8 Reasons You’re Probably Eating Chia Seeds Wrong

Welcome to the year 2020. While it’s a brand new year, everyone is singing the same old song: “This will be the year that I eat healthy.”

Our advice: don’t just say it, do it! The key is finding ingredients and recipes that are both tasty and diet-friendly.

Chia seeds may be the ultimate weapon in your healthy eating arsenal. Unfortunately, many people are eating these seeds the wrong way and jeopardizing their health!

With this guide, though, you can eat chia seeds the right way. You’ll be getting healthier with every bite and finally, make “new year, new me” a reality!

Not Eating the Right Amount

One of the main ways most people eat chia seeds wrong comes down to the amount. Think of this as the Goldilocks problem: you’re either eating too much of it or not enough. The goal is to get everything “just right.”

Eating too many chia seeds is dangerous because these seeds will expand inside your body. This can lead to internal discomfort and, in extreme cases, it can lead to seeds being lodged inside your throat.

However, it’s a mistake if you aren’t eating very many seeds or skipping them altogether. This is because they have a number of benefits in terms of regularity and even weight loss. The right amount of chia seeds to maximize their health benefits is 1.5 tablespoons twice a day.

Fiber Plan

Chia seeds are yummy enough to eat just for fun. But if you need to feel a bit more regular, you might want to up your seed intake!

To stay healthy, you should get at least 20 grams of fiber a day. And you can safely go as high as 35 grams. But most Americans are lucky to get 12 grams of fiber a day, leading to problems with health and digestion.

This is where chia seeds come in. A single ounce of these seeds contains a whopping 11 grams of fiber! That means adding an ounce a day can boost you into the healthy fiber range. Your body will thank you for this later.

Not Part of Your Diet Plan

Most weight loss plans include some kind of change in diet. But if your new diet doesn’t include a controlled amount of chia seeds, you’re really missing out.

Chia seeds help with weight loss for a couple of reasons. We’ve already mentioned one of them: the high fiber content. Regular fiber in your diet boosts both digestion and weight loss.

The second reason is that seeds effectively take up extra space in your stomach. A single seed can absorb up to 27 times its own weight. While you should be careful about how much you consume, the bottom line is that chia seeds will make you feel fuller faster.

Ultimately, you’ll end up eating less because of chia seeds!

Never Eat Chia Seeds Dry

For most foods, there is not a wrong way to eat them. There are simply some ways that are better than others.

However, for chia seeds, there is one method of consumption that remains wrong: eating them dry.

Chia seeds don’t expand until they are wet. Therefore, it’s easy to eat too many of them and end up with a stomach or throat in some serious pain.

That’s why we have some killer chia seed recipe ideas below. These ideas help you avoid eating dry seeds while still enjoying a filling and healthy snack.

Pudding Power

Chia seed pudding is surprisingly yummy. It makes for a great breakfast item or mid-afternoon snack. If nothing else, it serves as a solid replacement for eating yet another cup of yogurt.

All it takes is 2 cups of coconut milk, half a cup of chia seeds, some vanilla extract and some maple syrup. With this, you can whip up some pudding that tastes so good that you’ll forget you’re eating something nice and healthy!

Make this a regular part of your breakfast routine for an easy morning fiber boost.

Better Off… Bread?

Breading is one of the guiltier pleasures of cooking. Sure, the skin may be the unhealthiest part of fried chicken, but it sure is the tastiest part.

Fortunately, chia seeds let you have it both ways. Why? Because you can use them to bread chicken and other yummy foods.

With this trick, you can add a tasty crunch to healthy foods. In fact, you can make some gluten-free meals that make every bite feel like you’re on a cheat day.

Chia breading also makes for a stealthy way to trick kids into healthy eating habits.

Better When Baked

By themselves, chia seeds don’t have a ton of flavor. You can use this to your benefit by putting them into bread and other baked goods.

The simple addition of the seeds won’t upset the taste of your favorite foods. However, the seeds add all of the fiber and weight-loss benefits that we touched on earlier.

If you want to really kick your fiber up a notch, try baking some seeds into some homemade granola bars.

Your New Jam

Chia seeds make for a surprisingly good jam. The reason is simple: because they expand in liquid, these seeds provide a shortcut for crafting yummy jam.

Take 2 tablespoons of seeds, a pound of fruit, and a quarter cup of maple syrup. Put it all together and you get something that is both sweet and healthy. Put some of it on your bread or bagels for a surprisingly decadent delight.