Blueberry Zucchini Smoothie (You Heard It Right!)

<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 25px;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLkhJ5nbK0QM64o_dmKIfbGncgqO2EI3WOtBt74veh8RSkff00aodY2DH-grR9MOCE0WB4DE4TKGjF7ocjbroKVDRifwNsMcoNb615wMQ2m0k1zkHcrUvkJ0TY4rjn5sUQa_EmKTW7ZJ7/s1600/AvdulovaBlueberryZucchini+Smoothie-850x850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLkhJ5nbK0QM64o_dmKIfbGncgqO2EI3WOtBt74veh8RSkff00aodY2DH-grR9MOCE0WB4DE4TKGjF7ocjbroKVDRifwNsMcoNb615wMQ2m0k1zkHcrUvkJ0TY4rjn5sUQa_EmKTW7ZJ7/s1600/AvdulovaBlueberryZucchini+Smoothie-850x850.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 25px;"> <br /></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 25px;"> Have you ever considered putting a zucchini in a smoothie?</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 25px;"> I tried it recently and now no breakfast smoothie goes zucchini-less. A great source of fiber, manganese, <a href="http://www.mindbodygreen.com/tag/antioxidant.html" style="color: #5ac7e1; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">antioxidants</a>, vitamins C, B and A (with barely any calories — 21 per cup!), zucchini are practically tasteless, which makes them an amazing addition to any blended creation.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 25px;"> Go grab some local zucchini at your farmers market, and get blendin'! If it's organic, you don't even need to peel the skin off.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 25px;"> <strong>Blueberry Zucchini Smoothie</strong><br />Makes 1 serving</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 25px;"> <em>Ingredients</em></div> <ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 25px; padding: 0px;"> <li>1/2 cup zucchini</li> <li>1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries</li> <li>1/2 cup spinach</li> <li>1-2 pitted dates to sweeten</li> <li>1 tablespoon chia seeds</li> <li>1 teaspoon probiotic powder (optional)</li> <li>1 tablespoon almond butter (I recommend using raw sprouted one)</li> <li>1 cup almond milk</li> </ul> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 25px;"> <em>Toppings</em></div> <ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 25px; padding: 0px;"> <li>1 tbs almond butter</li> <li>1 tbs wild blueberries</li> </ul> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 25px;"> <em>Directions</em></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans'; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 25px;"> <span style="font-size: 14px;">Blend all of the ingredients until smooth. Top with almond butter and wild blueberries.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">shared from mindbodygreen.com by KSENIA AVDULOVA<span style="color: #999999; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21.420000076293945px; text-transform: uppercase;"> </span></span></div>

clean eating, deliciousness, health and fitness, healthy breakfast, healthy desserts, Healthy recipes, nutrition, smoothie, summer beverage

Blueberry Zucchini Smoothie (You Heard It Right!)

Have you ever considered putting a zucchini in a smoothie? I tried it recently and now no breakfast smoothie goes zucchini-less. A ...

