The chia craze (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Lauren Everitt
BBC News Magazine

Chia will soon be joining the list. So what exactly is it?

Chia, or Salvia hispanica L, is a member of the mint family from Mexico and South America. The flowering plant can sprout in a matter of days, but chia's appeal is in the nutritional punch of its tiny seeds.

With more omega-3 fatty acids than salmon, a wealth of antioxidants and minerals, a complete source of protein and more fibre than flax seed, the seeds have been dubbed a "dieter's dream", "the running food", "a miracle", and "the ultimate super food", by advocates and athletes.

What's in 100g of chia?

Protein: 20.7g
Fat: 32.8g
Carbohydrate: 41.8g
(of which fibre is 41.2g)
Calcium: 714mg
Iron: 16.4mg
Niacin (B3): 613mg
Thiamine (B1): 0.18mg
Riboflavin (B2): 0.04mg
Source: Nutritional Science Research Institute

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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17476690

[Ian David]

1. They just used it as an ingredient on the show "Chopped." n/t

[catbyte]

2. as in chia pet?

[Ian David]

3. Yep.

Chopped: British Invasion

<snip>

Round two: entrees. The mystery ingredients are pork loin, cheese curls, escarole, and chia seeds. I didn’t know chia seeds were even edible. They have 30 minutes for this round. Everybody starts to scurry. Andy hits the fridge and explains his plans for a take on the classic Sunday roast: roast pork with apples and escarole salad. Mmmm.

<snip>

Ted asks the judges about chia seeds and Marc explains they’re very popular in Guatemala. Geoffrey adds that they’re from the mint family and wonders if they’ll taste minty.

Andy’s never heard of chia seeds before, but he’s going ahead and using them as a crust on his pork.

<snip>

Jun presents his crusted pork loin with spaetzle, escarole puree, and mustard sauce. Geoffrey praises the presentation, Alex loves the mustard sauce. Ted, for some reason, busts in to explain chia pets to the chefs, which apparently none of them have even heard of. Seriously? They don’t have those in England? And even if they don’t have them, none of these three have even heard of them? It’s not like they’re a new thing, I remember them being around when I was a kid back in the 80’s. Alex thinks Jun used the chia seeds quite well as a crust. Predictably, both Geoffrey and Marc think Jun overcooked the pork, and on top of that, Marc got a bunch of the anchovies on his plate.

More:
http://armchairanglophile.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/chopped-british-invasion/

[Schema Thing]

4. great in smoothies, or in cold lemon water (chia fresca)

the seeds are so fatty that they stay suspended after they have soaked and been stirred. It's almost like a miniature bubble tea, the way they feel in your mouth.