Pumpkin Spice and everything nice. Boy, do I love this time of year. Here in Newmarket Ontario, we are still experiencing some really hot days, but the nights are cool and the leaves are starting to change. It’s time to bring out the cosy sweaters and get into more squash and pumpkin delights.
Today I am sharing with you a Chia Seed Pudding, similar to the Overnight Oats, except we use these high fibre seeds to thicken up this pudding. Add in pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice… and you’ll be in heaven (for all those pumpkin spice lovers)
The nutritional benefits of Chia Seeds – A one-ounce (28 grams) serving of chia seeds contains
- Fibre: 11 grams.
- Protein: 4 grams.
- Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are omega-3s).
- Calcium: 18% of the RDI.
- Manganese: 30% of the RDI.
- Magnesium: 30% of the RDI.
- Phosphorus: 27% of the RDI.
- They also contain a decent amount of zinc, vitamin B3 (niacin), potassium, vitamin B1 (thiamine) and vitamin B2.
Fibre – One ounce (28 grams) of chia seeds has 12 grams of carbs. However, 11 of those grams are fibre, which your body doesn’t digest. Fiber neither raises blood sugar nor requires insulin to be disposed of. Though it belongs to the carbohydrate family, its health effects are drastically different from those of digestible carbs like starch and sugar. The digestible carb content is only one gram per ounce (28 grams), which is very low. This makes chia a low-carb friendly food. Because of its high soluble fibre content, chia seeds can absorb up to 10–12 times their weight in water, becoming gel-like and expanding in your stomach. Theoretically, this should increase fullness, slow absorption of your food and help you automatically eat fewer calories. Fibre also feeds the friendly bacteria in your intestine, which is important — keeping your gut flora well fed is absolutely crucial for health. Chia seeds are 40% fibre by weight, making them one of the best sources of fibre in the world.
Protein – Chia seeds contain a decent amount of protein. By weight, they’re about 14% protein, which is very high compared to most plants. They also have a good balance of essential amino acids, so your body should be able to make use of their protein content. Protein has various health benefits and is by far the most weight loss-friendly dietary nutrient. A high protein intake lowers appetite and has been shown to reduce obsessive thoughts about food by 60% and the desire for night time snacking by 50%.
- Chia seeds are high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and protein. All of these nutrients are essential for bone health.
- Studies show that chia seeds may lower the rise in blood sugar after a high-carb meal, possibly benefiting people with type 2 diabetes.
- Evidence suggests that eating chia seeds may reduce an inflammatory marker known as hs-CRP.
