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How to Eat Chia Seeds

Four Methods:Eating Chia Seeds UncookedEating Chia Seeds CookedLearning More about Chia SeedsDrinking Chia SeedsCommunity Q&A

Chia seeds are a popular health food that have been consumed for centuries, but have only recently gained popularity in the Western world. Because they mix easily into other foods and have little flavor of their own, they are easily incorporated into your usual meals. Read on to learn about the many ways you can eat chia seeds, from hiding them into your ordinary food to exploring new recipes for chia puddings or smoothies.

Method 1
Eating Chia Seeds Uncooked

  1. 1
    Mix the chia seeds into oatmeal, yogurt, or other wet foods. One of the most common ways to eat chia seeds raw is to sprinkle them over or mix them into other dishes. Stir them in any wet food to turn the dry seeds gelatinous and mushy, which will help them blend into the food less obviously.
    • Add chia to your breakfast by sprinkling 1 or 2 Tbsp (15 or 30 ml) of chia seeds over oatmeal, yogurt, or breakfast cereal.
    • Mix chia seeds into wet sandwich ingredients. Use tuna salad or egg salad for savory sandwiches, or peanut butter or hazelnut spread for sweet sandwiches.
  2. 2
    Sprinkle chia seeds over foods to keep the seeds crunchy. If the food is dry, the seeds will stay crunchy, which some people prefer. Even on wet foods, a sprinkling of seeds at the top may not form a gel if not mixed in.
    • Sprinkle the seeds over any type of salad.
    • Decorate pudding with a dash of chia seeds.
  3. 3
    • Mix chia seeds into potato salad or cold pasta salads. Add 2 tbsp (30 mL) of chia seeds to a large serving bowl of potato or pasta salad and stir thoroughly.
  4. 4
    Make granola bars with chia seeds. Mix 2 Tbsp (30 mL) chia seeds into your favorite granola bar recipe. For a no-bake recipe, stir the seeds into 1 cup pitted, blended dates, 1/4 cup peanut butter or other nut spread, 1 1/2 cups rolled oats, 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup, and 1 cup chopped nuts.[1] Spread this mixture on a pan and harden in the fridge. You may toast the oats before adding to add a different flavor, or explore other granola bar recipes that require baking.
  5. 5
    Create flavored chia gelatin or jelly. Add chia seeds to pureed fruit. More chia seeds will create a gelatin, while fewer will create a jelly. You may need to experiment with different amounts until you find a ratio best suited to your type of fruit and preferences.
    • Roughly speaking, 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) of pureed fruit and 1/2 cup (125 ml) chia seeds mixed together create a chunky jam.

Method 2
Eating Chia Seeds Cooked

  1. 1
    Make chia seed porridge. Stir 1–2 tbsp (15–30 mL) of chia seeds into a cup (240 mL) of warm milk or any milk substitute. Let stand for 10–15 minutes until the mixture forms a gel, whisking occasionally to break up seed clumps, then eat cold or heat again before eating.[2][3] The mixture alone is quite bland, so you may enjoy eating with sliced fruit, dried fruit, nuts, or honey. Add extra flavor with a pinch of cinnamon or sea salt if desired.
    • 2 tbsp (30 mL) will make a thick porridge. Use less if you prefer a thinner mixture.
    • Stir in any liquid or powdered flavoring while the mixture is gelling to add more flavor. Try cocoa powder, malt powder, or fruit juice.
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  4. 4
    Slip chia seeds into casseroles and similar dishes. If you have picky eaters in your household, you can sneak chia seeds into your diet by mixing them into one-dish meals. Add 1/4 cup (60 ml) chia seeds to a lasagna or casserole prepared in a standard casserole dish, or follow these suggestions:
    • Ground meat mixtures for homemade meatballs or burgers can be thickened with 1 or 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) chia seeds for each 1 lb (450 g) of ground meat, instead of breadcrumbs.
    • Add a dash of chia seeds to your favorite stir-fries.
  5. 5
    Soak them to form a gel for later use. Mix 1 tbsp (15 ml) chia seeds with 3 to 4 tbsp (45 to 60 ml) water and let sit for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it forms a thick gel. Mix it with up to 9 tbsp (130 mL) water if you prefer thinner gels.[4] This gel can be refrigerated for up to two weeks before eating. Forming this gel in advance saves time and ensures that there are no dry, crunchy seeds when you add it to another food.
    • You can use this gel as a substitute for eggs in baked goods. 5 tbsp (75 mL) of gel is roughly equal to one egg.[5] You cannot use this as an egg substitute in omelets or other recipes where the egg is not mixed with other ingredients.
  6. 6
    Thicken soups and sauces with chia seeds. Add 2 to 4 Tbsp (30 to 60 ml) of chia seeds to any bowl of soup, stew, sauce, or gravy. Let sit for 10 to 30 minutes or until it thickens. Stir occasionally to break up clumps of chia seeds.

