Enjoy the versatile flavor of superfood chia seeds

Don’t worry about whether chia seeds are an IQ tax anymore - its high dietary fiber and high Omega-3 fatty acid content are facts verified by nutrition, and there is almost no threshold for consumption. Whether it is sweet or salty, cold food or hot drink, just sprinkle two spoons on it and it will not go against the grain. It is a truly versatile daily nutritional supplement.

Speaking of which, I first bought chia seeds, which were planted by bloggers during my fat loss period three years ago. At that time, I thought they could only be soaked in yogurt, but I didn’t expect that the more I played with them, the more they became more and more expensive. At first, I threw two spoonfuls of hot soy milk into it when I was in the morning. After I washed up and changed clothes, it had already soaked up a translucent gel-like texture. When I bit it open, it still had a slight nutty aroma. It was not inconsistent with the glutinous texture. It had more texture than drinking pure soy milk. I was not so hungry that I scratched my head and liver looking for snacks all morning.

Of course, some people say that chia seeds are not useful. A friend of mine bought a can and ate it once and then threw it away. He said that his throat was irritated and his stomach was bloated. In fact, the chia seeds themselves cannot be blamed. It is enough for normal adults to eat 10-15g a day, which is the amount of two ordinary spoons. You pour half a cup into water at a time. After soaking, it will swell to a full bowl. It will be strange if it does not bloat after eating. As for the ones that scratch your throat, most of them are chewed raw before soaking. Even if it is an iced drink, it will soften after being thrown in for three to five minutes. Hot drinks can be soaked in two minutes, and there will be no problem of irritating the mouth at all.

As for the most controversial statement "Omega-3 conversion rate is low and useless", there are indeed different opinions in the nutrition circle: one group believes that the Omega-3 in chia seeds belongs to ALA, and the conversion efficiency into DHA/EPA that can be directly used by the human body is only 0. Between 5% and 5%, the price-performance ratio is not high; the other group believes that for vegetarians, semi-vegetarians, or office workers who rarely eat deep-sea fish on a daily basis, chia seeds are a very convenient source of supplements - after all, you can't just eat salmon every day to supplement some nutrition, right? Some people talk about calories, saying that 100g of chia seeds has nearly 500 calories, which is higher than rice. But who would eat 100g at one time? Two scoops of 10g only have 50 calories, which is lower in calories than half a cookie. It also contains more than 3g of dietary fiber. It is cost-effective no matter how you calculate it.

I always carry a small bag of packaged chia seeds in my commuter bag. I rushed to buy an iced Americano in the morning, poured it in and shook it twice. When I got to work, I just brewed a smooth texture. It tasted a little more chewy than the ordinary Americano, and even the problem of drinking coffee was cured. Last time I made taro puree cups, I spread a layer of taro puree and sprinkled a layer of chia seeds, then poured a layer of iced coconut milk, and took it out of the ice for two hours. The glutinous taro puree is paired with slippery chia seeds, and the texture is full of layers. It is more delicious than the one that sells for 38 a cup in a dessert shop, and you can control the amount of sugar.

It is true that it is versatile. I even tried to sprinkle a spoonful of it when eating snail noodles. Soaked in the hot soup, it became soft and full of hot and sour soup flavor. It went well with it unexpectedly. I went camping with my friends last week, and someone brought sparkling water and lime. I took out the chia seeds and poured it in, adding half a spoonful of honey and mixing it well. It was a chia seed-lime sparkling drink sold in a coffee shop outside for 28 a cup. The salty drinker who was traveling with me didn’t like sweet drinks, so he sprinkled the chia seeds in the braised beef and cold cucumbers he brought. He said that it was crunchy and more fragrant than sesame seeds, which made a group of us look stupid.

I have been in a trap before. I was greedy and bought ground chia seed powder. It smelled bad after only half a month. I later learned that the unsaturated fatty acids in chia seeds are easy to oxidize. After grinding, they should be sealed and stored in the refrigerator. They should be eaten within a week. On the contrary, whole chia seeds can be stored in a cool and dry place for half a year. It is very convenient to use at any time.

Actually, when I eat chia seeds now, I don’t even know how to count the grams, nor do I know how to make complicated recipes. I add a handful when cooking multi-grain rice, throw in two spoonfuls when making milkshakes, and even add them to chiffon cakes to increase the taste. Eating healthy ingredients shouldn’t be a burden, right? If you like the chewy or crunchy texture, just add it. If you don’t like it, there’s no need to force it. After all, when it comes to eating, happiness is the most important thing. If you can supplement some nutrition along the way, that’s a profit.