Chia Beverage

 Plant Based Milk Alternative ... CHIA

There are many different plant based cow's milk alternatives on the market. When you are deciding which one to purchase, you need to look at the labels to find the right product for you. 

 

A new product in the marketplace is  Chia Milk from Seeds of Wellness. Chia is a powerful superfood which contains vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids, something important for our bodies but missing in many of our diets. 

 

Nutrition 

Let's look at the nutrition of Chia Milk alternative and Almond Milk alternative:

                           CHIA MILK                 ALMOND MILK

CALORIES                31                                         39

PROTEIN              2.4g/serving                       1g/serving

CARBS                 2g/serving                        3.5g/serving

FIBER                 2g/serving                            .5g/serving

FAT                     1.5g/serving                        3g/serving

OMEGA-3            .74g/serving    

Recipes

I enjoy using Chia Milk in my recipes.  When I first started using Chia Milk, I substituted Chia Milk for a portion of the Almond Milk I would use in recipes. I started with 1/4 of a cup then increased slowly until I got to a 50/50 mix. Pictured below is Overnight Oats using Blueberries and a 50/50 mix of Chia Milk/Almond Milk. I based this off my Spirit of Spring Overnight Oats.      

 

Invite Aronia Berries Into Your Life

Aronia Berries ... Where Have You Been My Whole Life?

Recently I have become aware of Aronia Berries also known as chokeberries. For some reason, they have passed me by for many years!

Research concluded they have medicinal benefits

These small, dark berries are packed with plant antioxidants and provide many health-promoting properties.According to Medical News Today, studies have shown that aronia berries may prevent the growth of colon cancer and have protective qualities for those experiencing breast cancer. Further research has shown that aronia berries boost the immune system and reduce inflammation associated with diabetes. Studies has also shown that the berries have insulin resistant properties and may be helpful in preventing diabetes.

The berries are packed with nutrition

Aronia berries contain 10% of the RDA for vitamin C so they are a great addition to your diet during cold and flu season. (The Native Americans used the berries as a cold remedy.) These low calorie, high fiber berries also contain folate, iron, and vitamins A and E.

There are many uses for the berries

Many people do not eat the berries as they have a mouth drying effect. Aronia berries are generally found used in juices, jams, syrups, teas, and wines. Tohi has a great product containing aronia berries. The beverages come in a variety of flavors like the blackberry raspberry pictured here.