Chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and some minerals essential for bone health, including calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. These can be consumed in different ways and we have given you some suggestions.
Soak 1/4 cup (40 grams) of chia seeds in 4 cups (1 liter) of water for 20–30 minutes. To give your drink some flavor, you can add chopped fruit or squeeze in a lemon, lime or orange.
Add 40 grams of chia seeds to 1 liter fruit juice and soak for half an hour to make a fruit juice that's full of fiber and minerals.
You can make chia pudding similar to chia water. For a thicker pudding texture, add more chia seeds and let the mixture soak longer. You can make this pudding with juice or milk, and then include vanilla and cocoa like in this recipe.
Chia pudding can be eaten for breakfast or as a dessert. If you don't like the texture of the seeds in the pudding, blend it all for a smoother finish.
You can add chia seeds to almost any smoothie recipe by soaking them to make chia gel before adding them to your favourite smoothie.
Many people prefer to soak chia seeds before they eat them, but you can have them raw as well. Try grinding them up and sprinkling them on your smoothie or oatmeal.
Try something different for breakfast, swap your usual cereal for chia cereal. To make chia cereal, soak the seeds overnight in milk and top it with nuts, fruit or spices like cinnamon. Here we are using mashed banana, milk and vanilla extract.
You can also add chia seeds to savory dishes like stir fries. Just add a tablespoon of seeds to your favourite stir-fry recipe.