We are in full-swing of our organic strawberry harvest! There is nothing better than delicious homegrown organic strawberries! It wouldn’t be strawberry season without making homemade organic strawberry chia jam!
Canning and preserving are a huge part of harvesting in our home. If you have ever canned any food, you are aware of the amount of time (and sweat) that it takes. The first time we made organic chia jam, we were so happy that it didn’t involve being in the kitchen all day! We were also ecstatic that it freezes very well, which means you can make up as many batches as you would like!
Have you jumped on the organic chia seed wagon yet? We have enjoying organic chia seeds for a few years now. They are so nutritious and can be added to a variety of recipes from desserts, to preserves, to savory dishes, to smoothies.
Organic chia seeds impart many health benefits, some of which include controlling diabetes, lowering cholesterol levels, improving the digestive system, boosting heart health, controlling hypertension, and they even contain anti-inflammatory properties.
Organic chia seeds come from the chia plant, which is native to Mexico and Guatemala. The scientific names of the plant are salvia hispanica and salvia columbariae. They both belong to the mint family (Lamiaceae). Chia seeds look similar to sesame seeds. They are very small and dark. This plant has been known to humans for a very long time. The chia plant had been cultivated by the Aztecs, Mayans, Incans and other tribes for a very long time. It was a staple food for them and historians considered it an important plant and food source for Native Americans. (Organic Facts)
According to the National Nutrition Database for Standard Reference, 100 grams of chia seeds contain 6 grams of moisture, 486 kcal of energy, 16 grams of protein, 30 grams of fat, 42 grams of carbohydrates, 34 grams of dietary fiber, 630 mg of calcium, 7 mg of iron, 335 mg of magnesium, 860 mg of phosphorus, 407 mg of potassium, 16 mg of sodium and 4 mg of zinc. Chia seeds also have vitamins such as vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin,niacin, and vitamin E. Chia seeds also have no cholesterol!
Chia seeds are good sources of antioxidants as well. Chia seeds reportedly contain very high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids, which have many benefits in terms of healthy aging.. The antioxidants present in chia seeds include flavonol glycosides, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin and linolenic acid. These antioxidants help in curbing the levels of free radicals in the body.
As you can see, you are really missing out if you are not including chia seeds into your daily diet!
We hope that you will love our simple, easy, and delicious organic strawberry chia jam recipe as much as we do! Please leave us a comment below or on Facebook to let us know how you liked our jam recipe.
[magicactionbox id=1230]With Love From Our Family To Yours,
Rod & Maria Wagner
