10 reasons to eat Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are likely to help balance blood sugar, improve heart health, reduce inflammation, aid weight loss and improve digestive function. All fantastic reasons to include them in your diet!

I am a little bit obsessed with chia seeds at the moment. I add them to my oat bran of a morning, make puddings, put them in my banana muffins, choc mint brain power bites, smoothies, yoghurt, salads and pretty much anything else I can think of!

Here are 10 reasons why you should add
some chia seeds to your diet:

1. They are high in fibre which improves digestive function and bulks up the stool to make bowels more regular
2. Chia seeds contain all 8 of the essential amino acids making them a complete protein. Protein helps with muscle repair, blood sugar balancing and appetite regulation.
3. They are high in antioxidants so they help to destroy disease causing free radicals.
4. Chia contains good amounts of lots of essential nutrients including calcium, iron, vitamin c and potassium.
5. They are mucilaginous which means they secrete a gel like substance that is nice and soothing and healing to the gut – put some chia seeds in a small amount of water and watch it turn to jelly. Now imagine this in your digestive system. So good!!
6. Can be used to substitute egg. Yep! If you’re allergic to egg you can mix chia seeds with water so it goes all jelly-ish and use that in place of egg in your recipes! To make Chia gel mix 1 part Chia seed with 10 parts water, stir, then let it sit for around 10 minutes
7. Chia is full of omega 3 ALA fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory and good for cardiovascular health as well as arthritis sufferers. If you’re a vegetarian you can use chia seeds as one of your non-meat or fish sources of omega 3.
8. Chia slows the digestion of carbohydrates to glucose which provides a slow release of energy to keep you going and going and going.
9. Chia seeds have been shown to increase HDL cholesterol and lower Triglycerides as well as lower blood pressure all good news for heart health.
10. Chia seeds are gluten free so can be enjoyed by coeliacs and those with gluten sensitivities.

If you are a naughty person who doesn't drink water, you will need to start if you are going to include chia seeds in your diet. A lack of water may result in constipation due to the high fibre content.

While chia seeds are an amazing superfood to include in your diet to boost overall health and nutrition, if you do have any medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, you still need to seek professional medical advice for your condition.

Giveaway - Closed, sorry!

The lovely people at The Chia Cohave given me one prize pack to give away to a lucky Burton Health friend :)

The pack includes:

• 1 x 150g black Chia
• 1 x 150g white Chia
• Sunscreen
• Jute bag with recipe card

Just head over to the Burton Health Naturopathy Facebook page to enter. You will need to 'Like' our page and comment on the competition picture to tell us how you will use your chia seeds if you win. Winner will be drawn on Monday 26th August. Good Luck xx

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Veggie Soup

Winter is the perfect time to make big batches of soup. If you’re a little over salads and craving something warm and satisfying at lunch you can make a batch of this veggie soup and take a portion to work each day.

This soup has quite a few ingredients as I tried to make it as nutrient dense and souper immune boosting as possible! You can pretty much add or subtract whatever veggies you like/don’t like. 

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced

• 5 cloves garlic, crushed

• ½ teaspoon fresh turmeric, grated

• ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

• 1 small chilli, finely chopped

• 5 shitake mushrooms, sliced

• 2 celery stalks and leaves, chopped

• 1 zucchini, chopped

• 1.5 large red capsicums, chopped

• 2 large carrots, diced

• 800g chopped tomatoes (fresh or jar)

• 400g lima beans, soaked overnight (or tinned)

• 400g brown lentils, soaked in warm water overnight (or tinned)

• 3 handfuls green beans, chopped

• 500ml vegetable stock (homemade or additive free)

• 500ml miso soup (from miso paste)

• 150 g baby spinach

• black pepper

• Parsley

Method:

1.       Sauté the onion and garlic in a large saucepan until soft add turmeric then carrot to soften followed by celery, zucchini, chilli and capsicum and cook for 2 minutes.

2.       Transfer to preheated saucepan

3.       Add the tomato, ginger, beans, lentils, shitake, stock and miso. Simmer over a gentle heat for 20 minutes.

4.       Add green beans, parsley, celery leaves and spinach right at the end. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Vegetarian Cauliflower Curry

I love this curry. It’s very easy to prepare and I use it as my mid-week fall back if I need something quick to make after work.

I serve it with brown rice, which combined with the chickpeas, provides all of the amino acids to make a complete protein so this is an ideal vegetarian meal.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1.5 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated

• 1.5 teaspoons cumin

• 2 teaspoon turmeric

• 2 teaspoons curry powder

• 1 cauliflower, cut into florets

• 800g of tomatoes (In jar or tin)

• 1 cup frozen baby peas

• 1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1⁄2 cup coconut milk

• 1 Lime

Method:
1. Heat oil in large pan and sauté onion, garlic and ginger until soft. Add spices and sauté for one minute.

2. Add cauliflower to pan and combine. Then add tomatoes and bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer until the cauliflower is tender.

3. Add the peas, chickpeas and coconut milk and simmer for a couple of minutes.

4. Serve on brown rice and squeeze ¼ fresh lime juice over the top.