No, I am not talking about the cute (or maybe not so cute? Your call on that one) chia pet. I am talking about chia seeds! Yes, these little seeds are the new nutrition "sweetheart." I gurantee that if you haven't heard the nutrition buzz about them yet, you will soon.
What's the big deal about these chia seeds you ask? Well, I was wondering the same thing until a few months ago. I had the fortunate opportunity to hear Dawn Jackson Blatner (amazing dietitian and friend) speak at a conference about these little seeds.
Turns out these tiny seeds are not only fun to eat, but are packed with nutrition. For every 2 tablespoons of chia seed, you are getting about 130 calories, 9 grams of fat (6.5g polyunsaturated=healthy fat) 4 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber. Amazing!
So, why do you care that chia seeds have this great nutritional profile? Ok, big picture here. By spreading these little guys on your oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, pasta sauce, or sprinkling in your water, juice (known as agua fresca in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean)....(you get my point), you are protecting your heart (thanks to those great and hard-to-get polyunsaturated fats), and your digestive tract (thank you fiber). Fiber is not only beneficial for heart health and your digestive tract, but it also helps you feel full. Feeling full prevents you from over-eating! Fantastic!
Now that I have piqued your interest, it's time to get your hands on some chia seeds. If you can't find them at your local market/natural foods store, try a respectable on-line source.
You can thank me now, or later...totally up to you! :)
Who'd of thunk???? I'll be out shopping for those treasures of nutrition this afternoon. Great reporting job. By the way, did you freeze any of the rhubarb crostatas?
ReplyDeletedad