Method 3
Learning More about Chia Seeds

  1. 1
    Learn about the nutrition benefits. The health benefits of chia seeds are sometimes over-reported in news or personal anecdotes, but it is true that they are high-energy foods (partially due to the high fat content) and are good sources of some nutrients. One ounce (30 mL or 2 tbsp) of dry chia seeds contains about 138 calories (138 kcal), 5 grams (g) of protein, 9g of fat, and 10g of fiber.[6] They provide significant amounts of useful calcium, magnesium, and potassium, even in small servings. They are most likely good sources of antioxidants and mediocre sources of (digestible) Omega-3 fatty acids, both of which may have beneficial health effects.[7][8]
  2. 2
    Treat other claims with skepticism. Claims about weight loss, improved heart health, and improved athletic performance have not yet been verified by scientific studies. More than one study has failed to find any benefits of this type from adding chia seed to your diet.[9][10] This does not mean that chia seeds are not a healthy food, but don't expect it to change your health or fitness drastically without making other changes to your diet or exercise routine.
  3. 3
    Choose a small portion size. Chia seeds are high in fat and calories compared to their size, and can provide significant nutritious benefit even in small servings. The large amounts of fiber they contain may cause digestive issues if eaten in large quantities. While there is no "official" recommended serving size, you may wish to limit yourself to 1 or 2 ounces (30–60mL or 2–4 tbsp) of chia seeds each day, especially when you are adding them to your diet for the first time.[11]
  4. 4
    Know what to expect in taste and consistency. Chia seeds are relatively bland, with little flavor of their own. When combined with liquids, they take on a gelatinous texture which some people enjoy but other find unpleasant. Fortunately, these qualities make them easy to mix them into other foods. You may eat chia seeds dry, stirred into other foods, or cooked into other foods. None of these methods provide significantly more nutritious benefits than others.
  5. 5
    Buy high quality, food-grade chia seeds. Even though these seeds are the same type used in "chia pets" and other gardening applications, it's best to consume chia seeds that are packaged and sold for the purpose of consumption. If you do eat chia seeds intended for planting, make sure they were organically grown, without pesticides or other substances that could make them unsafe for human consumption.
    • Chia seeds can be bought in the bulk section or supplement section at most health food stores, or online.
    • While chia seeds are often expensive compared to other seeds, keep in mind that a large bag should last a long time if you stick to one or two small daily servings as described above.
  6. 6
    Approach chia seeds with caution if you have kidney problems. If you have renal failure, or any medical issue that affects the functioning of your kidneys, avoid chia seeds or eat them only in amounts recommended by your nutritionist or doctor. Their high plant protein content produces more waste than other protein sources, which impaired kidneys may not be able to deal with. The high phosphorus and potassium content can also cause itchy skin, irregular heart beat, or muscle weakness if they are not successfully processed.[12]

Method 4
Drinking Chia Seeds

  1. 1
    Add chia seeds to smoothies. When preparing any single-serving smoothie or shake, add 1 or 2 tbsp (15–30 ml) chia seeds to the blender or food processor with the other ingredients before blending.[13]
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Community Q&A

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  • Chia seeds are tiny and have a tendency to get stuck between your teeth when eaten. Consider packing a toothpick or dental floss to use on your pearly whites after consuming them, especially when dry.
  • When sprouted, chia can be consumed like alfalfa. Add it to salads and sandwiches.[15]


  • If you have impaired kidney function, talk to your doctor or nutritionist before incorporating chia seeds in your diet.

Article Info

Categories: Specialty Diet Recipes

In other languages:

Italiano: Mangiare i Semi di Chia, Español: comer semillas de chía, Deutsch: Chia Samen essen, Français: préparer des graines de chia, Português: Comer Sementes de Chia, Nederlands: Zo eet je chiazaden, 中文: 吃奇雅子, Русский: употреблять семена чиа, Čeština: Jak jíst semínka chia, 日本語: チアシードの摂取, Bahasa Indonesia: Memakan Biji Chia, ไทย: รับประทานเมล็ดเจีย

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