Nutritional Benefits of Chia Seeds + Chia Seed Pudding Recipe!!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcE6hq0w7wP_EH-6UaxeS94BoerOlEp5WIIPClJNNLQIbBqZvh4H8bFf90SM0jWbYakXTGmHATHbV0bot4pFu2itKeBHgrIcEHoW2URy7sdnlD7pFJjNuZJ_ecbYuLdqSGmw0WqqK2Uyl/s1600/chia.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcE6hq0w7wP_EH-6UaxeS94BoerOlEp5WIIPClJNNLQIbBqZvh4H8bFf90SM0jWbYakXTGmHATHbV0bot4pFu2itKeBHgrIcEHoW2URy7sdnlD7pFJjNuZJ_ecbYuLdqSGmw0WqqK2Uyl/s1600/chia.jpeg" /></a></div> <br style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;" /> <br style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;" /> <br /> <span style="background-color: #efece3; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 13px;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Chia Seed Pudding</span></span><br /> <span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #e06666;"><br style="background-color: #efece3; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #efece3; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 13px;">Ingredients</span></span><br /> <span style="color: #e06666;"><br style="background-color: #efece3; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 13px;" /></span><span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;">1 cup vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk</span><br /> <span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;">1 cup plain low-fat (2 percent) Greek yogurt</span><br /> <span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;">2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (preferably grade B), plus 4 teaspoons for serving</span><br /> <span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;">1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract</span><br /> <span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;">Kosher salt</span><br /> <span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;">1/4 cup chia seeds</span><br /> <span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;">1 pint strawberries, hulled and chopped</span><br /> <span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;">1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted</span><br /> <span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: #efece3; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 13px;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Directions</span></span><br /> <span style="color: #e06666;"><br style="background-color: #efece3; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 13px;" /></span><span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;">In a medium bowl, gently whisk the almond milk, yogurt, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, the vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt until just blended. Whisk in the chia seeds; let stand 30 minutes. Stir to distribute the seeds if they have settled. Cover and refrigerate overnight.</span><br /> <br style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;" /> <span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;">The next day, in a medium bowl, toss the berries with the remaining 4 teaspoons maple syrup. Mix in the almonds.</span><br /> <br style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;" /> <span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;">Spoon the pudding into 4 bowls or glasses; mound the berry mixture on top and serve.</span><br /> <br style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;" /> <span style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;">Photograph by Kana Okada</span><br /> <br /> <h1 class="entry-title" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Yanone Kaffeesatz', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 2.1em !important; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #e06666;">11 Proven Health Benefits of Chia Seeds (No. 3 is Best)</span></h1> <h1 class="entry-title" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Yanone Kaffeesatz', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 2.1em !important; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 23px;">By </span><a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/about/" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 23px; text-decoration: none;">Kris Gunnars</a><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 23px;"> </span></h1> <div class="entry-content" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px; overflow: hidden;"> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <span class="wptouch-shortcode-non-mobile"><img alt="Woman Holding Something in Her Hands" class="alignright size-full wp-image-3888" src="http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/woman-holding-something-in-her-hands.jpg" style="display: block; float: right; height: 383px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 15px; max-width: 100%; width: 240px;" /></span>Chia seeds are among the healthiest foods on the planet.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> They are loaded with nutrients that can have important benefits for your body and brain.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Here are 11 health benefits of chia seeds that are supported by human studies.</div> <h2 style="font-family: 'Yanone Kaffeesatz', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #e06666;">1. Chia Seeds Deliver a Massive Amount of Nutrients With Very Few Calories</span></h2> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Chia seeds are tiny black seeds from the plant<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_hispanica" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Salvia Hispanica</a>, which is related to the mint.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> This plant grows natively in South America.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Chia seeds were an important food for the Aztecs and Mayans back in the day.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> They prized them for their ability to provide sustainable energy… in fact, “chia” is the ancient Mayan word for “strength.”</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Despite their ancient history as a dietary staple, only recently did chia seeds become recognized as a modern day superfood.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> In the past few years, they have exploded in popularity and are now consumed by health conscious people all over the world.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <strong>This is what chia seeds look like:</strong></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="Chia Seeds In A Bowl" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3876" height="367" src="http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/chia-seeds-in-a-bowl.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto 10px; max-width: 100%;" width="580" /></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Don’t be fooled by the size… these tiny seeds pack a <strong>powerful</strong> nutritional punch.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> A 1 ounce (28 grams) serving of chia seeds contains (<a href="http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3061/2" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">1</a>, <a href="http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3655?qlookup=chia&fg=&format=&man=&lfacet=&max=25&new=1" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">2</a>):</div> <ul style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 25px;"> <li style="background-image: url(http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bullet.png); background-repeat: no-repeat; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; list-style-type: none !important; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2em;"><strong>Fiber:</strong> 11 grams.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bullet.png); background-repeat: no-repeat; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; list-style-type: none !important; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2em;"><strong>Protein:</strong> 4 grams.