Do to a set up circumstances that is not worth going into, I am now the proud owner of two bags of Chia Seeds.

It is kind of billed as a "Aztec Superfood" that is high in Omega 3's.

Anyone have any experience with them?

The good, the bad and the ugly?

Solid stuff. You can put them in virtually anything as they are neutral.
If you soak them in any liquid for about 20 mins. They form a gel around as well too to make it easier to drink straight.
Great mix of carb/fat/protein/fiber. It's considered a food so you can eat as much as you can stomach.
Very healthy and great for health and athletes.

A guy at work buys these things 3 or 4 bags at a time. About a month ago he was diagnosed as a Type 2 Diabetic. So I scrapped the idea of trying them out. I'd rather take my GNC Lemon-flavored Fish Oil capsules.

Type 2 doesn't happen over night.

If anything, if that guys go strict on his diet and exercise - he can minimize the affects. In fact Chia Seeds would help.

Quote: (11-04-2012 08:52 PM)tommygun Wrote:  

Type 2 doesn't happen over night.

If anything, if that guys go strict on his diet and exercise - he can minimize the affects. In fact Chia Seeds would help.

I have no idea if his Type 2 and the Chia Seeds are related. Like I said, he was a big user. Chances are they weren't related at all. But who knows?

Quote: (11-04-2012 08:55 PM)CMan0928 Wrote:  

Quote: (11-04-2012 08:52 PM)tommygun Wrote:  

Type 2 doesn't happen over night.

If anything, if that guys go strict on his diet and exercise - he can minimize the affects. In fact Chia Seeds would help.

I have no idea if his Type 2 and the Chia Seeds are related. Like I said, he was a big user. Chances are they weren't related at all. But who knows?

Benefits for diabetes: Because chia seeds slow down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrates into simple sugars, studies indicate they can control blood sugar. This leads scientists to believe chia seeds may have great benefits for diabetics.

http://www.nuts.com/cookingbaking/chia-s...emium.html

Quote: (11-04-2012 09:02 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

Quote: (11-04-2012 08:55 PM)CMan0928 Wrote:  

Quote: (11-04-2012 08:52 PM)tommygun Wrote:  

Type 2 doesn't happen over night.

If anything, if that guys go strict on his diet and exercise - he can minimize the affects. In fact Chia Seeds would help.

I have no idea if his Type 2 and the Chia Seeds are related. Like I said, he was a big user. Chances are they weren't related at all. But who knows?

Benefits for diabetes: Because chia seeds slow down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrates into simple sugars, studies indicate they can control blood sugar. This leads scientists to believe chia seeds may have great benefits for diabetics.

http://www.nuts.com/cookingbaking/chia-s...emium.html

Interesting G. Have you tried them out yet? What's the taste like?

Chia seeds are like acai. Good stuff...but like other "superfoods," they are not worth the often 2-3x price premium over other solid foods.

Like flaxseed and walnuts, they are loaded with essential fatty acids and fiber.

Since you're not paying a premium price, you're set.

Quote: (11-04-2012 09:08 PM)MikeCF Wrote:  

Chia seeds are like acai. Good stuff...but like other "superfoods," they are not worth the often 2-3x price premium over other solid foods.

Like flaxseed and walnuts, they are loaded with essential fatty acids and fiber.

Since you're not paying a premium price, you're set.

Flaxseed used to do a number on my stomach. I wonder if the Chia Seeds have the same effect?

I had a weird experience with some chia seeds awhile back.

All was well at first, they were just sitting there in their little container.

Then one morning I woke up, my chia seeds were gone, and this weird looking animal was standing there.

I got a pic of the thing.

yea i take them a couple times a week. in mexico they are very cheap, probably 1/10th the price in GNC. alot of times for a meal or post workout i have a protein shake then a chia shake(chia seeds with water just wait 5 min to eat) they are far superior to flax seeds which involve much more work to consume and also oxidize quickly. chia seeds are very high in antioxidants, omega 3 and basically dont go bad. i started taking them when i read about the problems with fish oil.

