Recommended by a friend, while I was searching around for ways to help boost brain function in my kids. Particularly, Olivia (now 7) who was diagnosed at age 6 with ADD (lacking the hyperactivity component). I'd done research regarding what nutrients are important for children with attention disorders, dha being very high on the list. DHA, docosahexaenoic acid, is an omega 3 fatty acid (just a few excellent sources include: chia, fish oil, flax and seaweed) which is a key element in the growth and development of the central nervous system. DHA is readily found in breastmilk (and now formula companies who have focused in on the importance of DHA).
A few other important minerals, supplements for attention disorders include magnesium and zinc and vitamin B-complex.
So back to chia, once I'd heard about chia seeds I started to of course do research on it's properties, nutritional value, importance in the human diet. I found that chia contain copious amounts of calcium, magnesium and zinc (score!), omega 3s easily converted to dha (double score!), fiber (can never go wrong with a little extra fiber in your diet), potassium, antioxidants and iron. This is like a wonderfood! Check here for a little bit of chia history and more info regarding it's nutritive properties.
Not only did I discover this important food for my family, I discovered that it's wonderful for distance runners. Providing nutrients and their hydrophilic properties allow the body retain hydration (because the seeds can retain 12 times their weight in water) and sustain electrolyte balance.
Our daily Agua Chia
premixed chia gel (2c water mixed with 1/3c dry seeds, whisk constantly for 10min or so)
Mix with lemonade
you'll have to give your glass a swirl from time to time to redistribute your chia as they like to coagulate near the top of your glass
Enjoy your superfood!
No comments:
Post a Comment