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Chia gel is a great addition to salad dressings, baked goods, smoothies, pancakes, eggs…etc.

Chia, an ancient Aztec super-food, in its raw form is great sprinkled over salads and into smoothies.  I’ve also read of athletes pouring handfuls of raw chia into their mouths and then chasing the chia with water to stay hydrated and energized during long runs.

Huffington Post states that there are 10 Reasons to Add Chia to your Diet:

  1. Due to its ability to slow down digestion it has been shown to benefit those with type-2 diabetes.
  2. Just one ounce (2Tbl) of chia contains 11 grams of dietary fiber; a third of the recommended daily intake for adults.
  3. 2Tbls contains 2.5g or 2,500mg of Omega-3 Fatty Acids to keep your brain healthy.
  4. Strong teeth and bones with almost 20% of your recommended daily calcium per serving.
  5. It’s great for your skin – containing manganese, chia helps your body absorb important nutrients like biotin and thiamin.  One serving provides you with your recommended daily intake!
  6. Phosphorus – for those of you with bodies that need healing, chia is your best friend because it repairs and speeds up tissue growth.
  7. One serving offers you roughly 10% of your suggested daily protein intake.
  8. Decreases stubborn fat deposits due to its ability to stabilize blood sugar.
  9. Since chia contains Tryptophan it helps regulate sleep and improve your overall mood and ability to remain full after meals.
  10. Heart health – it lowers your LDL and triglyceride cholesterol while actually increasing your healthy cholesterol.

The benefits are there whether you’re using chia in its raw form or in a gel.

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Yield: 1 jar (2 cups) 16 – 2Tbl servings

Ingredients

  • 4 Tbl or 1/4 cup white chia seeds
  • 2 cups water

Directions

  1. Pour chia seeds into warm water IMG_9029
  2. shake vigorously and continue to shake every 5min for 15min
  3. store in fridge for up to two weeks, when expired pour out in your garden. 😉  The sprouts are adorable!

Feel free to adjust the ratio to fit your personal taste, some sites recommend 1/3 cup chia to 2 cups water… its really up to you.

I use chia gel in many recipes: scrambled eggs, quiche, banana pancakes;  as a substitute for apple sauce in my baked goods as a low sugar option; also, if a recipe calls for 3 eggs, I’ll use two and then fill one shell with chia gel and pour it in.

Try chia gel today – Enjoy!

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