Nuts Online Order and Review

I just got my most recent order from Nuts Online. I know I've mentioned this company in other posts but I've just got to say that I love ordering from them. They've got such a good variety of things that I need for my snaking and baking. Their prices are very competitive and the shipping is lightning fast.

And before you ask, no I'm not being compensated for the review. I just love their stuff.  And it can be hard to find all of things you need to follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet so I'm trying to share the wealth.  Take a look at what just came in the mail. I think I went a little overboard. Haha!

Mostly what I got this time was nuts. I got roasted pistachios and a variety of raw nuts. Walnuts and Pecans for candying here at home. And almond and cashews to make nut milk. My first batch of cashew milk came out great. I think I'll be making ice cream with it soon. And I also threw in some of their freeze dried fruit for snacking, chia seeds (you all know how I love those), some of their almond meal (which is as finely ground as I've ever seen) and some of their coffee.

Crazy right? I guess it's time to start munching! If you haven't ordered from them before, definitely check them out.

Ch-Ch-Chia! Seeds that is!

 *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!