Not Soaking Chia?

by Mary

Question

Hi Janis,

I like to eat my chia mixed in bio yogurt with fresh berries for breakfast.

I then drink lots of water throughout the morning.

is this ok???

thanks
mary

Answer

Hi Mary,

If you don't have any negative effects with the dry seeds, seems like you are doing just fine. I know it's fun to add things that crunch to yogurt. There are a few things to know to help you feel you are doing the right things. Here you go...

Chia Seeds do want water so they will pull it from your body as they travel through your digestive system. It seems you may need to drink some water before you eat. This is something you can test for yourself.

In my opinion, it's really up to each individual to determine the amount of water needed with the chia, and when to drink it. We all have different bodies with different requirements.

For me, personally, I have to watch how much water I drink to ensure I don't dehydrate. I drink about a gallon of water a day plus any water I mix with my foods (but I am 70 years old).

I really do require a lot of water. I make sure the chia seeds do not draw water from my digestive system. I drink about one liter (33 oz) of water during the morning before eating breakfast. Then I eat my soaked chia seeds in my morning drink.

This may be an overkill for most people.

To give you more information on this, here's a quote I found by Dr Wayne Coates in regards to stomach cramps after eating chia:

"In some cases, stomach cramps have been reported but these are due to a natural body reaction. This happens if a substantial amount of chia is eaten, and insufficient fluids are consumed with it.

The reason for this is that chia is hydrophilic, meaning it absorbs 7 to 9 times its weight in water. The cramping is caused because the chia absorbs liquid from the stomach, placing it in a stressful state. The solution is to drink more liquid or reduce the amount of chia consumed."

Dr Wayne Coates has a website called AZChia. You can purchase milled and whole chia seeds there. You can also learn more from Wayne Coates by clicking on the "Home" link in the top left corner to browse his website.

And... here's more information on my website about Chia in case you haven't seen these: