Chia, as an ingredient, is a dieter's dream food. There are limitless ways to incorporate the Chia seed into your diet. Chia must be prepared with pure water before using in recipes. The seed will absorb 9 times its weight in water in less than 10 minutes and is very simple to prepare.
Food Extender/Calorie Displacer: The optimum ratio of water to seed, for most recipes, is 9 part water to 1 part seed. One pound of seed will make 10 pounds of Chia gel. This is the most unique structural quality of the Chia seed. The seed's water absorbing saturated cells hold the water, so when it is mixed with foods, it displaces calories and fat without diluting flavor. In fact, because Chia gel displaces rather than dilutes, it creates more surface area and can actually enhance the flavor rather than dilute it. Chia gel also works as a fat replacement for many recipes.
Making Chia Gel (9 to 1 ratio):
Put water in a seal able plastic container and slowly pour seed into water while briskly mixing with a wire risk. This process will avoid any clumping of seed.
Wait a couple of minutes, whisk again and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
Whisk again before using or storing in refrigerator (gel will keep up to 2 weeks).
You can add this mix to jams, jellies, hot or cold cereals, yogurts, mustard, ketchup, tartar sauce, BBQ sauce, etc.
Add the gel, between 50% to 75% by volume, to any of the non-bake mentioned foods, mix well and taste.
You will notice a very smooth texture with the integrity of the flavour intact.
In addition to adding up to 50% to 75% more volume to the foods used, you have displaced calories and fat by incorporating an ingredient that is 90% water.
Use as a fat replacement (the oil in Chia seeds is a good source of Omega 3 and Omega 6), for energy and endurance, or for added great taste, by substituting the oil in your breads with Chia gel.
Top your favorite bread dough before baking with Chia gel for added shelf life.
For topping on baked goods, breads, cookies, pie crust, etc., reduce the water ratio to 8 parts water to 1 part Chia seed.
Chia seed, having a qualitatively unique situational richness along with a profound nutritive profile is one of man's most useful and beneficial foods and is destined to be the Ancient Food of the Future.
This was found on the following link, which you could log on to for more information:
http://www.living-foods.com/articles/chia.html
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I bought the "ground" chia seed from a local wholefoods store, they told me by being ground, my body would get more about of the contents of the seeds rather than having my body "grind" them out on its own.
ReplyDeleteI was just wondering what your thoughts are on which type of chia seed is better: ground or non-grounud.... Based on your blog, in the ground state the chia seends don't "expand" in volume...so do you think that means I won't get as "full" after eating them?
Any thougths are appreciated. Thanks!
Chia seeds are not sold ground here, and I believe that they shouldn't be ground, unless YOU put them in a shake where they will ground with the other ingredients.
ReplyDeleteIn comparison, flax seeds HAVE to be ground to be assimilated by the body, but NOT the Chia seeds.
What I posted was new to me as well, since I learned about the Chia gel, and that it can be used as a fat replacement in baking.