Chia Seeds

[Barbara L]

When I first read that people are eating chia seeds, I thought they must have Chia Pets for brains. Then I started the Sugar Blockers Diet on Monday and I just gave in and tried them. They are good! I know they will be great added to things (over ice cream, in yogurt, in pretty much anything), but they are really okay by themselves too! Not a lot of flavor, but a slight nutty taste. I really like them!

Speaking of the Sugar Blockers Diet (not the Sugar Busters Diet from a few years ago--similar but less restrictive), I started it Monday, as I said. My blood glucose levels have been really high (for me at least) the last few months. They got as high as 165 for a fasting level and around 200 two hours after meals. I am not joking, within two hours of my first meal on this plan (scrambled eggs and bacon) my blood glucose level was 119, and they have been in the normal range since. James and I are both on the new eating plan. We aren't hungry, and so far I have lost four pounds just since Monday. WooHoo!

Anyway, back to chia seeds. There are a lot of benefits to eating them. Super high in Omega-3. They are a sugar blocker and will bring your BG levels down if you eat them before a meal with starches (this eating plan is about cutting way down on starch and blocking the sugars from starch if you do eat it). They also help to keep you "regular."

I found a 3-lb bag on ebay for $24 (free shipping) which, from everything I have seen, was a great price.

Has anyone else tried them?

 

[buckytom]

chuh chuh chuh ... no.

do you know what type of seed or sprout they are, barbara? mung bean, watercress, or something else?

i read somewhere that if you let a seed sprout, you get loads of vitamins and trace minerals from each tiny bit eaten.

 

[Dawgluver]

They're Chia seeds! Same stuff of the Pottery that Grows! I've heard they're the new super food.

 

[Barbara L]

Just chia, as far as I know. Their scientific name is Salvia hispanica L.

Per serving:

4,160 mg. Omega 3
1,370 mg. Omega 6
8 g. fiber

And James has been running around singing that silly song ever since I bought them!

 

[Dawgluver]

Do you have to grind them, like flax seed?

 

[Barbara L]

No, you eat them as is. They are tiny little things.

 

[Aunt Bea]

When using seeds it helps to give them a whirl in the blender or to crush them prior to using them. Modern humans do not tend to chew food and most seeds pass through undigested without releasing any of the healthy benefits they contain.

I am not familiar with this diet plan but for me dropping the refined sugar and starch made a huge difference in my blood sugar. Also eating the whole grain and high fiber diet seems to provide a lasting benefit that keeps my blood sugar lower even if I slip up once in a while.

Good luck with your new routine!

Now if they would just come up with exercise seeds to sprinkle on my ice cream!

 

[Barbara L]

Thanks! I am loving this plan so far! We are supposed to limit ourselves to no more than one full serving of starch a day (so far we haven't had any, but realistically I know we will want some on occasion), and if we eat a starch we are supposed to eat a sugar blocker before the starch. It is all about releasing the glucose in our foods into our body at a slower rate, which helps us get the nutrients we need, and helps our body produce the correct amount of insulin, etc. They used to think that type 2 diabetes was just a milder form of type 1, but they have discovered that while type one diabetics have low insulin, type 2 diabetics actually produce too much insulin. Our bodies just don't know what to do with it, so all the extra that can't be absorbed raises our blood glucose levels and causes our fat cells to hold the fat in rather than letting it release for energy. Absolutely fascinating book! I guess I should mention the name of the book. LOL It is "The Sugar Blockers Diet" by Rob Thompson, MD. He is a cardiologist who started studying this when he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

 

[Steve Kroll]

I add chia seeds to quick bread and muffin recipes. And smoothies, too.

I hadn't heard about the sugar blocking properties. I've mostly been using them for the omega-3 benefits, as well as a source of calcium and antioxidants.

 

[Barbara L]

I add chia seeds to quick bread and muffin recipes. And smoothies, too.

I hadn't heard about the sugar blocking properties. I've mostly been using them for the omega-3 benefits, as well as a source of calcium and antioxidants.

See, they are better for you than you even knew! And since the sugar they block is the sugar from starches, it makes perfect sense to use them in bread and muffin recipes.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Thanks! I am loving this plan so far! We are supposed to limit ourselves to no more than one full serving of starch a day (so far we haven't had any, but realistically I know we will want some on occasion), and if we eat a starch we are supposed to eat a sugar blocker before the starch. It is all about releasing the glucose in our foods into our body at a slower rate, which helps us get the nutrients we need, and helps our body produce the correct amount of insulin, etc. They used to think that type 2 diabetes was just a milder form of type 1, but they have discovered that while type one diabetics have low insulin, type 2 diabetics actually produce too much insulin. Our bodies just don't know what to do with it, so all the extra that can't be absorbed raises our blood glucose levels and causes our fat cells to hold the fat in rather than letting it release for energy. Absolutely fascinating book! I guess I should mention the name of the book. LOL It is "The Sugar Blockers Diet" by Rob Thompson, MD. He is a cardiologist who started studying this when he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

That is interesting, I will look for a copy of the book!

One thing that I have found to be true is that losing from 5% to 10% of total body weight does make a dramatic change in blood sugar.

Thanks for the information!

 

[Barbara L]

That is interesting, I will look for a copy of the book!

One thing that I have found to be true is that losing from 5% to 10% of total body weight does make a dramatic change in blood sugar.

Thanks for the information!

Yes, it does. The thing that amazed me though is that my blood glucose levels went way down (back to normal) as of the first day of the diet.

I think the only way you can get the book at the moment is through Prevention Magazine. You can order it on Amazon.com, but it won't ship until December.

 

[CWS4322]

I toss them on salad. They are the size of poppy seeds.

 

[Barbara L]

I toss them on salad. They are the size of poppy seeds.

I was going to do that tonight but we ended up not having salads. I did put some on the broccoli though, and it was really good.

 

[Barbara L]

I almost forgot, I used them in our dessert tonight as well. So good! I chopped up some fresh strawberries and sprinkled a little sugar on them. Then I stirred plain Greek yogurt in well. I put it in the refrigerator while we had supper, then before serving I sprinkled some chia seeds on top.

Dry, the texture reminded me of eating something like sesame seeds (but a different flavor.).

In the yogurt the texture of the chia seeds was like kiwi fruit seeds.

 

[4meandthem]

I will be looking for these today at the super.

 

[MostlyWater]

I get a bag of them at Whole Foods for when I make granola. I've been eating them for about a year now.

Therre is also a brand new cookbook called Chia from Wayne Coates which I got from the library.

 

[Barbara L]

I'll have to see if my library can get it!

 

[buckytom]

chuh chuh chuh library.

chuh chuh chuh reading.

chuh chuh chuh quiet.

chuh chuh chuh free books.

un-less you're la-zy

and don't re- turnthem.

chuh chuh chuh sorry...

can't stop chee-ah...

 

[CWS4322]

I get them at the bulk food store.