Benefits of chia seeds for athletes and dieters – pure2raw

Benefits of chia seeds for athletes and dieters

Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 05:55 PM

Hello Everyone

Today we experimented with a new pre-workout meal. We knew chia seeds were a great superfood but we did not look at them for power. We did a post about our favorite pre-workout meal, and then on twitter (follow us @Pure2Raw) we asked what were people’s favorite pre-workout meal? And Brandon from Brandon’s Marathon told us he likes chia seeds. Hummm

So today we tried chia seeds. We made a mush, if you would like, made up of coconut flakes, coconut oil, sea salt, maple syrup, almonds, dates, spriulina, and CHIA SEEDS! Warning: Please do not judge by appearance!

Yummy pre-workout snack

It was so good and really did give us a boost in our workout. Also, both of us were not as sore as we thought we would be from our calisthenics and jump training yesterday. This is great news because by us eating right we are supposed to recovery faster, therefore improve our performance. We are going to keep chia seeds as a pre-workout meal for our long workout days!

(We use the brand Salba, which can be found at most health food stores)

Most people know chia pets, but this is so much more than that…

CHIA

Chia  is an ancient plant with tremendous nutritional value and medicinal characteristics.  The little black and white seeds were once a staple of the Incan, Mayan and Aztec cultures, along with the Native Americans of the southwest. “Chia” is actually the Mayan word for strength. The seeds were used by these ancient cultures as high energy endurance food, especially for their running messengers, who would carry a small pouch of it with them. Chia has been called ‘Indian Running Food’ and gives an incredibly ’sustaining’ surge of energy. The Indians of the southwest would eat just a teaspoon before heading on a 24 hour march.

Today chia seeds are mostly grown in the fertile soil of the Amazon basin in Peru. Chia is extremely nutrient dense and full of trace minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, and essential fatty acids. It is high in Omega’s 3, so it a great addition to anyone’s diet. Chia seeds are a great way to clean out. The seeds bulk up, then work like an incredible digestive broom, sweeping through your intestinal tract, helping to dislodge and eliminate old accumulated waste in the intestines.

When you let chia seeds sit in water for 10-20 mintues it will forms a gel like substance. This gel-forming reaction is due to the soluble fiber in the seeds. Researchers say this same gel-forming reaction happens in the stomach when food containing these gummy fibers (called mucilages) are consumed. Inside the stomach the gel creates a physical barrier between the digestive enzymes and carbohydrates that break them down, which slows the conversion of the carbs into sugar. This is clearly of great benefit to diabetics. In addition, by chia being high in fiber it helps keep you full and sustains your energy, which is great news for athletes or people who watching their food intake.

Benefits of Chia Seeds for athletes:

• do digest easily
• are absorbed very easily
• muscle and tissue builder
• an energizer of endurance
• have extensive hydration properties
• good source of protein, calcium, potassium and iron
• high in both soluble and insoluble fiber

Having the chia seeds be so easily digestable also makes them great for post-workout snack. Resulting in quick transportation to the tissues and being utilized by the cells.  Iron, calcium, and potassium are lost during working out through sweat and muscle contraction, so chia seeds will replenish it while building muscle! Chia seeds help speed recovery due to its high amount of protein.  Due to the exceptional water-absorption quality of chia, it can help you prolong hydration and retain electrolytes, especially during exertion.

Here is an overview of why we love chia and why you should try them:

• 2 times the protein of any other seed or grain,
• 5 times the calcium of milk, plus boron which is a trace mineral that helps transfer calcium into your bones,
• 2 times the amount of potassium as bananas,
• 3 times the reported antioxidant strength of blueberries
• 3 times more iron than spinach
• copious amounts of omega-3 and omega-6, which are essential fatty acids
• gluten free and vegan

Chia seeds are not only great for athletes but are also great for dieters. The reason being is when you add chia to other foods it bulks them up displacing calories and fat. For instance, someone can eat a typical serving while only consuming about half the calories they might have eaten, because the food has been bulked up with chia. Also you get a bellyful of nutrient-rich superfood goodness, which hydrates and sustains you!

So how do they taste?

The taste of chia has a pleasant mild, nutty flavor. The seeds are small and round, similar to poppy seeds. Chia seeds can be easily combined with other foods without changing the taste dramatically.

What do I do with chia seeds?

The basic pudding we do is 1 1/2 cups water with 1/2 cup chia seeds. Let it sit for about 20 mintues. Then we add all sorts of goodies to it like:

• goji berries, raisins, or any fruit
• vanilla, cinnamon, mint or your favorite spice
• agave, stevia, dates, or yacon to help sweeten it
• extra power boosters like maca, spirulina, camu camu

If you like to bake, like we do, they are great for egg replacements. 2 tbsp chia with 1/2 cup water makes about 1/4 cup gel to replace one egg. We also add it to our smoothies to help keep us full!

We love to make chia puddings! This one here is blended up with goji berries and topped with cinnamon.

Twins Question

What is your favorite chia recipe?

Till next time,

The Raw Twins

L&M

Posted by: Pure2 4 comments

Posted in: Fitness, Health

Tags: athletes, chia pudding, chia seeds, pre-workout meal, salba