Beauty Food: Chia Seeds

When it comes to beauty and the thought of making ourselves 'pretty', we instantly think of makeup, clothing and accessories. But what's even more important is making ourselves beautiful from within - by incorporating some super-foods into our diet we can help detoxify our bodies, which in turn will have a positive effect on our complexion. 

What are chia seeds?

Tokhme Sharbati has a long history and high prestige value in Persian cuisine, with many different variations from basil seeds, mountain basil seeds and chia seeds. Tokhme sharbati, more commonly known in the Western world as Chia seeds, has an extensive list of benefits. Chia seeds are extracted from a flowering plant in the mint family, and when they are soaked in water, they form a gel that is known to hydrate. 

Health Benefits

As well as being packed with protein and fibre nutrients, chia seeds are a great source of antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the molecules in our body cells, and therefore prevent and fight contributing factors of ageing, and diseases like cancer. This little seed, which can be found in either a white or black colour, contains calcium, manganese and phosphorus. Like Flax seeds, Chia seeds are also very high in Omega-3 fatty acids and fortunately it’s an easy food to add to your diet! 

 An Aid in Dieting 

 Chia has a stabilizing effect on your body’s blood sugar, but also fights insulin resistance, which can be a factor to increase of belly fat. With very few calories, and their ability to increase the feeling of ‘fullness’, many health experts believe that chia seeds can help with weight loss. Fortunately, it’s extremely easy to include chia seeds in your diet. Remember, they can be eaten raw! Some of my favourite ways to consume chia are to sprinkle the seed on top of yoghurt, porridge, or cereal. There are many yummy recipes floating around on the internet and I highly recommend you give 'Chia Pudding' a go! 

What are your thoughts on chia seeds?

Saina

xo