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bullet.png); background-repeat: no-repeat; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; list-style-type: none !important; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2em;"><strong>Fat:</strong> 9 grams (5 of which are Omega-3s).</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bullet.png); background-repeat: no-repeat; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; list-style-type: none !important; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2em;"><strong>Calcium:</strong> 18% of the RDA.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bullet.png); background-repeat: no-repeat; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; list-style-type: none !important; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2em;"><strong>Manganese:</strong> 30% of the RDA.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bullet.png); background-repeat: no-repeat; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; list-style-type: none !important; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2em;"><strong>Magnesium:</strong> 30% of the RDA.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bullet.png); background-repeat: no-repeat; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; list-style-type: none !important; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2em;"><strong>Phosphorus:</strong> 27% of the RDA.</li> <li style="background-image: url(http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bullet.png); background-repeat: no-repeat; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; list-style-type: none !important; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2em;">They also contain a decent amount of Zinc, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Potassium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and Vitamin B2.</li> </ul> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> This is particularly impressive when you consider that this is just a single <strong>ounce</strong>, which supplies only 137 <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/debunking-the-calorie-myth/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">calories</a> and one gram of digestible carbohydrate!</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Just so that we’re all on the same page, 1 ounce equals 28 grams, or about 2 tablespoons.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Interestingly… if you subtract the fiber, which may not end up as usable calories for the body, chia seeds only contain 101 calories per ounce.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> This makes them one of the world’s <strong>best</strong> sources of several important nutrients, calorie for calorie.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> To top things off, chia seeds are a “whole grain” food, are usually grown organically, are non-GMO and naturally free of <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/6-shocking-reasons-why-gluten-is-bad/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">gluten</a>.</div> <blockquote style="background-color: whitesmoke; border: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); font-size: 14px; margin: 5px 5px 20px; padding: 15px 15px 0px;"> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <strong>Bottom Line:</strong> Despite their tiny size, chia seeds are among the most nutritious foods on the planet. They are loaded with fiber, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and various micronutrients.</div> </blockquote> <h2 style="font-family: 'Yanone Kaffeesatz', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #e06666;">2. Chia Seeds Are Loaded With Antioxidants</span></h2> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="Chia Seeds in Glass Bowl" class="alignright size-full wp-image-3889" height="125" src="http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/chia-seeds-in-glass-bowl.jpg" style="display: block; float: right; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 10px 15px; max-width: 100%;" width="220" /></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Another area where chia seeds shine is in their high amount of antioxidants (<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24811150" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">3</a>, <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF02542169" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">4</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> These <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidant" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">antioxidants</a> protect the sensitive fats in the seeds from going rancid (<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814607008709" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">5</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Although antioxidant <em>supplements</em> are not very effective, getting antioxidants from<em>foods</em> can have positive effects on health (<a href="http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/99/10/742.full" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">6</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Most importantly, antioxidants fight the production of free radicals, which can damage molecules in cells and contribute to ageing and diseases like cancer (<a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/90/17/7915.short" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">7</a>, <a href="http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/53/1/373S.short" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">8</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> There are some claims online about chia seeds having more antioxidants than blueberries, but I was unable find a study to verify this claim.</div> <blockquote style="background-color: whitesmoke; border: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); font-size: 14px; margin: 5px 5px 20px; padding: 15px 15px 0px;"> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <strong>Bottom Line:</strong> Chia seeds are high in antioxidants that help to protect the delicate fats in the seeds. They also have various benefits for health.</div> </blockquote> <h2 style="font-family: 'Yanone Kaffeesatz', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #e06666;">3. Almost All The Carbs in Them Are Fiber</span></h2> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="Wooden Spoon With Chia Seeds" class="alignright size-full wp-image-3891" height="247" src="http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/wooden-spoon-with-chia-seeds.jpg" style="display: block; float: right; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 10px 15px; max-width: 100%;" width="190" /></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Looking at the nutrition profile of chia seeds, you see that an ounce has 12 grams of “carbohydrate.”</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> However… 11 of those grams are <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/why-is-fiber-good-for-you/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">fiber</a>, which isn’t digested by the body.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Fiber doesn’t raise blood sugar, doesn’t require insulin to be disposed of and therefore shouldn’t count as a<a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/how-many-carbs-per-day-to-lose-weight/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">carb</a>.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> The <strong>true</strong> carb content is only 1 gram per ounce, which is very low. This makes chia a <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/low-carb-diet-meal-plan-and-menu/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">low-carb</a> friendly food.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Because of all the fiber, chia seeds can absorb up to 10-12 times their weight in water, becoming gel-like and expanding in your stomach (<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0023643808001345" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">9</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Theoretically, this should increase fullness, slow absorption of your food and help you <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/7-ways-to-lose-weight-without-counting-calories/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">automatically</a> eat fewer calories.