Description of white chia, seed calorie content and chemical composition. Useful properties, therapeutic effect and contraindications for use. How are the fruits of the Spanish sage eaten, what dishes are prepared from them? Interesting facts about agricultural crops. Crushed seeds are recommended to be introduced into homemade cosmetic masks to prevent age-related changes. The formulations reduce the size of already formed wrinkles, smoothen the skin, and improve the complexion and relief of the face.
Contraindications and harm of Spanish sage
You should not introduce a new product into the diet for babies under 5 years old, pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding. In children over 5 years of age and adolescents, the composition of the intestinal flora has already returned to normal, and metabolic processes are stable. If an individual intolerance appears, then it is stopped with antihistamines. In babies and pregnant women, the consequences of allergic reactions are difficult to predict, so you should not experiment.
The harm from chia seeds for children is not only the possible allergization of the body. The seeds contain a high amount of fiber, and when they swell, it can block the narrow lumen of the esophagus or intestines, provoking intestinal obstruction. In addition, if it enters the larynx, the child can choke and even suffocate.
You can not use the fruits of the Spanish sage with low blood clotting, a tendency to diarrhea, with hypotension and endocrine disorders. Abuse can provoke a rumbling in the abdomen, increased flatulence, inflammation in the oral cavity. If the seeds or their particles get stuck between the teeth, it is difficult to get them out.
The supplement to the diet is not combined with laxatives, medicines for thinning the blood, taking contraceptives and hormonal drugs.
How are chia seeds eaten?
In order not to provoke negative consequences for the body, the number of seeds that are introduced into the diet should be increased gradually. It is advised to start with a few seeds, which are thoroughly chewed and washed down with water. After 48 hours, the dose is doubled, and then increased, focusing on one's own well-being.
Do not eat white chia seeds like regular seeds. Before using them, it is recommended to fill them with hot water for 15-20 minutes, or better with milk. You can eat as soon as they swell, and the volume will double.
Mexicans make fruit cocktails by soaking seeds in fruit juice. One of the drinks is called chia fresco.
In addition, the fruits can be germinated and the sprouts can be added to salads. Such an additive to the diet gives any dish medicinal properties.
Chia Seed Recipes
The fruits of the Spanish sage can be used to season the first and second courses: cereals, yoghurts, sauces and pureed soups. The crushed swollen mass has gelling properties, so they are ideal for making mashed potatoes, jelly, thick sauces, aspic. The taste is pleasant, almost neutral, with a slight nutty flavor. Due to these qualities and useful properties, seeds are ground and added to flour when baking bread and desserts.
Recipes with chia seeds for different dishes:
- Seed salmon … Mix a quarter cup of sesame seeds with half a cup of chia fruits, add a teaspoon of olive oil and liquid honey, add salt. Salmon fillets are cut into strips and immersed in honey marinade. Bake on a grill rack without oil, 12 minutes on each side. The best side dish is rice.
- Vanilla nut breakfast … Pour a glass of chia seeds with 4 cups of almond milk, let it brew for 20-30 minutes, put it in the refrigerator. Before use, add vanilla and maple syrup to taste, mix with grated nuts - almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts or cashews, as well as berries of your choice. You can make almond milk yourself. To do this, pour a cup of almonds overnight with cold water, and in the morning they grind everything in a blender. Strain through cheesecloth before use.
- Vegetable soup … Fried in olive oil in turn: bell pepper, 2 chopped celery stalks, carrots, a small onion and fresh sweet green peas. After 5 minutes, add seeds of 1-2 ears of corn, 2 tablespoons of chia and 3 large meaty chopped tomatoes to the pan after blanching - if you do not pour boiling water, you will not be able to remove the skin. Pour in meat broth and leave on low heat for 30 minutes, seasoning with lemon juice, salt, pepper and any spices to your liking. Pour in herbs - parsley and dill before serving. Don't forget that chia has gelling properties. If the soup is very thick, dilute with broth before serving.
- Vegetarian rice … Rice, 2 cups, soaked in water in a ratio of 1: 3 by volume. Fry chia seeds in a dry skillet, 6 tablespoons. Strain the rice and boil until tender. Preheat a frying pan with vegetable oil, put half of green bell pepper, cut into squares, tofu cubes - 200 g, 4 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce on it. All are fried well. Season the rice.
- Muffins … The oven is heated to 190 ° C. To knead the dough, mix 80 ml of agave syrup, 150 ml of almond milk, a quarter cup of applesauce and the same amount of grape seed oil, vanilla extract, salt, soda. Warm up muffin molds, insert a paper cup into each, lay out the dough. Pomegranate seeds are stuck in the muffins and sprinkled with chia seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Readiness is determined by piercing the cakes with a toothpick. If the stick is dry, you can take it out. Served in paper cups.
Chia Seed Drinks:
- Vitamin cocktail … Chia seeds, 2 tablespoons, soaked in a glass of orange juice. At this time, the banana, kiwi, orange and apple are cut into cubes, everything is mixed. Add honey for flavor.
- Smoothie … Pour 1 apple juice over a tablespoon of chia seeds and let it brew. In a blender, combine half a pineapple, a tablespoon of grated ginger, a couple of apricots.
- Carrot lemon drink … Soak a tablespoon of chia in the juice of two lemons, add the juice of 1 carrot, a finely chopped bunch of mint. Season with honey or sugar to taste.
If you don't have a thickener on hand, but you plan to make jelly or jelly, you can use chia seeds. In this case, they do not need to be soaked. Proportions for thickener: 1 liter of liquid - 1 tablespoon of seeds.
Interesting facts about Spanish rosehip seeds
The Spanish rose hips gained popularity in 2005. First, scientists studied the beneficial properties of a new product, and only then notified the EU population about the emergence of "promising food". Vegans and vegetarians alike immediately appreciated chia seeds for their high levels of nutrients. Those who refused milk because of their own convictions were especially happy. The high amount of calcium in the composition of the seeds turned out to be more useful than ever.
But among the Maya and Aztec Indians, the plant was so famous that it was consumed daily, like maize or beans. By the way, modern nutritionists are advised to limit the intake of two-month courses in the diet. One of the miraculously preserved Aztec manuscripts - the Mendoza Codex from 1547 - claims that the white chia is one of the most important cultivated plants for the tribes.
At the same time, chia was used not only for food purposes. The plant was used as an ingredient in medicines in the treatment of tuberculosis, infectious and inflammatory processes, and venereal diseases. True, the mixtures were made not from seeds, but from juice.
Then chia was forgotten for 500 years, in 1991 it was remembered. The first to plant the culture were the Mill brothers from Argentina, and their efforts were successful, they bred the newest variety - salba.
Thanks to the efforts of the members of the Regional Council of Northwest Argentina (NARP) in 2005, the reproduction of the Spanish rose hips was restored in the region where it originally grew, but also spread the culture to the territories of Germany, Australia and Portugal.
Those looking to incorporate nutritious seeds into their diet on an ongoing basis can grow them on their own windowsill. First, tiny seeds are disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, leaving for 5-7 minutes, and then washed with clean running water. Spread out on a plate, on a paper towel, spreading in a thin layer. Pour the seeds with water and then make sure that they are always moist. Be sure to separate the stuck together fruits. Leave for three days, rinsing several times to prevent mold.
Watch the video about chia seeds:
As soon as sprouts appear, some of the fruits are transferred to the refrigerator in order to be further added to a salad or other dish. And the rest are planted in peat pots, where the plant is grown. You should not transplant seedlings into open ground - white chia is used to the tropics and will not be able to adapt to the Central European climate.
