Chia Seed Benefits: Plus Apple & Raspberry Chia Pudding Recipe

I use chia seeds quite a lot in my kitchen - in baking to replace eggs, I add them to bread, pizza bases, add them to my baking, make chia pudding and I add them to smoothies as well. You can use them raw and whole, soaked whole or even grid them up and use like a flour. There are heaps of ways to use this little seed so I thought I'd give a quick explanation for those of you who aren't so sure. Compared to lots of other 'superfoods' I find them really economical and a little bit does a long way!

Chia is actually from a flowering plant in the mint family. It's a herb that can grow as high as 1.75 metres and it has purple or white flowers. Thanks Wikipedia for the info! The seeds can be white or black. I tend to use the white because they're easier to hide in things, but they taste the same (not that I would ever do that, right?! ;-) ).

I found a great article by Choice about whether or not chia seeds are actually a superfood or a fad, and they pretty much agreed that they are a superfood for the following reasons:

1. Chia seeds are really high in omega-3 fatty acids which is used to keep your heart healthy and brain functioning - both pretty important activities!
   
   
2. Chia seeds are 34% fibre - wow! One little tip on chia seeds, they do absorb a lot of liquid when they're raw (up to 12 times their weight), so make sure you drink plenty of water and use sparingly when raw. I just toss a tablespoon or two into a loaf of bread
   
   
3. Chia seeds are a good source of protein and contain five times more calcium than milk! This source of calcium may not be as readily absorbed though
   
   
4. Chia is a source of many other minerals including iron, magnesium and zinc

Now chia pudding is one of my favourite ways to eat chia. My little kids aren't so keen, they won't even try it, but my eldest daughter and I love it! Feel free to change this recipe up by adding different flavoured fruit to sweeten (mango is awesome) and you can add more maple syrup to make it sweeter if you need it. Chia pudding is a great breakfast to have prepared ahead. Make a few serves on Sunday and you'll be right for the first few days of the week. I make mine in recycled jars so they're easy to store.

You could use coconut cream or milk to make your chia pudding if you want to increase the fat, but I just used Pure Harvest Organic Coco Quench Coconut Milk so that I didn't need to heat it up to smooth out the coconut milk or cream which saves a bit of time!

Enjoy! Lisa x

PS. If you haven't tried chia seeds as an egg substitute you can get all the details here!