In 2009, a book by Christopher McDougall called Born to Run focused on the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico and thus began the rediscovery of chia seed as a superfood for the super-buff and the super-runner. The Tarahumara are known for running hundreds of miles at a time and regularly consume chia in their food and drinks. Chia forms a gel when added to water, which helps prolong hydration and retain electrolytes – a great benefit for athletes, especially runners like the Tarahumara. It also digests slowly, which may help stabilize blood sugar and support an incredibly sustaining surge of energy throughout the day – another great reason the Tarahumara would use this superfood on their unimaginably long running journeys.

Dan Gluck and Nick Morris, a manager and trader at a New York hedge fund, read McDougall’s Born to Run and quickly began supplementing their post-workout breakfasts with chia seeds. They spread their “chia gospel” to their friends in finance and in 2011 they launched Health Warrior, which markets chia seeds and chia seed snack bars. According to an article in the May issue of Business Week magazine, which interviewed Gluck and Morris, chia seeds are quickly “becoming the stimulant of choice.” The little black and white seeds are healthier than coffee and provide sustained energy perfect for an environment where prolonged focus and a high level of activity are essential like Wall Street.

Chia seed is the highest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids and is a complete plant-based protein that contains all the essential amino acids. It also contains antioxidants as well as vitamins and minerals like potassium and calcium. Chia serves as a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, which allows it to work like an incredible digestive broom as it sweeps through your intestinal tract, helping to dislodge and eliminate old accumulated waste in the intestines while promoting regularity.

Chia seeds are a great addition to your morning breakfast, an afternoon smoothie, or as an added crunch to muffins and cake breads. It can be used as an alternative to eggs and even help thicken up soups and stews. Here are some great ways to include chia in your daily diet:

• Sprinkle them on: Oatmeal, yogurts, and salads. Their pleasantly mild, nutty flavor works well to complement these foods.
• Stir them in: Soups and stews. Chia seeds absorb liquid well, making them a good choice to thicken up soups and stews.
• Toss them in: Muffins, cookies, and cake breads. Use them in place of poppy seeds, too, when baking.
• Mix them with: Your favorite beverage. Try stirring 1 tablespoon of chia seeds into 4 ounces of chilled lemonade. Let it thicken for 10 minutes, then garnish with a mint leaf and enjoy.

There are a lot of exciting chia recipes available for both drinks and foods, but here are two I found that are especially easy and delicious: one is for a Chia Chipotle Bean Burger and the other is for Chia Apple Mint Iced Green Tea. Both are vegetarian-friendly.

Chia Chipotle Bean Burger

Ingredients:

• 1 15-ounce can black beans
• ¼ cup chia gel (see recipe below, made with organic chia seed)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup corn kernels or sautéed or cooked vegetables (alternatively, use frozen corn kernels, defrosted, or vegetables leftover from another meal)
• 1 teaspoon canned chipotle in adobo, minced, or 1 teaspoon dried chipotle powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon minced cilantro or parsley (optional)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender, pulse the ingredients until blended. Do not over-process; you do not want to liquefy.
2. Form the mixture into patties.
3. Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
4. Cook the patties until golden, about five minutes. Flip and repeat.
5. Alternate cooking method: Preheat oven to 325F. Place the patties on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cook until golden, 12 to 15 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
6. Serve on hamburger rolls with the condiments of your choice.

Chia Apple Mint Iced Green Tea

Ingredients:

• 6 bags of green tea
• 6 cups of water
• 1 cup of apple juice
• 1 Tablespoon of organic chia seeds
• 1 dessert spoon of finely chopped mint

Directions:

1. Boil the water and pour over the tea bags in a large jug
2. Add the chia seeds and stir
3. Stir the mixture a few times to prevent the chia seeds clumping together
4. Add the apple juice and mint and stir again.
5. You can remove the tea bags at this stage if you want a mild green tea flavor or leave them until ready to serve if you want a stronger green tea flavor.
6. Chill until icy cold.
7. Stir again to disperse the seeds just before serving.

As with any superfood, chia seeds work as part of an overall balanced diet that includes a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean protein, not as a replacement for or supplement to a poor diet. How do you add this super-fun superfood to your daily diet?

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Super-Fun Recipes for Chia Seeds, the New Superfood appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The rise of this type of fast food nation has been linked to rising incidences of obesity, the number two cause of preventable death. According to the CDC, over 245,000 Americans die prematurely each year due to obesity. What one chooses to eat when on the go certainly contributes to this startling number. The fast food diet is typically higher in fat, calories, and sodium with less fruits and vegetables, which can result in type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

Forty years ago, Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food, while just six years ago, that number rose to over $142 billion. Additionally, Americans spend the same amount of their monthly income on food (less than 9%) that in the 1960s was spent on healthcare. Less money is spent on what is put in the body, leading to more money being spent on repairing the damage done.

