How to Cook With Chia Seeds

How do you eat chia seeds? Any way you want to!

Chia seeds have a very mild flavor so you can easily add them to anything you’re eating without the taste of your food being affected. Even if you don’t add very much, chia seeds health benefits will make your meal more nutritious.

Eat Chia Seeds Raw or Cooked

Chia seeds can be eaten raw or cooked. You can eat chia seeds whole or grind them up. Any way you eat them, chia seeds are an excellent source of Omega-3 and dietary fiber.

Add Chia to Flour When Baking

In Latin America, ground chia seed is sometimes added to a coarse flour made from toasted maize kernels known as pinole. You can grind up chia seed and add it to flour for bread, pancakes, cakes, muffins, croissants, or any other bread products. You can also add the chia seed whole without grinding it, to give your recipe a crunchy texture.

Stir Chia Into Water or Juice

In Mexico, where chia seeds originated, chia is mixed into water or fruit juice to make a delicious chia fresca. You can stir chia into any kind of drink you like, including fruit smoothies!

Chia Can Be Crunchy or Gel-Like

Chia seeds are a little crunchy, but not tough. When chia seeds get wet, they develop a gelatinous texture. If you put a few chia seeds in your mouth and chew them up, you will feel their texture change.

Chia Makes a Great Secret Ingredient…

Stir chia seeds into soups, stews and puddings. Nobody will even be able to tell! Chia can be added to brownies and pies without changing the flavor, so its a great way to add some nutrition without having to give up sweet things. Even the most picky children will eat food that has chia in it.

Chia seeds’ health benefits make them a perfect addition to any food or drink. Visit our chia seeds recipes page to get dozens of good ideas for enjoying chia.