Chia seeds are a great source of omega 3 to easily add to your diet.
(Want to find out more about omega 3s? Send me a comment and let me know)
A few ways to use them: sprinkle them on your salad – add them to your oatmeal or other cereal – add them to smoothies or shakes – stir them in to yogurt. My favorite way is on my toast; I put almond butter and a little jam on my toast and them liberally top with chia seeds.
Make sure you drink plenty of water when you eat chia seeds. They are hydrophilic; they absorb water (and lots of it) – up to 30 times their weight in water. Some people like to stir chia seeds into water and make a chia “gel” that they add to juices and smoothies.
They can be purchased rather inexpensively from a number of places. I purchase mine on Amazon using the subscribe and save method to get a good deal on a 3 lb. package – 3 lb.s of chia seed is A LOT!
Want to know more about chia seeds or anything else in this post? Let me know with a comment!
Why do I need omega 3?
Great question! Omega 3s are one type of fatty acid. Fatty acids are essential to your health – and you can’t make omega 3s – you have to get them from the foods you eat.
There are many beneficial health effects from omega 3 fatty acids (think of these as certain kinds of oils – there will be an upcoming post with more info about omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids).
You need adequate intake of omega 3s for the proper functioning of several of your body’s systems, but the best thing about omega 3s is that they seem to protect your body from damage in many areas – including inflammation, cardiovascular issues, and possible connection to certain cancers.