28 Jul How to Eat Chia Seeds for Weight Loss –Recipes and Benefits
Native to South America, chia seeds are considered as a modern day healthy super food, and they belong to the mint family. Although they were used as staple food many years ago in some parts of the world, they were unnoticed for a while due to their ban. Chia seeds are highly nutritious and provide a considerable amount of energy. Recently, they have been quite popular for their use as a weight loss ingredient. People are considering chia seeds as an important part of a daily diet and we shall discuss about it further in detail.
How do Chia Seeds Help in Weight Loss?
Chia seeds contain a number of properties which are useful in weight and fat loss. Let us discuss about the important facts on how exactly chia seeds help in losing weight.
Keeps you full
Consuming highly nutritious chia seeds in the middle of main meals can help you feel full, which would ultimately help you eat less during your meals. When mixed with a liquid, chia seeds convert into a gel, which slows down the absorption of carbohydrates in your digestive system. This will help you to reduce your food cravings and will also keep you full at the same time.
Provides energy
Consuming chia seeds provide a boost in energy, which is helpful in a number of ways. You can exercise more and follow your diet meticulously in this manner. More energy levels will help you to exercise more and hence burn more calories and increase your metabolic rate. This will in turn help you to lose weight quickly and effectively.
High fibre content
Chia seeds have high fibre content, approximately 10 grams per 2 tablespoons. A high fibre diet is associated with weight loss. When you consume more fibre, the chances are that you can lose weight efficiently. Consuming 2 tablespoons of chia seeds can account to 40% of your daily fibre intake.
High protein content
High protein content in chia seeds would help you to build more lean muscle, which burn away the accumulated fat. As we know, a toned body gives out a slimmer look, which would only be possible after building muscles, which would burn out the fat. According to this study, high protein foods also help in reducing 60% night time cravings.
Rich in leptin
Along with protein, chia seeds are also helpful in reducing sugar cravings, staying hydrated and improve stamina. Leptin is an essential component present in chia seeds which is helpful in reducing appetite, which would ultimately help you eat less and not exceed the daily caloric intake.
Detoxification of body
We all know by know how detoxification helps in clearing off all the waste from the body and feeling lighter. Chia seeds are rich in antioxidants and they help in flushing out all the toxic waste from the body, which helps in debloating and losing weight.
Best Way to Consume Chia Seeds- Recipes and Ways
There are specific ways of consuming chia seeds. Usually, soaked chia seeds are sprinkled on recipes from top instead of using it as a powder form by crushing it in a mixer. Whether it is a smoothie or coriander juice or any other recipe, soaked chia seeds are sprinkled on the top and used as dressing.
So, the various ways and recipes in which you can consume chia seeds are as follows.
Chia seeds with water – I prefer this
This is the simplest way to consume chia seeds with getting hydrated at the same time. Put 1 tablespoon of chia seeds in water and let it soak sometime (1 hour). Add lemon juice and salt or black salt to enhance its taste and weight loss characteristic. Drink it in the morning to feel fuller and energised.
Chia seeds in coriander juice
We have discussed previously how coriander helps in detoxification of the body and how it can be used with chia seeds to boost the weight loss mechanism. Along with it, coriander is also helpful in reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
To prepare chia seeds with coriander juice, you will need: 1 bunch coriander leaves, chopped ginger, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of chia seeds.
Method: Crush chia seeds into a fine powder in a blender. Crush coriander leaves and ginger separately. Add water, lemon juice and chia seeds powder to it and mix well until they form a proper juice.
You can also add soaked chia seeds on the top of the coriander juice if you don’t want to use it as a powder form.
Banana and chia seeds smoothie
Smoothies are one of the tastiest options to gain nutritional benefits and lose weight. To gain the maximum use out of chia seeds, you can also add them to a number of smoothies. I shall now discuss of how to use chia seeds in one of the smoothies, which is banana smoothie.
You will need: 1 banana, 1 cup of skimmed milk, 1 tablespoon chia seeds powder, ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder and 1 tablespoon honey (optional).
Method: Cut one whole banana into pieces. You can also use frozen banana. Blend the banana and milk in a blender. Add soaked chia seeds and also cinnamon powder to enhance the slimming property and taste. You can also add honey if you want to enhance its taste further.
You can also use chia seeds in various other smoothie recipes such as apple and chia seeds smoothie, kiwi, pineapple chia seeds smoothie, mango, orange and chia seeds smoothie and spinach, kiwi and chia seeds smoothie. You can also mix and match various compatible ingredients along with chia seeds to produce new smoothie recipes.
Chia seeds with oats
Chia seeds can also be taken along with your daily breakfast, the best options of them all being oatmeal. To prepare oatmeal, boil 250 ml of milk and add oats to it. Let it cook for a while. Sprinkle soaked chia seeds over it. They would not only enhance the taste of the oatmeal but will also benefit you in losing weight. You can also add crushed chia seeds in the form of a powder in the oatmeal if you do not want to consume soaked chia seeds with it.