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Fiber also feeds the friendly bacteria in the intestine, which is important because keeping your <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gut_flora" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">gut bugs</a> well fed is absolutely crucial for health (<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12583961" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">10</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Chia seeds are 40% fiber, by weight. This makes them one of the best sources of fiber in the world.<br /> <span class="wptouch-shortcode-non-mobile"></span></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: -10px; margin-top: -13px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"> <strong style="background-color: whitesmoke;">Bottom Line:</strong><span style="background-color: whitesmoke;"> </span><span style="background-color: whitesmoke;">Almost all of the carbohydrates in chia seeds are fiber. This gives them the ability to absorb 10-12 times their weight in water. Fiber also has various beneficial effects on health.</span></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: -10px; margin-top: -13px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"> <span style="background-color: whitesmoke;"><br /></span></div> <h2 style="font-family: 'Yanone Kaffeesatz', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #e06666;">4. Chia Seeds Are High in Quality Protein</span></h2> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="A Pile of Chia Seeds" class="alignright size-full wp-image-3892" height="130" src="http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/a-pile-of-chia-seeds.jpg" style="display: block; float: right; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 10px 15px; max-width: 100%;" width="230" /></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Chia seeds contain a decent amount of <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/how-much-protein-per-day/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">protein</a>.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> By weight, they are about 14% protein, which is very high compared to most plants.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> They also contain a good balance of essential amino acids, so our bodies should be able to make use of the protein in them (<a href="http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf3034978" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">11</a>, <a href="http://fst.sagepub.com/content/16/1/89.long" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">12</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Protein has all sorts of benefits for health. It is also the most weight loss friendly nutrient in the diet, <strong>by far</strong>.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> A high protein intake reduces appetite and has been shown to reduce obsessive thoughts about food by 60% and the desire for night time snacking by 50% (<a href="http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/41.abstract" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">13</a>, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20847729" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">14</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Chia seeds really are an excellent protein source, especially for people who eat little or no animal products.</div> <blockquote style="background-color: whitesmoke; border: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); font-size: 14px; margin: 5px 5px 20px; padding: 15px 15px 0px;"> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <strong>Bottom Line:</strong> Chia seeds are high in quality protein, much higher than most plant foods. Protein is the most weight loss friendly macronutrient and can drastically reduce appetite and cravings.</div> </blockquote> <h2 style="font-family: 'Yanone Kaffeesatz', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #e06666;">5. Due to The High Fiber and Protein Content, Chia Seeds Should be Able to Help You Lose Weight</span></h2> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="Overweight Woman Holding a Scale With Thumbs up" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3545" height="300" src="http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/overweight-woman-holding-a-scale-with-thumbs-up-176x300.jpg" style="display: block; float: right; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 10px 15px; max-width: 100%;" width="176" /></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Many health experts believe that chia seeds can help with weight loss.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> The fiber absorbs large amounts of water and expands in the stomach, which should increase fullness and slow the absorption of food (<a href="http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijfs/2014/241053/abs/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">15</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> There have been several studies on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucomannan" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">glucomannan</a>, a fiber that works in a similar way, showing that it can lead to weight loss (<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18031592" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">16</a>, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6096282" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">17</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Then the protein in chia seeds could help to reduce appetite and food intake.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Unfortunately, when the effects of chia seeds on <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/how-to-lose-weight-as-fast-as-possible/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">weight loss</a> have been studied, the results have been rather disappointing.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Although one study showed that chia seeds can reduce appetite, there was no significant effect on body weight (<a href="http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v64/n4/full/ejcn2009159a.html" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">18</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> In a study on 90 overweight people, 50 grams of chia seeds per day for 12 weeks had no effect on body weight or health markers (<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027153170900089X" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">19</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> In another 10 week study of 62 women, chia seeds had no effect on bodyweight but did increase the amount of Omega-3s in the blood (<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22830971" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">20</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Although <em>just</em> adding chia seeds to your diet is unlikely to affect your weight, I personally believe that they can be a useful addition.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> A weight loss diet is about more than just adding or subtracting single foods. The entire diet counts, as well as other lifestyle behaviors like sleep and exercise.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> When <strong>combined</strong> with a real food based diet and a <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/5-simple-rules-for-amazing-health/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">healthy lifestyle</a>, I can definitely see how chia seeds could help with weight loss.</div> <blockquote style="background-color: whitesmoke; border: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); font-size: 14px; margin: 5px 5px 20px; padding: 15px 15px 0px;"> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <strong>Bottom Line:</strong> Chia seeds are high in protein and fiber, both of which have been shown to aid weight loss. However, the studies on chia seeds have not noted any effects on weight.