Remember the Orignial Chia Pets™?
Sprout chia seeds on a water-soaked clay figure shaped like a puppy or pig or an elephant and wait for the fun! Chia pets are still with us and chia seeds have been making a come back as another plant source of omega-3 fats.
Chia seeds are delicious!
They can be blended into smoothies or cooked hot cereals; mixed in nut and seed butters (peanut; almond; pumpkin; sunflower; hazelnut; cashew, etc.) or used like sesame seeds. We do still need plant sources of omega-3 fats to decrease inflammation. HEMP HEARTS™ (hemp seeds without the outer shell) are another nutty and rich source of plant omega-3 fats. The tender and chewy “hearts” can be used like chia seeds and offer another choice among the “healthy” fats that our bodies need daily.
Best to eat chia and hemp seeds in their raw form – no baking please. The omega-3 fats are fragile and destroyed by cooking. Omega-3 fats are considered “essential” since we need daily sources from our food. While animal and seafood sources of omega-3 fats (e.g. grass-fed beef; omega-3 eggs; fish and seafood; sea vegetables) are high in omega-3 fats and used efficiently by our bodies, plant sources of omega-3 fats are converted at a rate of 15-20%. Enjoy!