Chia seeds with low fat yogurt
If you crave for sweet during your diet and exercise regime, you can any day opt for low fat yogurt as a dessert. To make it healthier, you can sprinkle some soaked chia seeds over it. There are several healthy yogurt recipes, which include green apple slices with low fat yogurt, bananas and yogurt or a combination of various fruits such as bananas, grapes, pineapple and pomegranate seeds infused with yogurt. You can simply have plain yogurt with chia seeds on it, or any of the simple recipes discussed above.
Chia seeds dressed fruit salad
Again, a fruit salad can be prepared using versatility of the various fruits that are available. Simply chop off some apple pieces, pear and banana. Add either powdered chia seeds over it or soaked chia seeds to it. There are various other delicious fruit salad combinations such as pomegranate seeds, pineapple pieces and orange pieces. Mix them well and top it off with dry or soaked chia seeds. As I said earlier, you can experiment with several fruits to create new recipes and consume them with chia seeds.
Chia debloating drink
This detoxification drink helps in eliminating toxins from the body, as well as helping you to reduce the bloating which is causing unnecessary weight gain and making you look fat. Along with it, this drink also helps in covering the fibre intake according to the daily requirement.
You will need: 4 ounces of coconut water, 2 tablespoons chia seeds and 1 teaspoon of supergreens
Method: Mix all the ingredients, coconut water, super greens and chia seeds together and stir well.
This drink has been recently quite popular for its effective weight loss results and health benefits. Try it for yourself to boost your weight loss mechanism.
You can simply add soaked chia seeds on anything you eat to increase its filling effect and boost in weight loss. Chia seeds are quite versatile in use and they can be easily used in any type of recipe. A complete experimentation can create healthy recipes which were never thought about. Just make sure that you do not exceed the daily limit of chia seeds consumption, which is 15 grams per day. Also, remember to soak chia seeds before consumption if you want to take them in a whole form.
Chia Seeds Consumption Daily Limit and Best Time To Eat
Over consumption of chia seeds have known to cause several side effects. So it is important to take care of the amount of chia seeds that you consume. The recommend daily intake of chia seeds is around 1 tablespoon, which accounts to around 14 grams. It will also help in fulfilling the daily requirement for Omega- 3s. Make sure that you do not exceed the daily limit.
The best time to eat chia seeds is in the morning. Chia seeds provide a fuller effect and reduce unhealthy food cravings, which will help you to eat fewer calories during the day.
Why Should You Soak Chia Seeds Before Use?
Soaking chia seeds is not only safe, but will help you to gain its nutrients easily. When chia seeds are soaked in water, they develop a gelatinous coating over them, which help them to move in the digestive tract easily.
Also, whole chia seeds are difficult to swallow. When the seeds are soaked, they expand and thus give a filing effect in your stomach, which is otherwise not possible with dry chia seeds. Gulping down water after consuming a spoon of dry chia seeds is not going to make them expand. Soaked chia seeds also help in decreasing cholesterol and blood sugar spikes, along with keeping you hydrated. Another advantage of soaked chia seeds is that it helps in clearing out the toxic waste which is built in the digestive tract.
Hence, it is suggested to always soak chia seeds before consumption.
To soak them, you can either leave them in water overnight in a mason jar or simply before 2-3 hours of using them. Make sure to shake them properly with water and leave them in the refrigerator.
Note – My Personal experience is that, consuming a large quantity of chia seeds in powder form can cause constipation. So always soak chia seeds an hour before using them.
Nutrition Facts of Chia Seeds
Packed with nutrients, chia seeds provide a number of health benefits and are an important source of Omega-3 fatty acids. It helps in raising the good cholesterol, which is known as HDL, and it helps in preventing heart attack.
It is also high in fibre and protein, which is important for a healthy body and proper digestive system. Along with it, chia seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium.
One ounce (28 grams) of chia seeds contain:
Calories: 137
Protein: 4.4 g
Fat: 8.6 g
Carbohydrates: 12.3 g
Fibre: 10.6 g
Calcium: 177 mg
Copper: 0.1 mg
Phosphorus: 265 mg
Manganese: 0.6 mg
Potassium: 44.8 mg
Note:
1g carbs= 4 Calories
1g Protein= 4 Calories
1g Fat= 9 Calories
If you are following a 1200 calories diet then 50% of your calories must come from carbohydrates, 20% from protein, and 30% from the fat. Therefore, plan your diet accordingly.
Chia seeds were, and are one of the healthiest food items available today. No wonder they are termed as a ‘superfood’ these days. With the right direction and way of usage, you can gain the maximum benefits out of chia seeds, which would help you lose weight along with gaining a healthy body in various aspects.
Also, the use of chia seeds is quite versatile. You can use it with any recipe or combine it with any type of course, be it breakfast, lunch or a healthy dessert. You can start by consuming chia seeds in a low quantity because they are rich in fibre and gradually increase it. Make sure not to exceed the intake by 1-1.5 tablespoons. It will help you in preventing aging, boosting metabolism, gaining stronger bones, losing weight, preventing cancer and a healthy digestive system. We recommend you to start your chia seeds consumption from today itself!
NOTE - Friends, I am not dietitian or Doctor, I write information here on the basis of my own 25 kilo weight loss experience and sometimes from online research. Please take doctor advice before applying any tip, as each and every human body is different.
No Comments