</div> </blockquote> <h2 style="font-family: 'Yanone Kaffeesatz', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #e06666;">6. Chia Seeds Are High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids</span></h2> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Like flax seeds, chia seeds are very high in Omega-3 fatty acids.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="The Word Chia Spelled With Chia Seeds" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3893" height="308" src="http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/the-word-chia-spelled-with-chia-seeds.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto 10px; max-width: 100%;" width="580" /></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> In fact, chia seeds contain <strong>more Omega-3s than salmon</strong>, gram for gram.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> However… it’s important to keep in mind that the Omega-3s in them are mostly<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha-Linolenic_acid" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">ALA</a> (Alpha Linolenic Acid), which is not as beneficial as you may think.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> ALA needs to converted into the “active” forms, EPA and DHA, before it can be used by the body.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Unfortunately, humans are inefficient at converting ALA into the active forms. Therefore, plant Omega-3s tend to be vastly inferior to animal sources like fish (<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9637947" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">21</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Studies have shown that chia seeds (especially if they are milled) can increase blood levels of ALA and EPA, <strong>but not DHA</strong>… which is a problem (<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22830971" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">20</a>, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22538527" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">22</a>)</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Because they don’t supply any <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docosahexaenoic_acid" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">DHA</a> (the most important Omega-3 fat), I think chia seeds are overrated as an Omega-3 source.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> In order to get the DHA your body and brain desperately need… either eat fatty fish regularly, take fish oil, or take a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=dha%20vegan&linkCode=ur2&tag=paleogatewayc-20&linkId=6C7JDF5BBE2H6YTP" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">DHA supplement</a> if you are vegan or vegetarian.</div> <blockquote style="background-color: whitesmoke; border: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); font-size: 14px; margin: 5px 5px 20px; padding: 15px 15px 0px;"> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <strong>Bottom Line:</strong> Chia seeds are very high in the Omega-3 fatty acid ALA. However, humans are not good at converting this into DHA, the most important Omega-3 fatty acid.</div> </blockquote> <h2 style="font-family: 'Yanone Kaffeesatz', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #e06666;">7. Chia Seeds May Improve Certain Blood Markers, Which Should Lower The Risk of Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes</span></h2> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="Chia Seeds in a Heart Shaped Bowl" class="alignright size-full wp-image-3896" height="198" src="http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/chia-seeds-in-a-heart-shaped-bowl.jpg" style="display: block; float: right; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 10px 15px; max-width: 100%;" width="200" /></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Given that chia seeds are high in fiber, protein and Omega-3s, they should be able to improve metabolic health.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> This has been tested in several studies, but the results have been inconclusive.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> In two studies, a diet with chia seeds, <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/is-soy-bad-for-you-or-good/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">soy</a> protein, oats and nopal, has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, increase HDL cholesterol and reduce inflammation (<a href="http://www.fasebj.org/content/28/1_Supplement/1035.8.short" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">23</a>, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22090467" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">24</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Because these studies also used other ingredients, nothing can be concluded about the chia seeds themselves.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Rat studies have also shown that chia seeds can lower triglycerides, raise HDL (the “good”) cholesterol and reduce inflammation, insulin resistance and belly fat (<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17356263" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">25</a>,<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18492301" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">26</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> However, a study that looked at just chia seeds did not note any improvements (<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22830971" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">20</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Overall… it is possible that chia seeds can improve these risk factors, but probably won’t have a major effect unless followed by other beneficial changes in the diet.</div> <blockquote style="background-color: whitesmoke; border: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); font-size: 14px; margin: 5px 5px 20px; padding: 15px 15px 0px;"> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <strong>Bottom Line:</strong> The effects on cholesterol levels and other risk factors is inconclusive. Some studies show an effect, others do not.</div> </blockquote> <h2 style="font-family: 'Yanone Kaffeesatz', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #e06666;">8. They Are High in Many Important Bone Nutrients</span></h2> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="Smiling Elderly Woman" class="alignright size-full wp-image-2771" height="237" src="http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/smiling-elderly-woman.jpg" style="display: block; float: right; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 10px 15px; max-width: 100%;" width="160" /></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Chia seeds are high in several nutrients that are important for bone health.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> This includes <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/is-dairy-good-for-your-bones/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">calcium</a>, phosphorus, magnesium and protein.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> The calcium content is particularly impressive… 18% of the RDA in a single ounce.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Gram for gram, this is higher than most dairy products.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Chia seeds may be considered an excellent source of calcium for people who don’t eat <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/is-dairy-bad-or-good/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">dairy</a>.</div> <blockquote style="background-color: whitesmoke; border: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); font-size: 14px; margin: 5px 5px 20px; padding: 15px 15px 0px;"> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <strong>Bottom Line:</strong> Chia seeds are high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and protein. All of these nutrients are essential for bone health.