6 Healthiest Methods to Eat Chia Seeds, In keeping with Dietitians

Chia seeds could also be small, however they pack a robust dietary punch—providing omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and key minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, registered dietitian Brittany Brown, RD, informed Well being.

However what’s one of the best ways to eat them to maximise their advantages? We requested a number of registered dietitians to share the healthiest methods to get pleasure from chia seeds.

Jars of chia pudding make a superb grab-and-go possibility for busy mornings, Kristen Carli, MS, RD, proprietor of Camelback Vitamin & Wellness and an outreach skilled for WOWMD, informed Well being.

Plus, chia pudding made with a dairy base gives an additional calcium increase for added bone well being, added Jenny Finke, MS, RDN, metabolic well being dietitian and proprietor of The Metabolic Dietitian.

To make chia pudding, stir two tablespoons of chia seeds into ½ to ¾ cup of your most popular milk or yogurt. Maintain it within the fridge in a single day—and by morning, it would have thickened right into a easy, gel-like pudding. High with chopped fruit, nuts, seeds, or a spoonful of your favourite nut butter for added taste and diet.

These seeds additionally make a superb addition to selfmade jam—not only for the diet they supply, however for the feel they assist create within the ultimate product.

Brown recommends mixing an enormous spoonful of chia seeds with crushed berries, and when you’d like, a contact of pure sweetener to create a high-fiber jam full of vitamin C and plant polyphenols. You too can experiment with different fruits of your alternative.

“It thickens fantastically and makes a healthful, low (or no) sugar-added unfold that everybody in my household enjoys,” added Carli. This selfmade condiment is a yummy addition to baked items, oatmeal, yogurt, or just unfold on toast.

One other easy thought for chia seeds? Add them to a parfait made with both Greek or common yogurt, recent fruit, and granola.

“This stacks the useful fiber and wholesome fat from the chia seeds whereas additionally offering a superb supply of high-quality protein and calcium from the Greek yogurt,” Finke informed Well being. “The addition of berries gives polyphenols from their vibrant colours for an anti-inflammatory profit.”

Chia seeds are the right addition to smoothies—they pack a ton of diet and act as a pure thickener by absorbing liquid and forming a gel. Plus, you’ll barely discover their style.

Finke recommends including 1 tablespoon of chia seeds to a blender with fruit, ice, 1 to 2 tablespoons of nut butter, a handful of spinach, protein powder, and 1 cup of your most popular liquid.

“This smoothie is my go-to advice for my purchasers who’ve lower than two minutes within the morning for prepping however need a filling and nourishing breakfast that they’ll sip on throughout their commute or on the workplace,” she added.

For an additional straightforward—and nutrition-packed—breakfast, strive mixing chia seeds into in a single day oats. Doing so provides texture whereas boosting the substantial fiber already present in oats, contributing to enhanced satiety and blood-sugar management, Brown stated.