Wham: Chia, a very complete food

Did you ever have a "Chia Pet" when you were a kid? Or, perhaps one of those "Chia Heads"? If so, you'll remember how those seeds make a sort of paste that gets spread around the little clay animal or human head. Soon, "hair" grows, nice and green!

I remember reading that my son's Chia Pet seeds were "not for human consumption." And yet, did you know that these tiny seeds have been consumed by humans for thousands of years? That's right . . . their use as a food goes back far into recorded time. Today, the seeds offer a huge benefit to us in our daily diet.

Aztec warriors would carry only Chia seed when going on long journeys, finding that they only needed a teaspoon or so of these seeds per day in order to remain fit for travel. The seeds are highly nutritious, and extremely nourishing, a great source of protein. In fact, the lowly little Chia seed has more of the essential omega-3 fatty acid than any other vegetable source (including flax seeds, which are used all the time for that reason). Chia has 3 to 10 times the oil concentration of most grains and up to twice the protein content of other grains as well. You just can't find a better food source in such a small package.

The odd thing about Chia becomes quite evident when you place a teaspoon of seeds into a glass of water and then come back about an hour later. You won't find water in that glass any longer . . . instead, you'll see an almost solid, nearly-clear substance, a result of the gel-forming properties of Chia's soluble fiber. Chia can hold 12 times its weight in water. Can you imagine that? That would be like a 100 lb. person being able to carry around more than a ton of water on their back!

When you consume Chia seeds, your body is naturally hydrated. The seeds' ability to carry water along with them offers you the ability to prolong hydration. They are full of vitamins A, D, E and K, and even are a rich source of Calcium. Those Aztec warriors had the right idea. Chia seeds can truly be called a "wonder food."

There are a number of great recipes for Chia in the book which is linked to the headline of today's post, and you'll also find some on the Internet. The recipes fall into two categories . . . they are either for the seeds themselves, as nutty and crunchy ingredients in baked goods (cookies, etc) or they are recipes for the use of Chia gel. You can take that thick gel that comes when Ghia is mixed with water and you can use it to extend and thicken soups, etc.

Chia is definitely in the WHAM category!

[PS added May 5th: See Ed's remarks in the comment section. Chia is a rich source of Alpha Linolenic Acid. If you have a history of prostate cancer in the family, you need to talk to your doctor about adding ALA. Otherwise, to anyone else, this ingredient is a healthy advantage.]

Dave