The nutritional value of chia was known to the Aztecs. Now whole and ground chia seeds are being added to fruit drinks, snacks and cereals. They are baked into cookies and sprinkled on yogurt. Chia is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, protein, and fiber.
Mamma Chia products are in Whole Foods stores as well as bodegas and health and natural foods stores. They are now sold in Ralphs and Vons stores and will soon be in Albertsons. Janie Hoffman, founder of Mamma Chia fruit juices, was one of the first people to recognize chia’s potential as a food. She bought some chia seeds online and was quickly sold on their benefits. “I started incorporating it into everything I was eating,” she said. “Stir fries, yogurt, beverages — there really wasn’t anything in my kitchen that didn’t have chia in it.” Companies like Dole and Nature’s Path have also introduced chia products.
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