How to Add Chia Seeds to Your Diet

Chia seeds are something you may see in different drinks, health foods, and even in yogurt. This is due to chia seeds having an enormous amount of benefits including 11 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, and 30% of the daily requirement of magnesium per serving. Though chia seeds are included in a number of foods, you may be wondering how you can include them in your own daily diet without having to buy expensive pre-mixed options. Here are a few ways you can use today.

Overnight Oats

One of the easiest ways to incorporate chia seeds into your diet is to add them in overnight oats recipes. The mistake many people make with this is to use the chia seeds with a quick cook oat. You must use regular rolled oats for the recipe to turn out properly. Remember, you can add the chia seeds at night as a topping or on top in the morning and you can heat the oatmeal if it is easier for you to digest. The seeds will become softer if you use them as part of the full overnight recipe, but can add a crunch in the morning if you choose to add them at that time. 

Juicing and Smoothies

If oatmeal isn't something you enjoy, you can consider using the chia seeds in juicing and smoothies. The concern for many people is the hard nature of the seeds and how they will break down in the smoothie or juice. If the texture is a turnoff for you, consider soaking the seeds overnight. You can do this in filtered water then drain the seeds and add them to the juice or smoothie. You can also soak the seeds in a juice if you like to give them a less watered down flavor.

Sauces

If you like a lot of pasta, even whole wheat or vegetarian versions, the you know the importance of having a sauce. Most sauces consists of pureed vegetables and other components, and chia seeds can be part of that puree. You can add them at the beginning of sauces so they break down through the cooking process or you can soak them, just like with juicing and smoothies, and add them at another point during preparation.

These are only three of the ways you can incorporate chia seeds into your own daily diet. Remember seeds,  chia or otherwise, can generally be incorporated in much the same way. So, think about how you would incorporate more common seeds and work from that point. Also, think about the ways you can incorporate them ahead of time, like in overnight oats, to reap the benefits without losing a large amount of prep time during your already busy schedule.
