Chia seeds - good stuff

Forums: Chia Seeds, Hydration, Health
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Who knew that what is mostly, until recently, known as a gag gift was such an excellent source of nutrition?

I've been using them for about 3 weeks now, and what a difference they have made.

I've had a long term problem with adequately absorbing hydration. Whatever I would drink would just flush right out of my body, like water flowing other hard packed ground. Couldn't get it to stay in my system long enough to "sink in"
On top of that, since menopause I've been getting edema, and would have to take a diuretic a couple times a week. For those of you that take one, you know how uncomfortable that it. It's not like a normal feeling of having to urinate.

So, I'd either be walking around with disappearing ankles, not being able to move within myself properly, or would be running to the bathroom literally every 10-15 minutes. All with not being properly lubricated. I knew it was a big part of my muscles and fascia not working properly together, and my joints being "sticky"

My rolfer suggested I trying mixing chia seeds in beverages. I started mixing them with plain water, but quickly switched over to incorporating them into my green tea, which I drink about 24 oz of a day. I'll add about a tablespoon to each 12 oz cup/glass. I slowly swirl them in a bit at a time, mixing with a straw, so they don't clump. Then I wait 10 or 15 minutes before drinking, since their outer coating producing a gel. That's what keeps the water in your stomach/gut longer, allowing it to slowly absorb into your system. I like drinking it through a straw, reminds me of littlek talking about bubble tea (although I've never had that)

I first couple of days, I felt kinda bloated in my intestines, but decided to just keep at it. Quickly my body adjusted, in the next day or two, and now I can go for long periods (normal lengths of time actually) without urinating, my edema has TOTALLY disappeared. My ankles and hands remain nice and slim. I feel like I'm moving better also.

In addition chia seeds are a great source of Omega 3, 6, fiber, and more.

When I went to Sprouts or Whole Foods to get more from their bin section, the salesperson told me that before any races in town, they completely sell out. The runners drink it before the race to keep themselves hydrated longer.

Reading about chia, I see it's been used for centuries, all the way back to the Aztecs, for some of the reasons I've said.

Here's what the gel around them looks like once they are soaked...

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRExRoAUrQrSuWsTr-BXyQq65qHPCeFJ5rKDUtZgBPnlR6R34mYcg

Also, I wouldn't call it an appetite suppressant, but I do find I eat a bit less because it does put that gel weight in your stomach.

I don't put quite this much in my tea (below) but it gives you the idea...Actually maybe I do put that much.

http://s2.justapinchassets.com/images/recipe/1/2/3/1/6/1/medium.1.jpg

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@chai2,

That's interesting, Chai, I didn't know about this. I used to get edema but that went away for whatever reason. Still, it's interesting nutritionally anyway.

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I only recently learned about this myself. While I don't use them, I always keep them on my mental list of stuff to eventually test out.

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@edgarblythe,

I'd be interested in your opinion if you try them edgar.

What I found interesting is that I can actually pinpoint this particular food as making improvements in areas I can specify.

Ok, I try to eat well, like you (I think) I don't get all fancy. Sardines, good bread, nuts, some fruit, the occasional salad, lean meat but not too much. The thing is, I eat what I like, but I don't say things like "wow, that banana really improved my xyz.
I avoid processed sugar, and caffeine (beyond my morning up), because I can say I don't like the effects. Who wants to be jazzed up? Well, silly question, apparently a lot of people want to be.
On the odd occasion when I'll indulge and get, let's say a big pizza and just eat it all weekend, I know I'm going to feel sluggish, and it makes sense eating lot's of crisp fruit and vegetables Monday will fix me up.

But in general I don't go out and get something thinking that it alone is going to noticeably change me. I love blueberries. I know they are good for me, but I never looked at myself and thought "boy, those blueberries are sure putting the color in my cheeks"

These chia seeds though.....I can really empirically tell a difference.

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I agree that not everything that's supposed to help you makes a noticeable difference. A person with my particular needs is supposed to juice a lot - particularly carrots. I can do that for about a week and then can't bring myself to do carrots again for a while. Drinking all that juice does not make me feel better. Often it may be the individual. Last week, my upper esophagus swelled and was sore from about the middle of my chest to my throat. It was painful to eat. I pressed garlic cloves and mixed them with raw honey. I began doing it three times per day. The second time I had some, the swelling vanished. Since I did not see a doctor, I can't offer a diagnosis, but it's an example of how food alone can make changes.

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Update:

I continue to take about 2 tablespoons a day in fluid, and the results have really (for me) been dramatic.

Now, for the first time ever I can sit for long periods in yoga class cross legged and my hinky right hip bone doesn't even twinge.....even better, it's loving it, and opening up more than it ever has.

Last night, sitting in a recliner and watching a movie, I did some random stretch move, lifting up my leg toward my chest and crossing it over my body to the right to stretch my piriformis. There was this delicious pop in my left lower sacrum or ilium. Now there's more looseness down there, I believe because all the muscles/tendons are more properly hydrated.

Honestly, when I go to drink something without the chia in it, I feel like I'm missing something. It's just not as interesting.

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I had great luck with chia seed, but people kept making jokes about my green hair. I finally went back to the natural shiny spot in the middle of my scalp.