I started taking them a while back after watching some infomercial at 3:00am but haven't noticed the effects although i haven't been too constant.

Quote: (11-04-2012 09:08 PM)MikeCF Wrote:  

Chia seeds are like acai. Good stuff...but like other "superfoods," they are not worth the often 2-3x price premium over other solid foods.

Like flaxseed and walnuts, they are loaded with essential fatty acids and fiber.

Since you're not paying a premium price, you're set.

How expensive are there? Here i get them for 12 soles (4.50 dollars) a pop.

Fish oil is a more bioavailable version of the omega 3's. DHA I believe. In chia I think its ALA (like in flax), which requires more of a conversion to become usable by the cells.

Omega 3 itself is very unstable due to be a poly unsaturated fatty acid or PUFA. It easily oxides, and one of the reasons why its best to keep it cool.

Chia seeds are a kick ass way to get good nutrition, especially if you're on the go. My formula is to use about 2-3 tablespoons per cup of liquid (any more than 1/4 cup of chia to 1 cup of liquid makes it too thick, IME. Coconut or almond milk works really well, so does coconut juice. you can throw a few raisins in there and some cinnamon, maybe some stevia and you end up with something with a flavor similar to rice pudding. What you have to do is shake the chia and liquid mixture a couple of times in the first fifteen minutes after you combine them, because otherwise the seeds clump together. The process of soaking the seeds in liquid activates a lot of beneficial enzymes. Chia seeds also really shouldn't be expensive. For those of you who live out west, Sunflower Markets/Sprouts has them for $4-5 a pound. Still trying to find a reasonably priced source near where I live now. But even at $10 a pound, if you drink 2 of those chia shakes/puddings a day, you're only going to use a half a cup a day, a pound will last you awhile, and it helps cut down food costs if you're on a budget.

Quote: (11-05-2012 12:39 AM)Capitán Peligroso Wrote:  

Chia seeds are a kick ass way to get good nutrition, especially if you're on the go. My formula is to use about 2-3 tablespoons per cup of liquid (any more than 1/4 cup of chia to 1 cup of liquid makes it too thick, IME. Coconut or almond milk works really well, so does coconut juice. you can throw a few raisins in there and some cinnamon, maybe some stevia and you end up with something with a flavor similar to rice pudding. What you have to do is shake the chia and liquid mixture a couple of times in the first fifteen minutes after you combine them, because otherwise the seeds clump together. The process of soaking the seeds in liquid activates a lot of beneficial enzymes. Chia seeds also really shouldn't be expensive. For those of you who live out west, Sunflower Markets/Sprouts has them for $4-5 a pound. Still trying to find a reasonably priced source near where I live now. But even at $10 a pound, if you drink 2 of those chia shakes/puddings a day, you're only going to use a half a cup a day, a pound will last you awhile, and it helps cut down food costs if you're on a budget.

I'm kind of intrigued now. The only thing holding me back is the fact there always seems to be some new trendy fad in the "superfood" industry. Last year is was Acai. I'm not saying the Chia Seeds aren't legit though. We sell them where I work. I'll have to check it out tomorrow. We all know in the near future someone is going to come forward with some new study saying Chia Seeds are a total waste of money and do practically nothing for you. Until then, I may jump on board. If I end up with Type 2 Diabetes I'll let you guys know.

Quote: (11-05-2012 12:51 AM)CMan0928 Wrote:  

Quote: (11-05-2012 12:39 AM)Capitán Peligroso Wrote:  

Chia seeds are a kick ass way to get good nutrition, especially if you're on the go. My formula is to use about 2-3 tablespoons per cup of liquid (any more than 1/4 cup of chia to 1 cup of liquid makes it too thick, IME. Coconut or almond milk works really well, so does coconut juice. you can throw a few raisins in there and some cinnamon, maybe some stevia and you end up with something with a flavor similar to rice pudding. What you have to do is shake the chia and liquid mixture a couple of times in the first fifteen minutes after you combine them, because otherwise the seeds clump together. The process of soaking the seeds in liquid activates a lot of beneficial enzymes. Chia seeds also really shouldn't be expensive. For those of you who live out west, Sunflower Markets/Sprouts has them for $4-5 a pound. Still trying to find a reasonably priced source near where I live now. But even at $10 a pound, if you drink 2 of those chia shakes/puddings a day, you're only going to use a half a cup a day, a pound will last you awhile, and it helps cut down food costs if you're on a budget.

