How To Use Chia Seeds

Last Updated on August 20, 2020 by Paula

How To Use Chia Seeds

One of the easiest and most effective way to prepare chia seeds is to turn it into a gel by simply adding it to water or any preferred beverage, such as a juice or sports drink.

Chia seeds are hydrophilic, or water absorbing.

This allows it to absorb up to ten times their own weight in water.

• All you need is 2 cups of water and 1/3 cup of chia seeds.
• Add the seeds to the water and wait 15 minutes for the gel to form.
• The complex fiber structure of the seeds will absorb a lot of water, turning it into a gel.
• You won’t need to use too many seeds.  Once cup of chia seeds can absorb 6 cups of water, though more or less can be used depending on your preference.

This gel can be made in large quantities, since it is easy to store and can last for up to two weeks when refrigerated and kept in a sealed container.

This gel can be consumed on its own, or used as an additional ingredient in protein shakes, smoothies and any other blended drinks.

This gel can also be used to bulk up the nutritional value of many dishes.

It can be used as a thickener for sauces, dips, and salad dressings, can serve as a substitute binding ingredient for eggs in baked foods.  It can be mixed in equal parts with jams, jellies, and other fruit preserves.

The resulting mixture can be used to make a tasty snack packed with massive amounts of nutrition with no loss of any flavor.

The mild tasting gel will have very little impact on any dish’s flavor, making it an ideal extender.  The gel can be made in batches and then stored in plastic containers and refrigerated for up to two weeks.

Another way of preparing chia seeds is to grind it into a fine, powdery flour.

This makes it easier to mix into many other dishes, and has the effect of releasing the chia seed’s essential oils, which is mainly made up of omega-3 essential fatty acids.

All you need to do is place about half a cup of seeds into a coffee grinder and repeat as needed.

Alternatively, an old fashioned mortar and pestle can be used for those who prefer to do it manually.

Chia flour can be used just like any regular flour, be it making pancakes or baking cookies or muffins.

For those who are too busy to make any elaborate recipes, chia seeds can also be served without any preparation at all.  They can simply be sprinkled directly onto any meal.  The seeds are tiny enough to escape notice and don’t affect taste at all. Alternatively, the seeds can also be eaten directly in their raw, dry form making them the ultimate convenient health food.  The flexibility and convenience that chia seeds allow in food preparation and consumption is even more reason to consider them one of the few true superfoods.