Lately I’m diggin’ chia seeds. My sister has been a long time advocate of these power packed little seeds and I have officially jumped on the band wagon. I keep finding new and interesting ways to use them in a variety of different recipes.

My latest discovery, this lovely little blueberry chia seed parfait. As I sat there eating delightful spoonful after spoonful, I had a hard time believing that something so tasty could also be so good for me.

Rich, and tropical with a velvety texture thanks to our friend coconut milk. Topped off with juicy blueberries. Yum.

Here are 5 reasons why you should be eating chia seeds:

High in Antioxidants – Chia contains high levels of antioxidants. Even more so than flax seeds.
High in Protein – One 28 gram serving has 4.4 grams of protein
Aids with Digestion – Packed with soluble fiber which helps to move food along your digestive tract. In also flushes toxins from your body and aides in the absorption of nutrients.
Combat Belly Bulge – According to Live Strong chia seeds stabilize your blood sugar which in turn fights insulin resistance, which can be tied to an increase in belly fat.
Great Source of Calcium – Chia seeds are rich in calcium, containing more calcium by weight than whole milk.

Some uses for chia seeds? Throw in smoothies, oatmeal or salads. You can even use them as a substitute for eggs in baking. I posted a great smoothie recipe here.

Sources:

Huffington Post

Simple Green Smoothies

Blueberry Coconut Chia Seed Parfait

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Ingredients

1 454 mL can of coconut milk
¼ cup chia seeds
5 tablespoons maple syrup
pinch of salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
⅓ cup frozen wild blueberries thawed (or fresh)
4-5 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, chia seeds, shredded coconut, maple syrup, salt and extracts.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Remove from fridge and layer mixture into small serving bowls or parfait glass and top with blueberries. Alternate layers of chia mixture and blueberry until glasses are filled to the top, ending with blueberries.
Top with some shredded coconut and serve immediately or keep in the fridge until ready to serve.