Chia Seeds for workout fuel?

I was reading a great article from Kimberly Snyder on the best workout foods and I wanted to share. Most of us turn to vitamin water, Gatorade drinks, muscle milk or protein bars before a workout but all those chemicals, additives and sugar are not helping our body recover. And we know the best sources of energy come from nature. Next time why don't you give Chia Seeds a try?

Yes, I’m talking about the same thing you may only have heard of from the “Chia Pet” phenomenon. Well the good news is that you need not grow a “Chia Ram” to get more energy, you just have to soak them and make them into a gel, which will serve as your power workout and beauty gel. You can get chia seeds at your local health market. They’re definitely getting more popular and are pretty common these days.


By weight, chia seeds contain more omega 3 fats than salmon, and more calcium than whole milk (which we don’t really assimilate well anyway from dairy, but that is another topic!), along with antioxidants. Chia seeds contain all essential amino acids, making them a complete protein. They also contain important minerals like magnesium and boron. High in both soluble and insoluble fiber, chia seeds also helps promote fullness, without feeling too heavy, and ongoing cleansing.


Before a workout or to ward off sugar or other cravings try this recipe from The Beauty Detox Solution:

1/4 cup raw organic chia seeds
1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
1/2 TB raw cacao powder
1 tsp stevia

Place chia seeds in a bowl. Blend almond milk, cacao and stevia in the blender until well mixed and until the desired sweetness is reached. Pour over chia seeds and mix well. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before mixing again and serving (recipe serves 1)

*Chia sees gel when wet and when in our digestive systems, this gel prevents absorption of the food (and calories) that we eat.  They are also great for those of us looking to lose some lbs.