Chia seeds have been known as little miracle seeds and a superfood for some time now. Unfortunately, preparing chia seeds is not always easy if you don't pay attention to a few small details.
The seeds can be used to make chia pudding, added to breakfast pizza or porridge. But how long do I need to soak chia seeds? You should let the seeds soak for at least 10 minutes before eating them. Should chia seeds be soaked? You can, but you don't have to.
We will answer these and many more questions in detail in our blog. We will show you tips and tricks for preparation and have six different recipes with chia seeds ready for you.
Preparation of chia seeds – what you should keep in mind
The special thing about preparing chia seeds is that they swell enormously in liquid. If you soak chia seeds in milk or water, for example, the small grains increase in size by about ten times.
As a rule of thumb, you should use about six times as much liquid as chia seeds.
To make your own chia pudding, mix one part chia seeds with five parts water. Then leave the chia seeds to soak in the liquid for at least 10 minutes.
However, it is best to leave your chia pudding to soak overnight in the fridge. You can even store it in the fridge for up to a week. You can then stir the chia pudding into your porridge, smoothies or yoghurt.
The resulting chia gel will keep you feeling full for a long time thanks to its fibre content. However, you should not eat chia seeds with every meal, as the high fibre content can lead to constipation and flatulence if consumed in excess.
Discover organic chia seeds here
Simple basic recipe for your chia pudding
As already mentioned, you should use about five parts liquid for one part chia seeds. As a rule of thumb for chia pudding, you can also say that you need about half a litre of water for 4-5 tablespoons of the small seeds.
Leave the mixture to soak for at least an hour and your perfect chia pudding is ready. The consistency of the chia seed gel is a little gelatinous and may take some getting used to at first, but it tastes incredibly delicious.
Chia pudding is also particularly good for mixing into your overnight oats.
4 important tips for preparing chia seeds
Stir the chia seeds well
When preparing your chia pudding, it is important to stir the seeds well with the liquid for the first 20 seconds, otherwise the seeds will quickly stick together.
Leave the chia pudding to soak for at least an hour
To allow the seeds to soak properly in the liquid, you should leave your chia pudding for at least an hour so that the seeds can absorb the liquid properly.
Season chia seeds well
As chia seeds lose their slightly nutty taste when they are soaked, you should season your chia pudding with spices and fruit, for example.
Drink enough – a must with chia seeds
Whether you eat chia seeds raw or already swollen, you should always make sure you drink enough, as the small seeds bind liquid very well. Chia seeds therefore also extract fluid from our body and intestines if you don't drink enough, which can lead to digestive problems and constipation. So drink extra water when you eat chia seeds.
Chia seeds as a substitute for eggs
In one of our last posts, we already introduced you to 9 different substitutes for animal products. Chia seed gel can also be used as an egg substitute, for example. To do this, mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water and leave to soak for about 10 to 15 minutes. You can then use the chia gel instead of eggs in various recipes.
Your daily dose of chia seeds
Even though chia seeds are generally very healthy due to their fibre content, you should not consume more than 15 g of chia seeds per day, i.e. one tablespoon. If you consume more than the recommended amount of chia seeds, sensitive stomachs may experience various symptoms such as flatulence, bloating, stomach ache or loose stools.
Chia seed recipes for beginners: How to make chia pudding
You don't need much to make basic chia pudding, just chia seeds and a little liquid. But to make sure your chia seed breakfast isn't boring, we've created a delicious layered breakfast with fruit and crunchy granola for you.
Especially now in the colder months, mandarins and oranges are a delicious and seasonal topping for your breakfast. The slightly tart flavour of citrus fruits gives your chia pudding a fruity note.
Like chia seeds, oats are also a real superfood. So there's nothing better than starting the day with this power duo. That's why we've put together a delicious breakfast pudding with chia and oats for you.
Chia seed recipes with a difference
If you fancy something a little more elaborate for breakfast, why not try Verival's breakfast pizza with chia seeds?
You can also find these little miracle seeds in our delicious Verival strawberry chia porridge. Porridge is not only a delicious warm breakfast, but also a wonderful base for various recipes. Our favourites are definitely the sweet low-carb breakfast pizza and the porridge berry slices.
Verival strawberry chia porridge – discover it here
If you would like to learn more about these little miracle seeds and their effects, take a look at this article.
You can find more delicious and healthy recipes with chia seeds and superfood oats on our Verival blog. You can easily and conveniently buy your favourite porridge in our shop.
