CHIA Sprouting

I have been an advocate of Chia for quite sometime, it is a marvellous tiny little seed that can be used in so many different ways and of course its health benefits are an added bonus. I use it in many recipes often to replace flax seed, flax is highly recommended for its omega3 content & chia actually has many of the same properties; I find flax seed tends to have a strong flavour whereas chia takes on more the flavour of the dish, so for this reason alone, it is one of my "go to" ingredients. I often use it as a substitute for eggs in a recipe, its glutinous response to being soaked in almond milk or even fruit or veggie juice allows my imagination to run wild in the many ways it can be added to the diet. Many use it as an excellent breakfast dish or desert, by adding milk or juice, perhaps adding some cacao & nuts with berries & cashew cream on top. Yum.......I hadn't considered sprouting it until I read the article below, not sure why apart from the fact I imagined the mucilaginous seeds would immediately become gluggy. All seeds can be sprouted under the right conditions I'm sure, so I thought you too might like to try this method too. This could also be used for radish seeds or other tiny seeds to enhance their health benefits.
Chia Seeds actually got their name from the Mayan word for "strength". In ancient athletic competitions, indigenous people in South America would sustain themselves on 1 or 2 tablespoons of chia seeds mixed with a little water for over 24hrs. The seeds are storehouses of nutrients & contain even higher sources of essential fatty acids than flax seed or salmon.

With Thanks to the Hippocrates Clinic for this interesting article on how to sprout Chia Seeds & enhance their nutritive value. Brian Hetrich, Greenhouse Manager

Chia sprouts are loaded with antioxidants which have strong immune-boosting properties which may help fight the common cold and flu. According to research from the University of the Valley of Guatemala, chia seeds have a remarkable antioxidant rating of over 1900. This is a higher antioxidant rating than blackberries, mango, noni fruit, grapes, and pineapple without all the fructose.

All of the energy stored inside the seeds is ignited by the sprouting process. The vitamin, mineral, enzyme, and phytonutrient content in the seed explodes when sprouted. The baby sprouts have 4 to 6 times the nutrient value of the leaves from the mature plant.

Here is how to sprout chia:

Soak an 8” unglazed terra cotta saucer in water for 2 hours. Drain.

Lightly sprinkle ½ teaspoon of chia seeds in the saucer. Evenly distribute the seeds leaving some space between each seed.

Mist with water.

Cover with a dinner plate.

Mist twice a day for seven days. The cover plate is not needed after day three.

Spray twice daily