Seeds: Flax & Chia
Last week I highlighted one of my favorites seeds, hemp hearts! Today, I’m talking about two types of seeds because they have a lot of similarities: flaxseeds and chia seeds.
These tiny seeds are loaded with nutrients and easy to add to the foods you are already eating! To obtain the maximum benefits, whole flaxseeds should be ground before eating. Chia seeds don’t need to be ground and can be eaten raw, but are more commonly mixed with a liquid which turns them into a gel.
Ground flaxseeds (front) and chia seeds (back).
Nutrition highlights - ground flaxseeds
Per 2 tbsp:
70 calories
3 grams of protein
4 grams of unsaturated fat
4 grams of carbohydrate - 3 grams of this is dietary fiber!
Nutrition highlights - chia seeds
Per 2 tbsp:
130 calories
6 grams of protein
6.5 grams of unsaturated fat
10 grams of carbohydrate - ALL of this is dietary fiber!
Health benefits
Both ground flaxseeds and chia seeds are:
Low in carbs
High in fiber
Low in calories
Great plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids
Sources of important minerals, such as selenium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and manganese
Ground flaxseeds are a great addition to yogurt!
Why is fiber so important?
Fiber does so many great things to keep your body healthy. Most Americans don’t get enough fiber, which can lead to a variety of health issues. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that men get 38 grams and women get 25 grams of fiber daily.
Eating just 2 tablespoons of chia seeds gives you 10 grams of fiber, demonstrating that this seed is a nutrition powerhouse!
Benefits of fiber:
Keeps your digestive system healthy
Stabilizes blood sugar levels
Lowers cholesterol
Can help you achieve/maintain a healthy weight
Fills you up!
Adding ground flaxseeds and chia seeds to your diet
Sprinkle on yogurt
Mix into hot cereal, cold cereal, or overnight oats
Blend into smoothies
Add to granola - this is my favorite recipe, which uses chia seeds
Make crackers - I like this recipe, which uses ground flaxseeds
Make chia seed pudding
Sprinkle on top of avocado or nut butter toast
Mix into baked goods - when making muffins, I often replace some of the flour with ground flaxseeds
Ground flaxseeds and chia seeds can also be used to replace eggs in baked goods.
For one “egg”, stir 1 tbsp chia seeds or ground flaxseeds into 2 1/2-3 tbsp warm water.
Let sit for 5 minutes.
Add to your baked good recipe as you would an egg!
Chia pudding made with coconut milk and topped with blackberries, peanut butter, and a bit of maple syrup!
Storage
Like hemp hearts, both chia seeds and ground flaxseeds will last longer if stored in the fridge or freezer. I like to buy whole flaxseeds in bulk (it’s cheaper!), then grind in a blender or food processor all at once and store in the freezer until needed.
I’d love to hear about your favorite ways to eat chia and flaxseeds, please leave a comment below!
