*Pic borrowed from www.nutsonline.com
I first became interested in Chia seeds during a break I was taking from the SCD. I was looking for ways to increase the nutrient density of my meals. As almost everyone with some form of IBD knows, getting proper nutrition can be a challenge. Around that time I stumbled on this post from Kelly at www.thespunkycoconut.com. I had never considered some of those ingredients she mentions. Mostly, since they're not considered SCD legal.
Chia seeds are SCD illegal because they are mucilaginous. What that means is that they form a gel consistency when they come into contact with water. And this gel can feed those little bacteria in the gut that we're trying to starve by adhering to the SCD.
And while I will never suggest that someone incorporate an illegal ingredient into their healing process, I'm a big proponent of doing what's right for you. And for me, Chia seeds bring a lot to the table. Enough, in fact, that I've embraced them as part of my nutritional strategy.
What are they good for? Well, for starters, they are massively nutritious for something so small. Just 2 tablespoons of the seeds have 6 g of fiber and 3 g of protein. Not to mention calcium, iron, and vitamin C. But the real magic is that mucilaginous texture. Ground Chia seeds are excellent thickeners in smoothies and soups. And because they absorb moisture and hold on to it, they are ideal for adding to your coconut flour baked goods. Since some of the alternative flours that SCDers use can be on the dry side (coconut flour, banana/plantain flour, bean flours) adding 1 tablespoon of ground Chia seeds can be the difference between a crumbly muffin and one that's moist and delightful.
But I do try to remind myself that's it's not SCD legal. And as such I never ingest more than 1 tablespoon of Chia seeds in a single day. And usually far less than that.
So where can you get it? Chia seeds are becoming widely available everywhere. I've seen them at Whole Foods. I've bought the Navitas Naturals brand from iherb.com. You can also get it from Amazon. But so far, the best price I've found is at Nuts Online. I've not ordered the Chia seeds from them before. But I'm a big fan of their company, products, and service. So I'll be getting my next order of Chia from them.
I hope that sheds a little light on the Chia seed. Let me know if any of you have tried it and what you think!
