Chi chi chi chia.....not just a plant

Superfood chia: seed provides stamina and endurance while boosting hydration

Ok. So I have been doing some research for a client/Friend of mine. She is the badest Ironman Triathlete I know!!! I am always on the look for ways to help her improve her performance in all three events. So, I came across a very interesting little seed...the chia seed.

From what I have gathered this super food is not just a seed but a seed with an attitude. The benefits of chia seeds for athletes and dieters alike rival any synthetic man made aide out there....got to love God given.
Here is a bit of history about the seed itself:

CHIA

Chia is an ancient plant with tremendous nutritional value and medicinal characteristics. The little black and white seeds were once a staple of the Incan, Mayan and Aztec cultures, along with the Native Americans of the southwest. “Chia” is actually the Mayan word for strength. The seeds were used by these ancient cultures as high energy ENDURANCE food, especially for their running messengers,(this is why I am stoked to pass this info on to my client)(always looking for ways to give her that edge!!) who would carry a small pouch of it with them. Chia has been called ‘Indian Running Food’ and gives an incredibly ‘sustaining’ surge of energy. The Indians of the southwest would eat just a teaspoon before heading on a 24 hour march.

Today chia seeds are mostly grown in the fertile soil of the Amazon basin in Peru. Chia is extremely nutrient dense and full of trace minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, and essential fatty acids. It is high in Omega’s 3, so it a great addition to anyone’s diet. Chia seeds are a great way to clean out. The seeds bulk up, then work like an incredible digestive broom, sweeping through your intestinal tract, helping to dislodge and eliminate old accumulated waste in the intestines.(Got to love the natural laxatives!!)

When you let chia seeds sit in water for 10-20 mintues it will forms a gel like substance. This gel-forming reaction is due to the soluble fiber in the seeds. Researchers say this same gel-forming reaction happens in the stomach when food containing these gummy fibers (called mucilages) are consumed. Inside the stomach the gel creates a physical barrier between the digestive enzymes and carbohydrates that break them down, which slows the conversion of the carbs into sugar. This is great for those who have diabetes like my dad!!! In addition, by chia being high in fiber it helps keep you full and sustains your energy, which is great news for athletes or people who watching their food intake.

Benefits of Chia Seeds for athletes:

•do digest easily
•are absorbed very easily
•muscle and tissue builder
•an energizer of endurance
•have extensive hydration properties(definivtive hydophilic colloid: a watery glutenious, glue like substance that form the underlying elements of all living cells. They posses the property of readily taking up and giving off the substances essential to cell life).
•good source of protein, calcium, potassium and iron
•high in both soluble and insoluble fiber

What is interesting is having the chia seeds be so easily digestible it makes them a amazing pre or post workout snack. Resulting in quick transportation to the tissues and being utilized by the cells. Iron, calcium, and potassium are lost during working out through sweat and muscle contraction, so chia seeds will replenish it while building muscle! Chia seeds help speed recovery due to its high amount of protein. Due to the exceptional water-absorption quality of chia, it can help you prolong hydration and retain electrolytes, especially during exertion. This is especially important for the endurance athlete!!!

Here is a list of reasons why Chia should be added to an athletes and dieters overall nutrition plan:

•2 times the protein of any other seed or grain,
•5 times the calcium of milk, plus boron which is a trace mineral that helps transfer calcium into your bones,
•2 times the amount of potassium as bananas,
•3 times the reported antioxidant strength of blueberries
•3 times more iron than spinach
•copious amounts of omega-3 and omega-6, which are essential fatty acids
•gluten free and vegan

Chia seeds are not only great for athletes but are also great for dieters. The reason being is when you add chia to other foods it bulks them up displacing calories and fat. For instance, someone can eat a typical serving while only consuming about half the calories they might have eaten, because the food has been bulked up with chia. Also you get a bellyful of nutrient-rich superfood goodness, which hydrates and sustains you!
Ok. So your next question is How do they taste!! Well the reasearch I have done they have a mild, nutty flavor and do not change the taste of other foods. Here is one recipe I came across why finding all this lovely information: From what I can tell it looks like mush but dont hate it until you try it!!! You never know. With that said here is the recipe!!!
Either Take coconut flakes, coconut oil, sea salt, maple syrup, almonds, dates, spriulina, and CHIA SEEDS! and mix or Take 1 1/2 cups water with 1/2 cup chia seeds. Let it sit for about 20 minutes. Then this is where the creative side of you comes out!! Whatever you like you add. Here are some suggestions:

•goji berries, raisins, or any fruit
•vanilla, cinnamon, mint or your favorite spice
•agave, stevia, dates, or yacon to help sweeten it
•extra power boosters like maca, spirulina, camu camu
If you like to bake, they are great for egg replacements. 2 tbsp chia with 1/2 cup water makes about 1/4 cup gel to replace one egg. Recipes from "pure2raw" and some of the information provided by "pure2raw". You can also add it to protein shakes and smoothies to help keep u full! Well, my friends until next time!! Stay fit, always have fun, and stay focused!!