Ch Ch Ch Chia

No, no, not the sprouted potted pet... the seeds.  Chia is the Mayan word for strength, and thats what these powerful little seeds promote.  

   

Chris McDougall published a novel called Born to Run, where he talked about how Chia seeds were a major source of energy for Mayans, Incas, and other ancient cultures. Chia seeds are known as the "running food" because they are said to help sustain endurance levels, making them great for pre-workouts.  They seemed to know about  the remarkable benefits of these seeds, that only recently started to become popular here. I've read that one tablespoon was believed to sustain an individual for 24 hours. In McDougall's book he wrote, 

 "Chia was once so treasured, the Aztecs used to deliver it to their kin in homage. Aztec runners used to chomp chia seeds as they went into battle, and the Hopis fueled themselves on chia during their epic runs from Arizona to the Pacific Ocean."

 They resemble the look of poppy seeds and don't have much of a flavor making them great in just about anything (salads, sandwiches, oatmeal, yogurt,  smoothies etc.)  When you add them to water or liquid they become a gel like texture (kind of like what happens to soluble fiber in your stomach thus slowing digestion). They are high in fiber, protein and omega-3, 6, and 9. 1 tablespoon has 3 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of omega-3. Chia seeds also contain potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and maganese. It's hard to think of a reason not to incorporate these powerful seeds into your diet.