Chia seed pudding recipe

I truly love chia seeds and use them all the time. Chia seeds are mini powerhouses packing more calcium than milk, more antioxidants than blueberries, and more omega-3 than salmon.

Chia seeds are a staple for those of us in the health and wellness space, but surprisingly there are a ton of people out there who haven’t tried them yet. The one benefit of getting into chia seeds now is that they’re super accessible and almost all supermarkets sell them. I remember a few years ago they were very hard to find and usually only sold at natural food stores or online.

Chia Seeds: How Healthy Are They?

Chia seeds deliver a massive amount of nutrients with very few calories

So let me give you some numbers.

A one-ounce (28 grams) serving of chia seeds contains:

• Protein: 4 grams.
• Fibre: 2 grams.
• Calcium: 18% of the RDI.
• Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are omega-3s).
• Phosphorus: 27% of the RDI.
• Manganese: 30% of the RDI.
• Magnesium: 30% of the RDI.

Chia seeds also contain a decent amount of zinc, vitamin B3 (niacin), potassium, vitamin B1 (thiamine) and vitamin B2.

This is super impressive considering that this is just a single ounce, equalling 28 grams or about two tablespoons. This small amount supplies only 137 calories and one gram of digestible carbohydrate.

Note: By weight, Chia seeds are about 14% protein, which is very high compared to most plants. Protein has various health benefits and is by far the most weight loss friendly dietary nutrient.

How to make chia pudding

Basically, you make it like this:

• Put some chia seeds into a jar.
• Add liquid (my favourite would be almond milk) to the jar.
• Chill for about an hour, then return to the jar and shake it up. Let chill for at least 4 hours and overnight is even better.
• Chia seeds will expand and turn into pudding the consistency of applesauce (it won’t get really thick).
• The next morning add some sweetener and/or something for flavour (in my case a few drops of vanilla extract or maple syrup).
• Your chia pudding is done!
• Serve cold with sliced fruit or toasted nuts on top.

Note: The main thing is figuring out the ratio of chia seeds to liquid that works best for you. If you want a thicker pudding you’ll want more chia seeds and less liquid, and if you want a thinner pudding you’ll need fewer chia seeds and more liquid. What I’ve settled on is one part chia seeds to six parts liquid.
The chia seeds will settle to the bottom of the jar after you first mix them. This is totally normal so I like to let the jar stand on the counter for 10 minutes and then give it another good stir before placing in the fridge to soak. This helps prevent clumps and distributes the chia seeds more evenly.

Chia seed pudding recipe

Here is the basic recipe. Feel free to swap in any milk that suits your fancy.

If you don’t eat chia seeds already, you should definitely consider adding them to your diet. They’re among the few superfoods worthy of the title.