I'm kind of intrigued now. The only thing holding me back is the fact there always seems to be some new trendy fad in the "superfood" industry. Last year is was Acai. I'm not saying the Chia Seeds aren't legit though. We sell them where I work. I'll have to check it out tomorrow. We all know in the near future someone is going to come forward with some new study saying Chia Seeds are a total waste of money and do practically nothing for you. Until then, I may jump on board. If I end up with Type 2 Diabetes I'll let you guys know.

Acai is great shit too. Throw some acai into your chia shakes if you've got some. Here's the difference though, acai is around $50 a pound, chia seeds should absolutely be no more than $10, and those seeds grow to like 10 times the size when you soak them in liquid. Chia seeds will never put a serious dent in your food budget... I don't think I ever used more than two pounds of chia in one month, even drinking 3 shakes a day. So if someone comes out with a study saying they're useless, make sure whoever is funding the study isn't pushing something else that's more expensive. Anasazi messengers used to run tens of miles using nothing but chia seeds to keep themselves going. That's not a coincidence. Shit works.

I buy a drink every once in a while at whole foods that has this and kombucha. Probably overpriced, but it seems pretty fiberous and cleansing.

Quote: (11-04-2012 09:05 PM)CMan0928 Wrote:  

Interesting G. Have you tried them out yet? What's the taste like?

Not much taste.

I have started to throw them in some post workout shakes.

Not sure if I notice anything yet, which is why I posted this.

It might be hard to isolate though.

Quote: (11-05-2012 10:14 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

Quote: (11-04-2012 09:05 PM)CMan0928 Wrote:  

Interesting G. Have you tried them out yet? What's the taste like?

Not much taste.

I have started to throw them in some post workout shakes.

Not sure if I notice anything yet, which is why I posted this.

It might be hard to isolate though.

They don't have much taste to them by themselves, that's why I like to soak them in liquid and add fruit, because they take on the flavor of whatever you're mixing with them. Coconut milk, vanilla, and cinnamon is a good combination for starters.

Also, soaking them does activate enzymes and boosts the nutritional value and absorb-ability of the seeds.

Among the benefits I've observed for me: higher energy level/better mental clarity, sustained blood sugar stability. I can use a fairly small amount and do a long workout without a drop in energy levels, for example.

Re isolation: it can be hard to isolate, because at any given time, I could be using chia, juicing, taking a lot of different vitamins and supplements, etc. But for me, dollar for dollar, chia seeds are up there with virgin coconut oil and ACV for ROI. It's a very cheap way to get essential fatty acids, especially if you eat a fairly low fat diet like I do.

Quote: (11-05-2012 10:45 AM)Capitán Peligroso Wrote:  

Quote: (11-05-2012 10:14 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

Quote: (11-04-2012 09:05 PM)CMan0928 Wrote:  

Interesting G. Have you tried them out yet? What's the taste like?

Not much taste.

I have started to throw them in some post workout shakes.

Not sure if I notice anything yet, which is why I posted this.

It might be hard to isolate though.

They don't have much taste to them by themselves, that's why I like to soak them in liquid and add fruit, because they take on the flavor of whatever you're mixing with them. Coconut milk, vanilla, and cinnamon is a good combination for starters.

So you just soak them in Coconut milk and then drink them?

How long do you soak?

How much?

Quote:Quote:

Also, soaking them does activate enzymes and boosts the nutritional value and absorb-ability of the seeds

What if you just blend them up in a shake or smoothie?

