9 amazing uses for the ancient Inca superfood chia seeds

A lot of people love the nutritional profile of chia seeds -- the legendary Inca superfood -- but they don't necessarily know all the amazing different ways to use chia in their own diets and recipes.

I use chia seeds every day in smoothies and other recipes, and I've found chia to be one of the most versatile superfoods ever cultivated.

9 ways to use chia while improving your nutrition

#1) Blend into any smoothie

Chia seeds are easily blended into any smoothie. Just toss a scoop of them into your existing smoothie recipe and let 'em blend with the other ingredients!

Because chia seeds have a "neutral" taste, they go well with fruit smoothies, chocolate smoothies and even dessert blends.

#2) Sprinkle onto yogurt or ice cream

Okay, I don't really eat yogurt or ice cream, but if I did, I would sprinkle chia seeds and hemp seeds on top. This boosts the omega-3 content of your treat and adds variety and texture to your meal.

#3) Add to any bread or baking recipe

Chia seeds are easily added to any homemade bread or baking recipe, including gluten-free mixes. The addition of chia increases the nutritional density of any recipe while also reducing the glycemic index due to the gelatinous outer coating naturally found on all chia seeds.

#4) Make healthy chia-flax crackers using a food dehydrator

If you've ever made flax crackers, you know how this works. But adding chia seeds to the recipe can improve the flavor and texture while adding more nutrients to the mix. Get yourself a food dehydrator and make some chia-flax crackers!

#5) Add to homemade granola or trail mix recipes

If you make any of your own granola or trail mix recipes, chia seeds are the perfect ingredient because they contain significant quantities of omega-3 oils. That makes them very valuable and unique in any recipe. Plus, they're fun to crunch!

#6) Sprout the chia in your home sprouter

If you have a sprouting tray or system, you can also sprout chia seeds at home and eat the sprouts! I eat sprouts every day (actually I blend them into smoothies), and while chia sprouts are a little unusual, they're also very delicious.

#7) Use with a Blender Bottle and superfood powder to make an amazing portable superfood

I love using Blender Bottles with powders when I travel. Simply pre-load a Blender Bottle with your favorite superfood powders and add some chia seeds. Wherever you are, you can simply add water and shake to make an instant superfood meal. The chia seeds provides a "long burn time" energy source that helps you go longer between meals.

#8) Add to any tea to make a "chia texture" tea drink

Here's a use very people have tried yet: Add a scoop of chia seeds to any tea beverage, then allow it to sit while the chia seeds absorb water. Within a few hours, the entire glass will become a "chia slurry" with seeds that resemble tapioca. You can drink this mixture as a delicious, low-glycemic beverage. In China and Taiwan, a similar recipe is used to make "Milk Pearl Tea."

#9) Make a cold chia cereal using buckwheat, chia, oats and freeze-dried fruits

Chia also allows you to make your own superfood cereal by combining sprouted buckwheat groats, chia seeds, rolled oats (or other similar grain) and freeze-dried fruits. To make it sweeter, add some organic coconut sugar.

[Source: naturalnews.com]