Sunday AM Sweetness: Chia Seed Pudding

At the end of the weekend, odds are you may wake up feeling groggy, dehydrated, and in need of something sweet and fresh to perk you back up. Well, if that's the case, or you find yourself craving a refreshing, healthful breakfast, look no further. I present to you easy-to-make, 6-ingredient-only Chia Seed Pudding. 

Chia seeds are a whole grain "superfood," usually grown organically, non-GMO, and naturally free of gluten. Despite their tiny size, chia seeds are packed with nutrients. Each seed is loaded with fiber, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids*, and various micronutrients. The word "chia" even means "strength" in the Mayan language, and the Aztec warriors would feed them to runners for fuel and endurance in battle. 

Recently, a recent double-blind, randomized control study (a research gold standard!) studied chia seed effects on seventy-seven overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes.  After 6-months on a calorie-restricted diet with either chia seeds or an oat bran-control, the chia seed diet group lost more weight than the control, had a greater waist size reduction, reduced inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein), and increase in adiponectin, the satiety (or fullness) hormone [1]. 

                                                    [Image from: https://draxe.com/chia-seeds-benefits-side-effects/]

To get the most benefit of the seeds, they should be ground or soaked. Luckily (or not!), this recipe calls for soaking the chia seeds in coconut milk for 30 minutes. 

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 2 cups coconut milk, vanilla-flavored (or if regular coconut milk, add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup diced strawberries (or blueberries, blackberries, or combination). 

Directions:

• Place chia seeds in a bowl. 
• Whisk together coconut milk, honey, cinnamon, and salt together in a separate bowl. Pour over chia seeds and stir well. Allow coconut milk-chia seed mixture to soak until thickened, at least 20 minutes (or cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight). 
• Stir pudding and top with strawberries (or berry selection of your choice)!

*Chia seeds contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is converted to omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the body. 

References:

1. Vuksan V, et al. Salba-chia (Salvia hispanica L.) in the treatment of overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes: A double-blind randomized controlled trial. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2017 Feb;27(2):138-146. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2016.11.124. Epub 2016 Dec 9.