Is this one of the healthiest nutrients on the planet?

As I write this, I’ve just finished eating my porridge.

I don’t have ‘normal’ porridge though – it’s more like a ceremony preparing it and then it takes about 15 minutes to eat!

Why?

Well, when you have porridge, I think you should take advantage and add other things to it. I mean, if you find it difficult to eat healthy fats and fruit, it’s a great opportunity to have them with your porridge.

If you follow me on social media, I regularly post my meals and snacks. I know that seems strange but it’s for your benefit. When I find something healthy and tasty, I want to share it so you can try it and see for yourself.

So, my porridge today contained the following: Coconut milk, dark 85% chocolate, agave nectar, water, chia seeds, flax seed, sliced banana, raspberries, flaked almonds and (obviously) oats!

You can see why it takes me 15 minutes to eat it!

In that list of food items, you’ll see chia seeds. Now, you may not be familiar with them but they have been dubbed one of the healthiest nutrients on the planet. Wow, what exactly are they and why are they so great?

You can find out more here: http://authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-health-benefits-of-chia-seeds/

But, to summarise, they contain a huge amount of fibre (for their size), healthy fats including omega-3s, calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, potassium and the B vitamins.

Many health experts believe that chia seeds can help with weight loss. This is due to the large amount of fibre they contain. The fibre absorbs large amounts of water and expands in the stomach, which should increase fullness and slow the absorption of food.

As they contain a good amount of calcium, this may help with bone health. So you don’t have to rely on cows’ milk to get your calcium.

For me though, probably the best marker yet in studies around chia seeds, is that they can cause major improvements in Type 2 Diabetics.

In the study of 20 diabetic patients, given 37 grams of chia seeds for 12 weeks, blood pressure went down and an inflammatory marker also went down.

What is really great about chia seeds, is the fact that you can almost hide them in other foods or recipes. Yes, they probably turns your porridge a strange colour, but they don’t alter the taste of the porridge significantly.

Just add a tablespoon to your porridge in the morning and your health could really benefit.

I bought a large pack of chia seeds in Costco but they’re available in health food shops such as Holland and Barrett.

Enjoy!