Chia seed is a highly versatile food that can be nicely integrated into several healthy and tasty recipes. I have come across over 100 varieties of recipes with chia seeds.
Chia tastes best when used in pudding, smoothies, or cookies.
I have hand-picked the 12 best weight loss recipes with chia for this article. Most are “chia seed pudding” or “chia gel” recipes and smoothies.
Before we go into the details of these top 12 weight loss recipes, let us see briefly what is in this seed that helps with weight loss.
Benefits Of Chia Seeds For Weight Loss
To lose weight the healthy way, your daily diet must consist of fewer calories than your body burns daily.
A healthy weight loss diet must have fewer calories and no bad fats, but it should also contain the daily required amount of all essential vitamins and micronutrients.
Chia seed is a nutrient-dense food that can fit into any healthy weight loss diet plan.
One serving of chia seeds daily is good for a healthy metabolism and a reduction in body weight.
The calories in this seed are comparatively less than those found in most other seeds and nuts. A one-ounce serving of chia seeds contains approximately 138 calories. That is about 7 percent of the daily calorie limit for a 2,000-calorie diet.
The calories in chia seeds per serving are slightly high in the context of a daily calorie limit. However, the nutritional value of the chia seed is far greater than that of carbohydrate-rich foods like grains and cereals.
When you use chia seeds for weight loss, you should cut back on grain and cereal to balance the calorie intake.
The daily required dietary fiber intake per person ranges from 21 to 38 grams, depending on the gender and age of the person. You could have a minimum of 1 tablespoon of chia seeds per day.
Chia seeds also are packed with natural fiber; about 10 grams per serving. That is to say, nearly 30 to 45% of the dietary fiber per day can come from a 1-ounce serving of chia seeds.
A study published in today’s Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that something as simple as eating 30 grams of fiber daily can help you lose weight. If this is true, chia is an excellent food that can significantly increase fiber intake.
The high concentration of dietary fiber and healthy fats in chia is good for weight loss; it enhances blood glucose and lipid profiles.
According to one study report from Nutrición Hospitalaria in 2014, the subjects who ate ground chia daily for 12 weeks experienced more weight loss outcomes than those who didn’t. Surprisingly, those who followed the Chia diet regularly saw a significant reduction in waist circumference and belly fat.
The chia seeds are an excellent appetite suppressant. The tiny seeds expand in liquids, making you feel fuller faster. These seeds usually absorb 10 times their weight in water, and this helps to hydrate the body well.
On the whole, chia helps in weight loss by improving digestive health, boosting metabolism, supplying healthy fatty acids, providing rich fiber content, and having fewer calories.
Top 12 Chia Recipes For Weight Loss
Chia seeds can be used as dry seeds, soaked seeds, or ground seeds, depending on the requirements of each recipe. However, a few people may find it hard to digest the dry chia seeds, which may cause discomfort in the gut.
Most recipes for chia puddings and smoothies require the chia seeds to be soaked in water or almond milk at least an hour before the preparation; overnight soaking is the best option.
Even after making the pudding or gel, allow at least 1 hour for all ingredients to sync well for the best flavor.
I have specially chosen these 12 chia weight loss recipes because all ingredients in each of them promote fat loss, and they are vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, oil-free, and refined sugar-free.
1. Chia and Mixed Berry Smoothie
This weight loss smoothie contains dietary fiber, antioxidants, and appetite suppressants, which can help you feel full for longer and eat less. Ingredients required for this smoothie are chia seeds, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. Take all ingredients in equal amounts and mix well, and if necessary, use almond milk to make the smoothie tasty and thicker.
Read Stepie’s article for more details on this recipe.
2. Chia-Chocolate Granola Bites
A moderate amount of granola (with low sugar content) benefits health.
Just like the chia, the granola cereal has several health benefits, including its ability to lower cholesterol, improve digestion, aid in weight loss, improve heart health, and increase energy.
The cherry-chocolate granola cookie bites do not lead to unwanted weight gain. Dark chocolate chunks provide antioxidants, and chia seeds add fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
3. Chia Pudding With Almond Milk
The weight-loss benefits of almond milk are great. It has a low caloric value; an 8 oz serving (without added sugar) only contains around 60 calories.
The only ingredients required for the chia pudding recipe are 3 cups’ unsweetened’ almond milk, 1/2 cup chia seeds, 1-3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract for taste.
Allow the pudding to season overnight after making it to achieve a thicker consistency and better flavor.
Read the details of the recipe in Renee Blair’s post.
