To make your very own chia gel try this: Add 1/3 cup of seeds to 2 cups of water and let this mixture sit for about 30 minutes. Stir gently with a wire whisk occasionally to prevent clumping. Leave the gel in the fridge, in a sealed container and use as needed.

Vegans should take note that ¼ cup of chia gel can stand-in for an egg as an effective binder when baking. You can also now buy 100% gluten-free chia powder which can replace a quarter of the flour a recipe calls for when rustling up a batch of brownies, muffins, cookies or pancakes.

You can now find chia at numerous health food shops as well as online. A great brand to try is Navitas Naturals (www.navitasnaturals.com).

Coconut Chia Pudding

¾ cup coconut milk
1 banana
3-4 tablespoons chia seed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of sea salt
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
Unsweetened coconut flakes

Combine all ingredients except coconut flakes in a food processor or blender and whirl until mixed. Let the mixture sit for several minutes until it has thickened. Whirl again for a couple of seconds and this funky pudding is ready to devour. Top with coconut flakes before serving. Cocoa nibs would probably be wicked on this as well.