I Challenge - Myself (with help from Chia Bia)

I am not sporty, I don't really diet but I do care about my health (just sometimes a bit lazy there!).

At the recent Speciality Fine Food Fair I met the lovely people from Chia Bia in Ireland. Their product is a seed called Chia that claims to have multiple health benefits. They gave me some seed samples and some chocolate seed snack bars which I really enjoyed - they tasted lovely and they were doing me some good. Win-Win!

Sitting at my desk and laptop last week I wondered what would happen if I took some chia seeds for a period of time such as three months? I approached Chia Bia and they really liked my idea.  I also decided that most mornings I would take my seeds in greek yoghurt so I contacted Total Greek Yoghurt and they were more than happy to take part in my challenge.

I plan to take approximately 2 dessertspoonfulls of seeds each morning (this is the minimum recommended for the best effect).  I will also be using the seeds in some cakes, smoothies and other foods.  I want to get my blood pressure read in the next week or so and see if there is any difference in a couple of months too.

I will be blogging once a week or so to act as a journal and will be tweeting on a regular basis too.

Now to answer your question - What is chia seed and why is is so good for you?  Basically it is a natural way to boost your nutrition and improve your health, it is high in Omega3, loaded with antioxidents, a good natural scource of protien, lots of trace minerals like zinc and magnesium, a source of low fat vegetable fibre and really so much more.  I am hoping to get more energy from this exercise.

I thought I would give you a fact or two each time I update this post. So be sure to keep coming back.

So where am I with the challenge. Today, 22nd October 2012, is day two.  Yesterday I made some porridge oats (I tried Flahavan's Irish course cut oatmeal) - so easy in the microwave in a couple of minutes and really creamy.

Getting ready to make porridge

and today (day 2) I made a fruit smoothie with Total Greek Yoghurt and added my daily amount of chia seeds. 


Ingredients for my fruit smoothie

It is very much like adding poppy seeds to food.  You can only slightly taste them or feel the texture because they are so small.

Please follow my blog so you don't miss my Chia Bia updates and information.  I hope you will see the potential as I did and want to try it for yourselves. Please let me know what you think.  Cheers.