</div> </blockquote> <h2 style="font-family: 'Yanone Kaffeesatz', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #e06666;">9. Chia Seeds Can Cause Major Improvements in Type 2 Diabetics</span></h2> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="White Bowl Full of Chia Seeds" class="alignright size-full wp-image-3897" height="167" src="http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/white-bowl-full-of-chia-seeds.jpg" style="display: block; float: right; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 10px 15px; max-width: 100%;" width="220" /></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> The most successful application of chia seeds to date was in a study on type 2 diabetic patients</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> In this study, 20 diabetic patients received either 37 grams of chia seeds, or 37 grams of <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/modern-wheat-health-nightmare/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">wheat</a> bran, for 12 weeks (<a href="http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/30/11/2804.long" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">27</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> When they got the chia seeds, they saw improvements in several important health markers.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Blood pressure went down by 3-6 mm/Hg and an inflammatory marker called <a href="http://www.docsopinion.com/health-and-nutrition/hscrp/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">hs-CRP</a> went down by 40%. A risk factor called vWF also decreased by 21%.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> There was also a small drop in blood sugar, but it wasn’t statistically significant.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Given that chia seeds are high in fiber, it does seem plausible that they could help reduce blood sugar spikes after meals, but this needs to be confirmed in studies.</div> <blockquote style="background-color: whitesmoke; border: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); font-size: 14px; margin: 5px 5px 20px; padding: 15px 15px 0px;"> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <strong>Bottom Line:</strong> A study in type 2 diabetics showed that chia seeds can significantly lower blood pressure and a marker for inflammation.</div> </blockquote> <h2 style="font-family: 'Yanone Kaffeesatz', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #e06666;">10. Chia Seeds Can Improve Exercise Performance as Much as a Sports Drink</span></h2> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="Man With Sports Drink" class="alignright size-full wp-image-2457" height="290" src="http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/man-with-sports-drink.jpg" style="display: block; float: right; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 10px 15px; max-width: 100%;" width="180" /></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Legend has it that the Aztecs and Mayans used chia seeds to fuel performance back in the day.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> There is one recent study suggesting that this may be effective…</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> In this study, 6 participants “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate_loading" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">carb loaded</a>” with either gatorade, or a mix of half gatorade/half chia seeds (<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21183832" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">28</a>).</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Then they ran for an hour on a treadmill, followed by a timed 10 kilometer long run.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> There was no difference between the two groups.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> In other words, replacing half of the gatorade with chia seeds did not reduce the performance of the athletes, indicating that chia seeds were of some use.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> According to this study, chia seeds can help athletes “carb load” for endurance events, while increasing their intake of nutrients and decreasing their intake of<a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/how-much-sugar-per-day/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">sugar</a>.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> However, I’d personally like to see some larger studies on this. Given that most of the carbs in chia seeds are fiber, it doesn’t make much sense that they could be used for carb loading.</div> <blockquote style="background-color: whitesmoke; border: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230); font-size: 14px; margin: 5px 5px 20px; padding: 15px 15px 0px;"> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <strong>Bottom Line:</strong> One small study shows that chia seeds can partly replace gatorade as a way of carb loading for endurance athletes, but this needs to be studied more.</div> </blockquote> <h2 style="font-family: 'Yanone Kaffeesatz', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #e06666;">11. Chia Seeds Are Easy to Incorporate Into Your Diet</span></h2> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="Chia Seed Pudding" class="alignright size-full wp-image-3898" height="271" src="http://authoritynutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/chia-seed-pudding.jpg" style="display: block; float: right; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 10px 15px; max-width: 100%;" width="180" /></div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Okay, this last one is not a health benefit, but important nonetheless.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Chia seeds are <strong>incredibly</strong> easy to incorporate into your diet.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> The seeds themselves taste rather bland, so you can add them to pretty much <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelysanders/healthy-and-delicious-chia-seed-recipes" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">anything</a>.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> They also don’t need to be ground like flax seeds, which makes them much easier to prepare.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> They can be eaten raw, soaked in juice, added to porridges and puddings, or added to baked goods.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> You can also sprinkle them on top of cereal, yogurt, vegetables or rice dishes.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Because of their ability to absorb both water and fat, they can be used to thicken sauces and even used as <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/10-proven-health-benefits-of-eggs/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">egg</a> substitutes in recipes.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> They can also be mixed with <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/how-much-water-should-you-drink-per-day/" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;">water</a> and turned into a gel.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> Adding chia seeds to recipes will <strong>dramatically</strong> boost the nutritional value.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> If you want to buy chia seeds, then there is an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=chia%20seeds&linkCode=ur2&tag=paleogatewayc-20&linkId=ETNKZNZUZZNKADIY" style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">excellent selection on Amazon</a> with thousands of customer reviews.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> They do seem to be well tolerated… but if you’re not used to eating a lot of fiber, then there is a possibility of digestive side effects if you eat too much of them at a time.</div> <div style="color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;"> A common dosage recommendation is 20 grams (about 1.5 tablespoons) of chia seeds, twice per day.<br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">health benefits shared from authoritynutrition.com</span></div> </div>

