Healthy Breakfast Ideas With Chia Seeds!

It is that time of the morning, and you have to make a healthy breakfast for yourself and your little one. You drag your feet until the coffee goes down. You feel emboldened to cook up a meal that she will like. You choose to make idlis, dosas and upmas every other week, but since it is National Nutrition Week, you need to make something special. What could it be? Chia seeds pudding! In this post, we will discuss the benefits and risks of eating a healthy breakfast consisting of chia seeds and fruits! 

A Yummy Healthy Breakfast Recipe

Making chia seeds pudding is a simple task. You will need a packet of chia seeds beforehand. This can be bought in any supermarket size 250 gms or 500 gms. You can choose the fruits you would like to use in the pudding. For example, include pomegranate, guava, apple, watermelon and grapes.

How To Make Chia Seeds Pudding

First, take a glass or steel tumbler and pour water. If you want your chia seeds to be soaked halfway, pour in only half. It is necessary to adjust the water requirement as it will determine the kind of taste your pudding will have. You could also add curds for an added flavour and a thickened consistency. Some people may like more water as they like the chia seeds to be soft and expanded. Next, add your spoons of chia seeds, depending on how much you want. Take, say, four spoons for a quarter of a long tumbler. Lastly, cut your fruits into small pieces and mix them well into the mixture. You could add vanilla or strawberry essence for an added zing. Soak the chia and fruits overnight and eat them from the tumbler itself in the morning. Here are some ways to get your kids to eat healthily. 

Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

Chia seeds contain copper, iron, selenium, manganese, calcium and magnesium. They are high in quercetin which fights heart disease, cancer and inflammatory diseases. They are a good source of alpha-linolenic acid. They are suitable for the bones as they boost magnesium and phosphorus levels. It is said that they contain more calcium than dairy products. They are also rich in fibre which means they aid in digestion and promote good gut health. Since chia seeds make one full, they can help in weight reduction. They also possess potent antioxidants that are good for the skin and blood sugar. This means that diabetics can eat chia seeds in moderation. However, if they eat the pudding, they need to eat it with diabetic-friendly fruits such as papaya and oranges. 

Chia seeds pudding is like a healthy Indian breakfast. What replaces carbohydrates are fruits. The water replenishes and hydrates the skin; the fruits provide the roughage, minerals and nutrients. You may find it difficult to cut the fruits in the evening so a suggestion would be to cut them in the morning for the following day. This way, you will have the energy for the next morning’s fruit bowl. The fruits in them would have soaked well enough to be juicy, with an added crunch. Chia seeds pudding is part of a series of healthy breakfast options from which you can choose.

You and your child can eat the pudding every morning. It is a perfect healthy breaker! 

Are There Any Precautions to Consuming Chia Seeds?

Since chia seeds contain high fibre, they can lead to gas, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and constipation if consumed too much. Most people eat chia seeds after they have been soaked as they can choke eaters when eaten raw. Care must be taken if diabetics are overeating them as they can drop blood sugar levels and blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attack and eye pressure problems. Those with Crohn’s disease need to eat chia seeds in moderation too.

Since chia seeds are high in roughage, excessive eating will cause indigestion. The golden rule is to eat in moderation. They can cause damage to the digestive system if ingested too much.

Chia seeds are a fun snack and can be eaten as a light breakfast. They are full of good things and are a surefire way to bond over a snack with your child this Nutrition Week!