4. Fig, Almond, Chia, and Oat Pudding
The fiber-packed chia and figs are excellent for weight loss with greater fat-burning effects. With its rich fiber content and low calories, the fig fruit is a healthy food for all. Almonds and oats, also included in this pudding, are equally beneficial for weight loss.
To make chia pudding, add chia seeds to rolled oats and milk (or coconut milk) in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside to thicken for 15–20 minutes, and then add sliced figs and almond seeds as toppings. Delicious chia seeds pudding is a healthy breakfast.
5. Chia Seed Dressed Salad
Just sprinkling a teaspoon of chia seeds over the salad adds fiber, omega 3 fatty acids, and protein. Several combinations of vegetables and fruits can be used to prepare a healthy weight-loss salad.
One of the best weight-loss combinations is Bibb lettuce, cucumber, pineapple, avocado, and almonds with Chia Seed Dressing.
Read the details of this recipe in Jenny Sugar’s blog post.
6. Blueberry Chia Seed Pudding
Blueberries are considered a superfood with great nutritional value, packing a ton of fiber into each berry, along with an excellent dose of folate, potassium, and vitamins B6 and C. The blueberry diet is also very popular as an effective weight loss diet.
The major ingredients used in this pudding are almond milk, blueberries, chia seeds, honey, and vanilla extract. To prepare this, blend your blueberries with almond milk, honey, and vanilla. Allow the chia seeds to absorb the almond milk for an hour before serving the beautifully textured and tasty pudding for a healthy and delicious breakfast or snack.
Read the details of this recipe in SkinnyMs’ blog post.
7. Chia Debloating Drink
Bloating stomachs has adverse effects on the digestive health of the body. Regular bloating also leads to unwanted weight gain, increased blood pressure, and stress.
One of the finest ways to eliminate a bloated stomach is by beginning your day with a chia drink. The fiber content and omega-3s in chia make you feel bloat-free.
Combine the soaked chia seeds and super greens with coconut water or 1 cup of water, stir for a minute or two, and drink it.
Read the details of this recipe in Leta Shy’s blog post.
8. Dr. Bob’s Chia-Kale Blueberry Smoothie
According to Dr. Bob, there’s no healthier way to start the day than with his 314-calorie chia-kale smoothie. He further commented: Chia-kale smoothies have 100 times more nutrients than an all-American cheeseburger, fries, and soft drink.
This smoothie can help reduce obesity, diabetes, and coronary artery disease, affecting many people.
The essential ingredients that go into this smoothie are chia, Greek yogurt, blueberries, kale leaves, and honey.
Combine the water, chia, yogurt, blueberries, kale, and honey in a blender and blend them till they are smooth.
Read the details of this recipe in Blaine McEvoy’s article.
9. Honey Lemon Chia Sauce With Fruit
Combining blueberries (or any other berries), honey, lemon juice, and chia seeds would make an excellent fruit salad that provides great nutrition and helps with weight loss.
The lemon-honey mixture diet is a proven solution to eliminate belly fat. The fiber and antioxidants in blueberries and chia seeds accelerate the progress of weight loss.
Read the details of this recipe in Dr. Becky’s blog post.
10. Banana and Chia Smoothie
The banana, date, and chia mix smoothie is a great energy booster. This smoothie improves digestion, increases energy levels, and helps with weight control.
The banana, dates, chia seeds, Greek yogurt, and unsweetened almond milk for this smoothie are all blended in a blender.
Please read the details of this recipe by Sharrelle Haywood in her blog post.
11. Chocolate Pistachio Chia Shake
Pistachios are heart-healthy nuts full of nutrients that benefit your weight loss plan. Drak Chocolates and chia seeds contain fiber and antioxidants that can improve metabolism, promote weight loss, and reduce coronary artery diseases.
Soak the chia seed in almond milk and add the well-blended mixture of dates and pistachios. Then blend it with frozen banana chunks, cocoa powder, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract.
You can read the details of this recipe in Jennifer Chan’s post.
12. Raspberry and Strawberry Shake with Chia
The ketones in raspberries are well known for their weight loss effects. Similarly, research shows that strawberries can stimulate metabolism and suppress appetite.
A delicious blend of strawberries, raspberries, chia seeds, and almonds is excellent for shedding weight.
To make this shake, add strawberries, raspberries, almond milk, and chia seeds; blend it in a blender till it is smooth. You can top it with a few berries and dry chia seeds if desired.
Read the details of this recipe in Nutribullet’s article.
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