Nowadays, the word “superfood” is thrown around a lot.
However, if you do some research, you’ll find that certain foods do deserve the title and that’s definitely the case of chia seeds.
There are many recipes you can make using these magical seeds, which makes them such an essential staple in any health nut’s kitchen. One of the most popular recipes suggested by naturopathic doctors you’ll find if you look up how you can use these chia seeds is the chia pudding.
Besides delicious, this breakfast food will give your body all it needs to be healthy and strong. Keep reading to learn all about chia pudding nutrition!
1. Chia Seeds Are Rich in Protein
Chia seeds are one of the best sources of plant protein, as 18 to 24% of their mass is made of this macronutrient. Furthermore, these seeds are a complete protein, which means that they have all nine essential amino acids that human beings need to include in their diets.
This is great news for vegetarians and vegans, as many whole proteins are animal products. It’s also great for anyone who’s trying to lose weight, as we’ll see in a bit.
2. Chia Seeds Have Plenty of Fiber
Many people consume less fiber than what’s recommended and one of the best ways of solving this issue is by including more plant-based foods in their diets, such as chia seeds.
By doing so, you’ll be able to more efficiently protect yourself from health conditions like diverticular disease (a colon inflammation), high cholesterol, obesity, and even cancer.
Plus, if you tend to suffer from constipation, including some bowls of chia pudding in your weekly menu might be just what you need!
3. Chia Seeds Are Rich in Antioxidants
By now you’re probably wondering… is there anything these tiny little seeds don’t have in them?! Hey, we told you they deserve the title of superfood!
Antioxidants are essential to protect your body from free radicals, which are molecules that can impair your cells and lead to several health problems. Not only will the antioxidants in chia seeds help keep you healthy (particularly from brain diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s), but they’ll also fend off aging: a true 2-in-1!
4. Chia Seeds Make Your Bones Healthy
As you can guess by this fourth benefit, chia seeds are rich in calcium. But even more than that, this food also includes other nutrients like magnesium and manganese, which are essential for good bone health.
Chia seeds actually contain more calcium per gram than the typical dairy products that are associated with this nutrient. So, you can just imagine how much calcium you’ll be providing your body with when you mix the seeds and the milk to make chia pudding!
5. Chia Seeds Can Help With Diabetes
30.3 million people in America have diabetes, 84.1 million have prediabetes and don’t know it, and an estimated 7.2 million have diabetes and aren’t aware of it.
These numbers are crushing but there are certain things that you can do to prevent or manage the disease and that includes knowing how to eat healthily.
Chia seeds are one of the best foods you can find if you suffer from diabetes or prediabetes, as they can efficiently decrease your blood sugar levels and improve your insulin sensitivity.
6. Eating Chia Pudding Can Help You Lose Weight
As mentioned before, chia seeds are loaded with protein and given that consuming high amounts of protein tends to make your appetite decrease, it’s easy to understand how eating chia pudding can benefit those who want to lose weight. Plus, the consistency that the seeds get when mixed with liquids is quite thick and, consequently, they make you feel full for longer than usual.
Our tip? Eat some chia pudding for dinner, as chia seeds have been linked to a 50% decline in late-night desire to snack!
7. Chia Seeds Are Loaded With Omega-3
Last but not least, these seeds are very rich in omega-3 – even richer than salmon!
We should mention that the omega-3 in chia seeds in mostly ALA, which humans have a harder time processing. This means that you should still eat fatty fish or take supplements in order to get all the omega-3 you need.
Having said, the omega-3 in chia seeds still helps you lose weight and fight heart disease, high cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure.
How to Make Chia Pudding
Chia pudding is an extremely versatile recipe.
To make the base, you need four tablespoons of chia seeds, one cup of milk (dairy or plant-based) and half a tablespoon of honey (or another similar sweetener).
Once you have the three ingredients, all you have to do is mix them well in a jar, let it sit for five minutes, mix quickly one more time and let it set in the fridge for at least one hour.
This recipe is delicious by itself, but you can always make it more exciting by adding whatever ingredients you want, either in the pudding or as a topping. Fresh fruit, nuts, jam, cereals, nut butter… whatever leftover breakfast staples you have in your pantry will do!
Some ideas you should try are:
- Chocolate and banana, by adding some mashed banana and cocoa powder to the base mixture.
- Peanut butter and blueberries, by making blueberry jam and putting it in the jar before you add the base with peanut butter mixed through it.
- Mango and coconut, by using coconut milk, blending frozen mango into the mixture and topping it with fresh mango and desiccated coconut.
Chia Pudding Nutrition: The Perfect Combination of Delicious and Healthy!
With ingredients like chia seeds so widely available, leading a healthy diet has never been easier.
Now that you know all these facts about chia pudding nutrition, we’re sure you’re dying to try it, so what are you waiting for? It’s time to head to the supermarket!
If you’d like to learn more about nutrition and understand how you can improve your diet, make sure to book a general nutritional counseling appointment. For any health-related question, you can always send us a message!
