Chia Seeds: can anyone share their experience with them?

Good Morning VSG family!
In my continuous quest to spice up my VSG diet, I recently went onto nuts.com to get some roasted edamame for those crunchy-craving - though still very rare - moments. I came across Chia seeds and they sound like something I'd like to try.

Here is what the site says about them...

Good Reasons To Start Eating Chia Seeds

1. Help weight loss. Chia seeds are popular for weight loss. They reduce food cravings by preventing some of the food that you eat from getting absorbed into your system. This blockage of calorie absorption makes them a great diet helper.
2. Feel fuller faster: They can also help your diet by making you feel full. This is because they absorb 10 times their weight in water, forming a bulky gel.
3. Hydration for athletes: They are also great for athletes because the "chia gel" can hydrate the body.
4. Reduce your blood pressure: There's evidence to suggest they can reduce blood pressure.
5. Omega-3: They are the richest plant source of Omega-3 (the vital fats that protect against inflammation—such as arthritis—and heart disease). In fact, they contain more Omega-3 than salmon!
6. Benefits for diabetes: Because chia seeds slow down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrates into simple sugars, studies indicate they can control blood sugar. This leads scientists to believe chia seeds may have great benefits for diabetics.
7. They are easier to digest than flax seeds, and don't need to be ground up.

Have you tried them? If so, how do you use them? Do you cook with them? Any information would help!
Thanks my peeps!
Rosemary

Chia seeds? Isn't that what they use in Chia pet products? LOL!!  Couldn't help myself!!

yes! thats exactly what they are and delicious too...funny I know...I loved those little pets...

Wow, really? LOL. and I thought I was just being funny.

LOVE them!

I started using them a few months ago, and bought a 6lb sack of them online cheaper than the individual bags.. I did get a small bag first, just to make sure I liked them..

I try to get 2T in every day, started with 4T a day but then backed off just for carb/calorie allotment reasons.. but when I hit my stopping point, I will add more into my daily intake. I got them to help with my guts, needed some roughage.. and I used to drink something called basil seed drink (sweetened water with gelled basil seeds floating in it..) You can do the same with chia, so between gelling some in a mason jar in a couple cups of water and dumping them into my big glass of Crystal light, I have also taken to mixing a couple T in with my yogurt and letting it sit for a few- or not, crunchy! I grind them and use them as binder in meatballs, can't taste anything and more fiber so why not! They are very, very useful and to me- fun to eat.

I do not buy into a lot of the benefits as far as them being digestible w/o grinding tho.. I know from (TMI) seeing with my own eyes, they go in and out whole if not pre-ground.. So, that's a good and bad thing, good in that it's a nice lower cal snacky-crunchy addition whole, and grind them to get all the good oils. I always log them as full-cal though. I really do like them floating in my sweetened lemon water or lemonade though.. makes it more fun to drink!

I am a kitchen experimenter.. so I had this stuff on hand from my cheesemaking days..

I made this a few times, tastes great! If you don't have citric acid powder, just use some lemon juice!
... and Brandilynn made a tapioca-ish treat with coconut/almond milk, cheesecake flavoring and sweetener.. 1/4C seeds to a cup liquid and let sit till gelled!

I tried something different, soaked a couple Tbs of seeds in DaVinci's Blueberry SF syrup, a little water, and a few pinches of citric acid powder (from my cheesemaking days, the stuff comes in handy, I use it to "brighten" sauces, gravies & beverages, etc without altering the flavor like lemon or lime would) and I let the chia sit in this for some hours yesterday.

The resulting gel came out a beautiful shade of reddish purple, which I dumped into a bowl of blackberry Carbmaster yogurt and mixed up and let sit overnight in the fridge to firm up even more. It tasted like berries and yogurt with a slight jello texture to boot. Good stuff!

this sounds delicious! I have lots of SF torani syrups and can try this out when I buy the seeds. Exactly the kind of suggestions I'm looking for - thank you :)

I've had a great experience incorporating chia seeds into my diet. These tiny seeds are a powerhouse of nutrition, packed with omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals. Adding chia seeds to my meals has improved my digestion, helped me maintain a healthy weight, and kept me feeling fuller for longer due to their high fiber content. I love their versatility - whether it's adding them to smoothies, oatmeal, or yogurt, or using them to create delicious puddings and energy bars. The mild, nutty flavor blends well with other ingredients. Just remember to let them soak in liquid before consuming to prevent any digestive discomfort. Overall, chia seeds have become a staple in my kitchen, and I highly recommend trying them for a nutrient-packed boost to your meals!

OMG, I love chia seeds.  Just ordered a 3lb bag since my little one is almost gone.  I soak 12 or 18 g (about 2 or 3 teaspoons) in an ounce or two of almond milk and SF syrup.  It makes a crunchy kind of pudding.  Total heaven for the digestive tract.  Yummy without being triggery. 

I love chia seeds! I sprinkle them in yogurt....if you are going to eat them ground.....buy them whole and grind them yourself....you get more of the beneficial oils that way....just fresher you know...