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Oh, I left off another benefit I've noticed. It balances glucose levels.

Last week someone brought some doughnuts to work. I can't resist a doughnut, and indulged even though I knew from past experience I was going to get that sugar rush, then the crash. It never happened.

Below are some of the benfits:

Most health conscious people will be more familiar with linseeds than they will be with chia seeds. So, if you've ever put a spoon of linseed into some water and left it for thirty minutes, you would have returned to find a kind of glutinous solution, kind of like a gel consistency. Well, the same thing happens with chia seeds, which is another reason that they are so good for you; they act the same way in your gut. This means that they are really good for your digestive system, providing both a high amount of fiber, and also this action of forming a gel like solution moves through your body and cleans up as it goes. It's also thought that this gel physically prevents the fast breaking down of carbohydrates in the body, by slowing down the action of the enzymes on the carbs.

The chia seed was once a staple food of the Aztecs, loved for its ability to sustain and to give endurance. Actually, you could live off chia almost entirely, because it has 19 amino acids, with all of the essential amino acids except taurine.

Chia is gluten free
It is super high in dietary fibre, making it great for digestion and healing digestion issues.
It contains 20% Omega 3 ALA, making it a super food for the brain and heart. Chia has eight times more Omega 3 than salmon!
It boasts 20% protein
It is high in antioxidants (It has a four times higher ORAC value than blueberries)
Chia contains five times more calcium than milk
Chia contains seven times more vitamin C than oranges
It contains three times more iron than spinach
It contains twice the potassium content of banana
It is food for healthy skin, hair and nails
It has a positive impact balancing blood glucose levels (making it awesome for diabetics)

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@chai2,

You've gotten me interested, Chai, and you know me, a naysayer type re what I take as fads.
Seen any diatribes against them? Where do you get them? Health food shoppes?
Hmm. Wonder if Sunflower market carries them. I haven't been there in a long time but like the grocery store (despite a famous bad episode with a worker and some yogurt a few years ago), and it is near a cafe Diane and I and some others like to go to. Also near Katy dog's veterinarian.

I'll do some inquiring.

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@ossobuco,

Surprisingly, it's very easy to find.

It's in any store like Sunflower, Sprouts, WF's Central Market, I'm sure Trader Joes's etc.

You find in in the bin section, the price will be 9 or 10 dollars a pound, and a pound is a lot of chia. Keep in mind a tablespoon will swell up 4 or 5 times its original size, which is why you want to put it in a good size glass of liquid. You can buy a small amount inexpensively, just try to get enough to last you a week or 2, so you have enough time to form an opinion.

Some people I know say they put it dry in their salads or oatmeal or such, but that makes no sense to me. I don't want to eat something and have it swell up in my gut, taking up any moisture it can find. The only thing I can think of is that it's more aesthetically pleasing that way, not looking at a gel, which at first can be off putting, I'll admit. It's up to the individual how "thick" they want their beverage. A few times I realize I've drunk more liquid and the remaining chia is thicker than I care for, so I just put more water in. No big deal. I find it easiest to drink it through a straw, so I can easily swirl it around before taking a sip.

Someone at work was interested, so I gave her some and she added it to this big triple mug of coffee (sweetened and lightened) and it seemed to work for her. Not the way I'd like it, but to each his own.

One thing, they seem to soak up liquid faster when in warm/hot beverages. Maybe in 10 minutes rather than 15 or 20.

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@chai2,

Thanks, all helpful. I don't think the gel thing would put me off (famous last words). I drink a lot of odd fruit juices - I squeeze oranges or lemons and dilute those greatly plus add a lot of ice, or soak dried plums or soak cut up pineapple and use the juice, blah blah - might be good with some gel.

First to read up and see if there is any counter/chia info to pay any attention to, and second, to make the store trip - I'd like to go to Sunflower anyway. I seem to remember they have good coffee for sensible money, among other stuff.

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@chai2,

chai2 wrote:

The only thing I can think of is that it's more aesthetically pleasing that way, not looking at a gel, which at first can be off putting, I'll admit. It's up to the individual how "thick" they want their beverage. A few times I realize I've drunk more liquid and the remaining chia is thicker than I care for, so I just put more water in. No big deal. I find it easiest to drink it through a straw, so I can easily swirl it around before taking a sip.

sounds like bubble tea, made with chia instead of tapioca

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@ehBeth,

ehBeth wrote:

chai2 wrote:
The only thing I can think of is that it's more aesthetically pleasing that way, not looking at a gel, which at first can be off putting, I'll admit. It's up to the individual how "thick" they want their beverage. A few times I realize I've drunk more liquid and the remaining chia is thicker than I care for, so I just put more water in. No big deal. I find it easiest to drink it through a straw, so I can easily swirl it around before taking a sip.

sounds like bubble tea, made with chia instead of tapioca

I thought of that, but nutritionally, there's no comparison

Tapioca has a glycemic load 7 times that of chia, and tapioca is considered an inflamatory food.
Chia has a very low glycemic load, and is on the anti-inflamatory side.

Then there's the omega 3's which are hard to get in our diets, the fiber, etc that chia has that tapioca doesn't.

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