Chia seeds: nutrition and how to use it

Fun facts

• Chia is the seed of a plant in the mint family, native to Mexico and Guatemala. The Aztecs and Maya used chia seeds long ago.
• Dried chia seeds have 34.4g of fiber per 100g, the most of any bean, nut or seed in this dictionary. They also bring 631mg of calcium and 486 kcal.
• In water, chia seeds form a clear gel around each seed and absorb many times their own weight. That is how chia pudding works.
• Chia seeds also contain plant-based omega-3 (ALA). Chia appears in 32 kOBE recipes.

Choosing and storing

Choose dry, free-flowing seeds, speckled grey-black or white, with no clumps or odd smells. Store them in an airtight jar somewhere cool and dry; whole seeds keep for quite a long time. Once soaked, chia pudding should be covered, refrigerated and eaten within a few days.

Cooking it well

Soak chia seeds in water, plant milk or yogurt for at least 15 to 20 minutes, stirring a few times so they do not clump. Do not eat a lot of dry chia seeds and then drink water, because seeds that swell in the throat can be a choking risk; soaking first is safer. Increase your portion slowly, since a lot of fiber at once can upset your stomach. Chia is rich in soluble fiber; read more about soluble vs insoluble fiber.

Frequently asked questions