Why You Want to Be Eating Chia Seeds

Julia Bainbridge
·Food Editor
Updated

Sarah Britton is a Toronto-born, Copenhagen-based holistic nutritionist. Her blog, My New Roots, has earned her the title of Quinoa Queen, but as we learned when talking to her for our new year’s health series, Britton’s knowledge goes way beyond ancient grains. And no, we’re not going to talk about kale, either.

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Photo credit: Sarah Britton

You heard about them in the early ’90s, and then poof! you heard of them no more (well, except from your uncle Hank who lives with his crystal collection). But now, chia seeds are cool again. Here’s why, according to nutritionist Sarah Britton:

1. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and calcium. They also provide complete protein.

2. They are jam-packed with antioxidants, so much so that the seeds don¹t deteriorate (meaning they can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid). Take that, flax seeds!

3. Mixed with water, chia seeds form a gel that’s great for your digestive tract. (We’ll let Britton tell you more about that one.)

So start incorporating them into your diet: stir them into juice or oatmeal, or add them to salad dressing. And check out My New Roots for Britton’s Chia Rhubarb Apricot Muffin recipe.