Then one day, I decided to live by the "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" mantra by eating breakfasts that support my vanity goals. Ideally, I wanted to consume a breakfast that makes my hair grow and my skin glow.
Is that too much to ask?
Over the years I experimented with elaborate smoothies, drinking fresh juice, and loaded oatmeal. Can I be honest and say that I've gotten lazy and completely veered away from my mission of eating a beautifying breakfast every morning.
Thankfully, I didn't let laziness stop me. I simply chose an alternative breakfast that I could make in minutes while still reaping immense benefits.Last week, my husband made a random comment about my skin being soft. At first, I brushed it off as him just saying something nice to say to keep the wife happy but when he emphasized it, I touched my skin to see what he was talking about. To my surprise, my skin did seem softer than I remembered.
Immediately I started to think about what I was doing to cause this. I was still winter so I'm not drinking a ton of water. I wasn't using a new body lotion. I didn't change anything in my routine to create softer skin. But, after thinking a little longer, I came up with this hypothesis:
Chia seed pudding was giving me soft skin.
Hear me out....
A couple of months ago, I discovered chia seed pudding as a daily breakfast option. Because chia seed "pudding" is made the night before, I didn't have to battle the urge to be lazy in the morning. The pudding was already in the fridge waiting for me. The convenience alone made it easier to be consistent. Each morning, I'd eat my little bowl of chia seed pudding then move on with my day. Little did I know that my new little routine would provide a little reward.
THE BENEFITS
I hopped on the chia seed pudding train because I wanted a filling breakfast that didn't take long to prepare. I wanted to experience the benefits of improved digestion. My diet wasn't great over the holidays so chia seed pudding was an easy way to help with fiber intake. For those reasons alone, I was able to stay committed.
Months later, I was alerted my skin felt softer. When I first theorized that the chia seeds were responsible for my newly soft skin, I thought it was probably due to the omega-3 content. I've heard for years that some vegetarians eat chia seeds as a substitute for fatty fish. After a little digging, I learned that the omega-3s found in chia seeds aren't as bioavailable as what's found in fish. That created more questions...if my skin wasn't benefiting from the Omega 3s as much as suspected, what could be the reason?
I did a little more research and I think I've stumbled on another theory that makes more sense.
The magic of chia seeds is their ability to absorb 12 times their weight in water. Chias are like the hyaluronic acid of seeds. Their water absorption properties are what make chia seeds great for digestion. People don't realize how much of the skin's aging has to do with moisture retention. Babies are roughly around 75% water. That number declines to about 50% as we age. Our change in body composition as we age is partially responsible for this water loss. Chia seeds can give the body a little help. They work by slowing the rate of water loss, keeping us hydrated for longer.
Check out what this person had to say after consuming chia seeds consistently:
Chia seeds are a game changer! I have been eating them every day for the past year and my hair and nails grow like crazy. My skin is also dewy and happy. I’ve started adding in hemp hearts and flax seeds as well!
This person took her experience to the next level by adding flax and hemp seeds to her chia seeds. I can't wait to try this seed trio combination for myself. Hemp hearts (hemp seeds) contain 25% more omega 3's and twice as much protein as chia. Plus they also contain vitamin E.
With warmer months approaching, I anticipate my skin to start freaking out once temperatures and humidity skyrocket. I'm certain the breakouts will return and with them comes acne scarring. I'm betting on the increased vitamin E intake to ward off some potential scarring via improvement in wound healing.
WEIGHT BENEFITS
Beyond hydrated skin, chia seeds have some proven healthy weight benefits as well. A study was conducted of two groups of overweight participants. Group one was instructed to eat 36 grams of oat bran fiber daily while the other group ate 30 grams of ground chia seeds. The oat bran group didn't lose weight while the chia seed group averaged around 4.5 lb loss and about an inch off their waist.
I haven't noticed excessive weight loss but I do notice that even when I don't get on the scale for days or weeks, my weight is either stable or I've lost a couple of pounds without doing anything specific. I also realized that the study mentioned earlier incorporated ground chia seeds. I haven't tried ground seeds but after a little research, I've learned that ground seeds make the omega 3 and nutrient content in the seeds a little more bioavailable. Obviously, I'll be adding ground chia from now on to maximize the skin and healthy weight benefits.
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