Healthy Recipes Blog Carnival - Chia Seeds

Welcome to my first Healthy Recipes Blog Carnival! This month's featured ingredient is Chia Seeds.

So what is Chia and what is so special about it?

Chia has been around for more than 5,000 years and was a staple in the diet of Aztecs and Mayans; both of which have impressed the modern world with their forward thinking. The word Chia is actually the Mayan for ‘strength’. Chia seeds are considered a super-food because they deliver the maximum amount of nutrients with minimum calories. Some of the awesome nutritional benefits of chia include;

• particularly high amounts of fiber
• rich source of omega 3 fatty acids
• high in calcium
• high in antioxidants
• great source of protein

Chia absorbs up to 12 times its own weight and expands to curb your appetite, so adding just an ounce or so of chia seeds to your diet can reduce caloric intake and help lower the energy density (or calories) of foods – seriously, what’s not to like…?

Just like any food or produce; make sure you are getting 100% Chia seeds from a quality reliable source!

Here are some awesome ways to enjoy Chia in your diet; experiment and enjoy…Just click on the links below to see the full recipe details;

Lemon, Basil & Chia Salad Dressing by Me!
Healthy Chocolate Milkshake by Michelle from Prevention Kitchen
Almond & Apple Overnight Oats by Helen from What Happened Next...
Fall Chia Porridge with Apples, Pomegranates & Avocado by Lina from Fresh n Crunchy
Green Monster Protein Smoothie by Jill from Fitness, Health & Happiness
Coconut Chia Protein Brownie by Amber from ExSoycise - My Soy-Free Fitness Journey

Thanks everyone for taking part in my first Blog Carnival - there are some fabulous looking recipes there that I'm looking forward to trying out! Join me next month for the next Healthy Recipes Blog Carnival - the featured ingredient will be posted soon and recipes will be posted on 15th April!