I am sure we have all seen by now, the latest health craze overtaking Holland and Barretts window display. The mighty chia seed has reclaimed the top stop at the front of the shop! These little seeds have exploded in popularity and are now consumed by health conscious and fitness people, praise for their small and mighty nutritional powers. They are considered to be one of the healthiest foods on the planet and are packed with nutrition that can improve the power and strength of your body and brain. As tiny as those seeds are, they are packed with omega 3s, 6s, protein, calcium, iron, zinc, fibre and antioxidants.
“If you had to pick one desert island food, you couldn’t do much better than chia, at least if you were interested in building muscle, lowering cholesterol and reducing your risk of heart disease; after a few months on a chai diet, you could probably swim home”. Born to Run pg46
Chai seeds have always been recognised as a nutritional source which supports physical endurance, actively enhancing energy levels and maximising productivity of both brain and body. The Aztecs and Mayans prized the benefits of chia seeds and used them to provide sustainable energy, chomping them down as they ran ultras into battle. Despite their historical background as a dietary supplement, the chia seed has only recently become recognised as a modern day superfood.
There are many ways you can get your fix of chia within in your eating regime. Due to their bland taste, you can incorporate them within your diet. They can be eaten raw, added to your blended smoothie or protein shakes, put in porridges or even into baked goods. Adding chia seeds to recipes will dramatically boost the nutritional value so throw those seeds into everything!
There are many products currently on the market that have jumped on the chia band wagon. New nutrition companies are rising from the ground up, marketed their chia infused products on the basis of awesomeness. I have been infusing my menu by packing the little seeds in with a vision of sporadically transforming into a Tarahumara ultra runner, I will not state that it is unlikely!
One of my favourite chia products that I have sampled is the chia charge flapjack bar. After completing the Dirty Dozen Race, a 12k obstacle that showed no mercy, I received a complement or bar from the pop up tent within the race festival grounds. It was the perfect snack to pull myself out of a critical bodily ache and mental exhaustion.
Chia charge provides a range of chia infused products and can be found in most supermarkets and online. If you haven’t tried them before, I would strongly suggest you swap that McVities flapjack for a chia charge, they are seriously tasty and your body will thank you!
Happy Running Olivia Neo x
Twitter- @GreekGirlRunni1