Is that good?

Or are you saying soak or bust?

@G:

Quote:Quote:

So you just soak them in Coconut milk and then drink them?

How long do you soak?

How much?

What if you just blend them up in a shake or smoothie?

Is that good?

Or are you saying soak or bust?[quote]



What I do is use a couple of canning jars with a good seal, something that won't leak into a gym bag or an attache case. These are general guidelines on consistency: I use about 1 cup of liquid and 2-3 tablespoons of chia. If you want something you can drink, use two tablespoons, if you want something that's more the consistency of pudding use 3, or 1/4 cup. I find if I use more than 1/4 cup to a cup, it's too thick. Put the liquid in the jar first, then the chia seeds. Then close and shake because the seeds clump and stick to the jar right away if you don't do that. Then, add whatever else you're going to add, for me, that's things like cinnamon, raisins, and stevia usually. Shake once more after you've combined everything and then one last time after about fifteen minutes to give it the right consistency. After this, you can drink it right away or leave it in the fridge overnight. I prefer overnight because it gives the seeds that time to activate the enzymes (for the same reason that sprouts are more nutritious than the beans themselves). The mixture will thicken some overnight. The whole process take about 2-3 minutes of actual work between adding the stuff and shaking it up.

Caveat: don't eat a bunch of chia seeds that you soaked for 15 minutes, to start off. You don't want to get an effect like eating a pound of raisins and drinking a gallon of iced tea, especially if you're going into a business meeting or something. I find up to 1/4 cup of soaked seeds is fine for me, but you may want to start with just a tablespoon or two. This is another reason to leave the seeds to soak overnight, because they will expand to their full size in the jar, not in your stomach. Just like beans expand to 2-3 times their normal size when you soak them before cooking or making sprouts, chia seeds do the same thing, but they end up about 10x the size. I just make 2-3 of them in the evening and then take them with me when I leave in the am to avoid any issues with this. With chia, a little goes a long way; I've never used an entire cup of chia seeds in one day, even when I was using them for three meals.

On soaking: I'm not an expert, but everything I've read says it's better to soak them for the reasons I discussed earlier.

Earthclinic.com has some information on chia seeds that may be helpful. I haven't had a chance to look at it, but if anyone wants to check it out and share the info with the forum, feel free. I will do the same after the election is over, if the interest is there.

This guy makes some more interesting points about chia seeds. He also says that the price has gone up quite a bit because of droughts and floods.

I've started eating cereals made of chia, buckwheat and hemp instead of those supermarket cereals.
They are quite good and a portion is only 2 tablespoons. I eat it with almond milk.
I started eating it because I got off wheat after I heard of "Wheat Belly"

They make a kick ass drink.

Grind a handful (a small handful, they go a long way) in a mortar or blender. This step is not really neccesary, but it helps.

Then throw them into a jar or pitcher, fill up with water, and squeeze some lemons in that. Let them soak overnight.

The seeds then turn into a gel like mush, so shake them up before drinking.

If you like your drinks sugary-sweet add a dash of honey.

Quote: (11-05-2012 02:45 PM)Capitán Peligroso Wrote:  

Caveat: don't eat a bunch of chia seeds that you soaked for 15 minutes, to start off. You don't want to get an effect like eating a pound of raisins and drinking a gallon of iced tea, especially if you're going into a business meeting or something. I find up to 1/4 cup of soaked seeds is fine for me, but you may want to start with just a tablespoon or two. This is another reason to leave the seeds to soak overnight, because they will expand to their full size in the jar, not in your stomach. Just like beans expand to 2-3 times their normal size when you soak them before cooking or making sprouts, chia seeds do the same thing, but they end up about 10x the size. I just make 2-3 of them in the evening and then take them with me when I leave in the am to avoid any issues with this. With chia, a little goes a long way; I've never used an entire cup of chia seeds in one day, even when I was using them for three meals.

So do they make you take mad pisses?

Or mad dumps?

Or both?

Am I following you?