Cha Cha Cha Chia!

No, I haven't ordered a Chia Pet from an infomercial, although I have been tempted to purchase the Obama one. Gives new meaning to ObamaCare. (Insert bad joke drums here.) Chia seeds are being touted as an Aztec superfood. I first learned about them in the book Born to Run.  Author Christopher McDougall is offered a drink made of chia seeds while running in the Mexican dessert with Caballo Blanco. This drink gives him the energy he needs to run farther and faster than ever before.

I am a sucker for hidden product placements. I bought a bag of Navitas chia seed powder from Whole Foods and now I sprinkle some in my morning fruit and yogurt, along with pecans and ground flax. (Basically this is the fat kid's healthy breakfast. Make sure you measure out portions or you can really blow past your daily calorie allowance.)

Chia seeds provide you with protein, fiber, healthy omega fats, and antioxidants. I like to think that I have much more energy on the days I ingest my Mexican superfood, but I'm normally so hyped up on caffeine that I wouldn't be able to tell anyway. I have read that you can make your own potent energy drink by adding water to a spoonful of chia seeds. The seeds will turns into a gelatinous mixture that packs a serious energy punch that will give you the endurance of an Aztec warrior. I haven't tried this yet but maybe I will tomorrow if someone sends me an email at about 5:45 am.

Chia seed powder is 70 calories for 15 g, or 3 tablespoons.
Chia seeds are 70 calories for 15 g, or 2 tablespoons.