Chia Seeds

[Yvonne Nikolaison]

I have been using Chia Seeds for the last 18 months now. They came to my attention after being told about the Salba seeds in the Yarrow bread, then I find out that New World, Hastings are stocking them. This was around the time that the Government was threatening to put Foliate in bread and when I started to make my own bread. So I duly read up of these wonderful seeds and start using them in place of oil in my bread. Vogels are now advertising that some of their bread contain these lovely seeds.

Recently for an assignement we had to do a 3 day daily record of our eating and then it was evaluated via software, out spits our nuritents, vitamin and mineral intake. I was expecting to see low levels of calicum and a few others, well they weren't low and this I attribute to the Chia seeds.

On moving to the South Island I had a bit of trouble finding Chia seeds, but managed to source them at our local New World. Now some 9 months later I go to buy some more and to my horror I am told that they have been taken off the shelves as they were not a moving item. I was told this after having gone through 3 different people and having to explain exactly what Chia seeds were. My question to the Bulk Food Manager was if you don't know what they are and what they are used for how can you expect your customers to buy and use them?

Yes I can grow chia seeds but since I am now renting I don't have the space to grow them.

So people if you don't know what these wonderful seeds are, please google them. In the North Island they are available in some New World's and Pak n Save's, in the South Island only some New World's. The chances are if you ask for them they will send you to the garden section of the supermarket. I did inquire at our local organic shop, yes they stock them but will you might as well have been buying gold for the price they were wanting for them.

Simplest explaination about these seeds is that they are a natural wonderful food, eaten regularly you would never need to buy any vitmain or mineral supplement. Armies marched solely on these seeds.

Thank you one and all for reading my rantings.

[Yvonne Nikolaison]

contact Carol Raethel http://www.greenlist.co.nz/Sustainable/Eco-Friendly/859/Heirloom-Ve... she grows the seeds and sells them they are organic. You need a bit of room to grow them I understand, but carol is very helpful

[Laine]

I hope you are right and I can use them. However, about 3 1/2 years ago MAF introduced a new irradiation program on imported dried goods. I had a flatemate who did the ordering for Harvest Wholefoods in AK at the time who told me about the changes. There was a period after that time when e.g. supermarket chick peas could not be sprouted at all, and some organic ones too. Then places like Pak 'n' Save got the OK from MAF for importing non-irradiated ones from a certain supplier. If you look on pak' n' save bulk bins there are labels on some bins of things that people use for spouting saying it is non-irradiated, as it has been an issue in the past...so fingers crossed that chia is all OK

[moggy]

I don't think much dried food gets irradiated tbh, I have successfully germinated all sort of stuff, peas, beans, I have several quinnoa plants growing very well at the moment, all from supermarket produce. It is like people saying that you can't grow chinese garlic as it has been treated to stop it sprouting, which is a complete myth. Yes it is treated, but not to stop it sprouting. My motto, try it and see, if it works do it again, if not leave it alone.

[Laine]

Cheers, found them at a New World. No wonder Dovedale bread is pricey (they do chia loaves) its $30/kg! Heres hoping its not irradiated and I can get it to sprout. L

[Yvonne Nikolaison]

Hi Laine, You can try New World, some will and some won't, you could also try PaknSave. I know Napier PaknSave has them, Look in the bulk sections. Good luck

[Laine]

Hi everyone, does anyone know if other New Worlds or Bin Inns are stocking them. I found some sites online that said they are a good microgreen. I'm keen to give them a go. Smiles, Laine

[Yvonne Nikolaison]

I use chia seeds in place of oil in cooking. 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 9 tablespoon of water mix well, leave for 5mins or so whisk and then use when it's jelly like, it will just slide off the spoon. I had an article but it has become corrupt and of course no idea where I got it from. so this gel mixture replaces oil in bread making. can add to jams jellies, soups stews, yoghurt, sauces. add the gel, between 50-75% by volume, to any of thenon baked mentioned foods. You could contact Carol Raethel http://www.greenlist.co.nz/Sustainable/Eco-Friendly/859/Heirloom-Ve... she grows the seeds.

[moggy]

I bought some of these as I had heard they were good, however I though I would use them in the sameway as buckwheat, however I found all I was left with was a gloopy porrage that looked bad, tasted by and would not drain in the sieve, so I ended up throwing it out. How do you use it?

[Yvonne Nikolaison]

Hi Kali, thank you so much for the offer. We are ok for now, but I might take you up on it a bit later. Sorry about the confusion

[Kali]

Hi yvonne, actually I thought you might like me to buy some from simplifood and send them if you can't get them in Dunners for your use