clean eating, healthy breakfast, healthy desserts, Healthy recipes, healthy snacks, nutrition, super foods

Nutritional Benefits of Chia Seeds + Chia Seed Pudding Recipe!!

Chia Seed Pudding Ingredients 1 cup vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk 1 cup plain low-fat (2 percent) Greek yogurt 2 tablesp...

Cake Batter Energy Bars

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMsKfk06o7F0IK_X_JBYhGhNiPRwW3S5xWrRl8xi3RpQqXNnX8D9SzG0alw5c2ZNE8KbEgvGDbegWNNosjgVmr5qrUFMI8tuYprFWW7zBuHarNGX3yrPmJsfHFu2JJkruzftMN8SWc7UJ/s1600/47b4a8e2ca53873245fced17ed481f89.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMsKfk06o7F0IK_X_JBYhGhNiPRwW3S5xWrRl8xi3RpQqXNnX8D9SzG0alw5c2ZNE8KbEgvGDbegWNNosjgVmr5qrUFMI8tuYprFWW7zBuHarNGX3yrPmJsfHFu2JJkruzftMN8SWc7UJ/s640/47b4a8e2ca53873245fced17ed481f89.jpg" width="534" /></a></div><ul><li>1 cup rice crispies (brown or white, or certified gf) (30g)</li> <li>packed 1/2 cup oat flour (70g) (Or make your own by grinding rolled oats in the food processor until they turn into a fine powder. Measure <i>after</i> blending.)</li> <li>1 tsp pure vanilla extract</li> <li>1/4 tsp salt</li> <li>3 tbsp roasted cashew butter </li> <li>5 tbsp agave </li> <li>optional: a handful of sprinkles</li> <li>optional: replace up to half of the oat flour with your favorite protein powder</li> </ul>Combine all dry ingredients and stir well. In a separate (large) bowl, combine wet and stir to form a thin paste. (If your cashew butter is cold, warm it a little for easier mixing.) Pour dry into wet (not the other way around), and stir until evenly coated. Line a baking dish or tupperware container with a large piece of wax paper and pour the mixture into the dish. Fold the extra paper over the mixture and squish down as hard as you possibly can! Use a heavy object to really press it down. (The mixture will fill a 7×5, or about 2/3 of an 8×8.) Stick in the fridge or freezer to harden before cutting into bars. Store in the fridge or freezer. Makes 12 bars<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2YIZzBCAUI_Bk3NaXcCV0v5OceDEgKKROHaajYRdkwGlvTtMbLcMdQ3gO6HFqSiEsVnMAADRVwFNr167SIkFWmCessh1MJAhnbJ6BVoP_caBHOLwVvOHDdz-0Z0m05l7AQCKQ9hKRLb5/s1600/cake-batter-granola-bars_thumb_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2YIZzBCAUI_Bk3NaXcCV0v5OceDEgKKROHaajYRdkwGlvTtMbLcMdQ3gO6HFqSiEsVnMAADRVwFNr167SIkFWmCessh1MJAhnbJ6BVoP_caBHOLwVvOHDdz-0Z0m05l7AQCKQ9hKRLb5/s400/cake-batter-granola-bars_thumb_4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="float: right; margin: 4px;"><a href="javascript:void((function(){var%20e=document.createElement('script');e.setAttribute('type','text/javascript');e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8');e.setAttribute('src','http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());"><img alt="Pin It" class="aligncenter" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v419/green_tea/pin.jpg" /></a></div>

cake batter energy bars, clean eating, clean eating recipes, healthy desserts, Protein

Cake Batter Energy Bars

1 cup rice crispies (brown or white, or certified gf) (30g) packed 1/2 cup oat flour (70g) (Or make your own by grinding rolled oats in the...

