Debbie Dooly

Chia is high in essential nutrients, gluten-free, 100 percent natural, and easy to use. No wonder it’s gaining in popularity worldwide! These tiny black and white seeds are becoming a staple on more and more people’s shopping lists thanks to their many health benefits.

Kids can be tough customers to please, and when you’re trying to get them to eat healthy, any tricks that boost the healthy foods in their diets are welcome! That’s where chia seeds can lend a helping hand. Because cha is high in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, protein, and many vitamins and minerals, if you can get your children to include chia in their daily diets, you’re on the right road to healthy eating.

Tossing some chia seeds into whatever you’re eating is a wonderful way to boost the nutritional value of your meals. The seeds are tiny and have virtually no flavor, but they’re brimming with nutrients! So, you can simply add chia seeds to your meals to gain numerous health benefits, without altering the flavor of your favorite foods.

Pancakes and waffles are always such a treat and a lovely weekend breakfast to enjoy with the whole family. Kids love them, and adding the extra toppings and experimenting with what goes well with which ingredients is all part of the fun of lazy mornings where family time is precious. Chia can play a part in these not-so-healthy recipes by adding to the nutrient value of your treats.

Chia seeds are certainly unique. They're highly nutritious and good for your health, but there is so much more to these tiny seeds that not everyone knows. Here are some of the lesser known facts about chia that you may be surprised to discover: Chia was used as an endurance food by ancient tribes. The Aztecs, Mayans, and other ancient tribes all used chia to sustain themselves in battles and on long running and hunting expeditions.

Puddings are a popular way to use chia — you can find recipes for chia puddings all over the Internet. Why are chia puddings so popular? Because chia seeds can absorb up to ten times their weight in water, so when they’re mixed with liquid, they form a gel that has a consistency like tapioca — perfect for puddings!

The ancient tribes of South America used chia as one of their staple crops. Chia originated in Mexico and Guatemala, where it grew well. The Aztecs and Mayan cultures farmed the crops because of the many benefits to their health, but one of the main reasons they used chia was for its ability to help with endurance.

The golden rule when putting together a salad is to use fresh ingredients. The fresher the ingredients, the better the salad! Not only do fresh ingredients taste better, but the nutrient value is higher. The basis of a salad should always be something green, so pick from different lettuces such as romaine, iceberg, rocket, radicchio, chard, spinach, butterhead lettuce, or whatever fresh greens are available to you.

The term superfood is overused by marketing agencies to promote different foods that really don't deserve the title. However, chia has so many different properties and is high in so many essential nutrients that it more than deserves to call itself a superfood. Here's why: It's high in omega-3 fatty acids. Chia is one of the highest plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids in the world, and omega-3s have many benefits to health such as improved memory and concentration, better mental health, and lower cholesterol levels.