Review: Ch-ch-ch-Chia!

Natural Factors Chia Seeds

I like yogurt for breakfast. Specifically, Liberte Caffe Latte-flavoured yogurt with strawberries on top. I was lucky enough to snag some fresh, farm-picked strawberries from my boyfriend, who bought 15 lbs of them. 

In our house, we have a "share-shelf". It's exactly what it sounds like: a collection of food, spices, sauces, vinegars, candies, oils, etc. that we share with one another. It's a lot easier and cost-effective to buy 1 big can of olive oil for $12 than 3 small bottles for $8 each. 

So, on this share-shelf is a container of Natural Factors Chia Factors. They're black chia seeds, not sure from where they are sourced. The ingredients say: salvia hispanica. The instructions say to eat them straight out of the jar or add them to a variety of foods, like yogurt and smoothies. It also comes with a handy scoop inside, about a tablespoon. 

I add a scoop of this to my yogurt every morning and it has a nutty, pleasing taste. The front of the label claims each serving has:

• 2.3 g omega-3 EFAs
• 2 g complete protein
• 57 mg calcium
• 4 d dietary fibre
• 960 ORAC Value (antioxidant value)
• 33 mg magnesium 

Chia Factors has 60 calories per serving and 3.5 g of fat. No sodium or cholesterol and 70 mg of potassium. It also has 4 g of carbs and 70% of your daily intake of manganese. It's also non-GMO and gluten free.

I think this product is great. It helps make the yogurt more filling and my breakfast holds me over longer during the morning. I made a piece of toast thing morning thinking the yogurt, fruit, and chia wouldn't be enough and by the time I finished the toast and peanut butter I was stuffed! 

I have also tried a similar product called Salba, which are white chia seeds. They were tasty as well, maybe not as nutty, and filled me up just like the black seeds. I'm not sure of the difference, but the white ones are salba hispanica instead of salvia like the black ones. I found this page, touting the superiority of Salba seeds over the black seeds. I don't know, you decide.

For now, I'm happy with my Natural Factors chia. It fills me up, makes me feel good, and adds some necessary fibre to my diet. 

Give it a try!