Healthy Ice Cream

<br /> I am always looking for healthier versions of my FAVORITE cheats! I have discovered ways to still eat healthy nutritious foods but, feeling like I am indulging in a Heavenly Dessert. Anyway, I used to make this "fake" ice cream all the time, but I had forgotten about it until recently.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYd8ILWpSy9ete52fNh5iD-AcBT0r6y9mVqquZ01OmhqHKwj0QG-LxwgbMQcpOR7MRjT8CxcJmPFr0luSkP1F4UhoFp6vKdAtKWb2cEJyzkkmBQtFeYUvtzkhVe1ZQX5THqcE0L-FD9lD/s1600/pbicecream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYd8ILWpSy9ete52fNh5iD-AcBT0r6y9mVqquZ01OmhqHKwj0QG-LxwgbMQcpOR7MRjT8CxcJmPFr0luSkP1F4UhoFp6vKdAtKWb2cEJyzkkmBQtFeYUvtzkhVe1ZQX5THqcE0L-FD9lD/s640/pbicecream.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">You know those bananas sitting on your counter, the ones with all those brown spots that you think are passed their prime. Well those bananas make the BEST dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, fat-free, frozen ice cream treat.</span><br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-nKNlVFojV0iUJHQ5KXYabZ67sobX1_8nn8ICSwvzKTgHxRu34Tyars5Qp3bAmPipDVvWtF3qFe1mT6b8DbkKOisYOIMrxRTTEwCQfVys5SmCCSugGSrTxGCOtLIUu2mZSLDed11JRzp/s1600/banana.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /> </a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pIN4p1wFaO2JS9JaC4MRbdjmqPaEqXHvKvuoRM-Nq2ZCz6-EQMcNDnAQUfTzoHLQkeRXUob6fwD0FFV6iWCW3A9ipPobN57x0KmQADz3k5bnYMn54OtxcpWeJbx2crix7PHw6F_QArix/s1600/banana3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pIN4p1wFaO2JS9JaC4MRbdjmqPaEqXHvKvuoRM-Nq2ZCz6-EQMcNDnAQUfTzoHLQkeRXUob6fwD0FFV6iWCW3A9ipPobN57x0KmQADz3k5bnYMn54OtxcpWeJbx2crix7PHw6F_QArix/s400/banana3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">  </span><br /> <br /> <br /> Ingredients:<br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-DqsW7KYn4ivawx1nUNOVEAZ8xG4um7Wouecjadc3sGodvO3fiKMli5erkv9Ui-gksAI9M6Dq8bfwH9JHAAelf309uhlqoSO5QB1V0hrouRiSk_Y_f7vr0zp8rXpktYPjcQwOvZgEa6v/s1600/bananacut.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-DqsW7KYn4ivawx1nUNOVEAZ8xG4um7Wouecjadc3sGodvO3fiKMli5erkv9Ui-gksAI9M6Dq8bfwH9JHAAelf309uhlqoSO5QB1V0hrouRiSk_Y_f7vr0zp8rXpktYPjcQwOvZgEa6v/s320/bananacut.JPG" width="320" /></a>1/2 c almond milk or coconut milk<br /> 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional, but hello? added protein!)<br /> 2 c frozen banana slices (about 2 medium bananas)<br /> <br /> Toppings:<br /> 1/2 cup of berries<br /> 2 tsp chopped nuts<br /> <br /> Directions:<br /> Pour milk into blender. Add protein powder and blend on high speed for about 15 seconds.<br /> Add frozen bananas and blend until smooth.<br /> <br /> Serves 2<br /> <br /> Note: Immediately after blending, this resembles more of a soft-serve ice cream. However, if you want to make it ahead of time and put it back in the freezer, it will firm up a bit more like regular ice cream.<br /> <br /> I have recently added Natty PB to this mouth shattering creation and let me tell you!!! Completely AWESOME!! <br /> <div style="float: right; margin: 4px;"> <a href="javascript:void((function(){var%20e=document.createElement('script');e.setAttribute('type','text/javascript');e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8');e.setAttribute('src','http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());"><img alt="Pin It" class="aligncenter" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v419/green_tea/pin.jpg" /></a></div>

healthy desserts

Healthy Ice Cream

I am always looking for healthier versions of my FAVORITE cheats! I have discovered ways to still eat healthy nutritious foods but, feeling...