Fortunately, nutrition is becoming a part of the national dialogue and fast food restaurants are finally paying attention. There are some healthier choices one can make when faced with fast food as the only option on the go, like an Arby’s Light Roast Chicken Sandwich (276 calories, 7 grams of fat), but the best choice is still your own lunchbox full of nutritious goodies packed in advance.

Pre-planning is the best way to combat bad nutrition; it allows for proper proportions, lower caloric intake and better quality foods. Building a homemade BLT and packing it for lunch is going to be much better than a Big Mac, and it won’t take seven hours to burn off like a Big Mac will.

There are also great options for nutrition supplementation on the go, like Barlean’s new Omega Swirls to Go in five delicious flavors. These great little packets can be tossed in a lunch box, purse or even a back pocket and they provide a full serving of omega-3s in one gulp. Our bodies don’t produce omega-3s, so we have to get it from our diet and packing fish for lunch isn’t exactly the easiest thing to go (I know, I’ve tried. Reheating it typically doesn’t go over well with the office buddies).

All is not lost if pre-planning doesn’t work out for you and going to a fast food restaurant is the only way you’re going to get anything eat in a given day. You can make healthier choices, but there are a few things to remember:

• Portion control – do not “large-size” or “supersize” your meals. Bigger sizes mean more calories, fat, and sodium.
• Avoid secret sauces – hold the mayo, “secret sauce”, cheese or guacamole made by the restaurant. Again, these sauces just pile on the calories, fat and sodium.
• Go grilled or bring on the broil – do not order breaded, butter-coated, and fried items. Can you say HIGH cholesterol?
• Salads – opt for the dressing on the side or ask for a “light” dressing on it. Dressings made with oil also tend to have fewer calories than creamy ones, so ask for the Italian instead of the Ranch!
• Extra fatty foods – try to avoid croissants, biscuits, bacon, sausage, hash browns, and most desserts. Choose a chicken sandwich without the bread, or if you must have sausage, don’t eat the biscuit around it.
• Say no to salt – ask to have your food prepared without extra salt, cheese, pickles or soy sauce. Cut down the sodium anywhere you can.
• Coffee – choose low-fat or non-fat milk to add to your coffee or drink it black.
• Drinks – order water or iced tea instead of soda (even diet) or fruit juices.
• Vegetables – if you eat fast food, try to do it only once a week and then make sure you overload on fruits, vegetables, and whole foods the rest of the week to combat the lack of nutrition your body got from your fast food adventure.

Fast, easy, and cheap no longer has to mean fattening or unhealthy. Everything we eat is something we choose to eat. Next time you’re out and about, what will you choose?

References

Ritzer, George. 2008. The McDonaldization of Society 5. Los Angeles, CA: Pine Forge Press.

Smith, Andrew F. 2006. Encyclopedia of Junk Food and Fast Food. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Spurlock, Morgan. 2005. Fast Food and the Supersizing of America. New York, NY: Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

The post Fast Food – Does It Have to Be Unhealthy? appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Long distance running takes a lot of energy and endurance, let alone constant hydration, making it a challenge to find the perfect food or beverage that will be the boost one needs to not only cross the finish line, but also beat personal bests and set records.

One of the most interesting people I know is Joe Franzen. He is a die-hard long-distance runner and like many athletes, he is always looking for that extra edge. Recently, he discovered in his search for running greatness one product that really makes a difference in his work out – chia seed. Many might recall Chia Pets from the 80s and 90s, but this high-octane superfood isn’t just for kids anymore. It is a nutritional powerhouse with the lightning jab of protein – the Muhammad Ali of nutrition.

Joe started adding chia seed to his diet approximately two weeks ago, and since then he has seen an obvious improvement in his running times and a decrease in his level of fatigue. Joe adds Barlean’s Organic Oils chia seed to his Bioplex Simply Whites protein shake daily, which he drinks both before and after his run. Joe’s passion for running is now potentially surpassed by his love of these little nuggets of nutritional gold.

What Is Chia Seed?

Chia seed is a whole, raw food great for vegetarians and carnivores alike that has served as a superfood for the Mayans and Aztecs as far back as 3500 B.C. In fact, the word “chia” is a Mayan word meaning “strength.” It is still consumed today in locales like Mexico and even in the American Southwest in a drink called “Chia Fresca,” in which chia seeds are added to water or fruit juice and consumed for sustenance. Members of the Tarahumara tribe from Mexico’s Copper Canyon drink this tasty concoction to sustain them as they run up to fifty miles a day, making them easily known as the world’s greatest runners according to The National University System Center for Integrative Health.

Chia seed is a high quality protein source, which makes it perfect to add to a daily protein shake like Joe does or to help amp up any vegan diet. It contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, which means it is great for digestion and regularity – something both athletes and couch potatoes can benefit from. Chia seed is also rich in antioxidants – Dr. Oz has compared it to the antioxidant power of blueberries, which boost immune support like no other food – and it is one of the most concentrated sources of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Chia seeds have many benefits, including bolstering energy and endurance, prolonging hydration, helping to maintain blood sugar balance, and even assisting in weight loss. It’s no wonder it’s such a hot-ticket superfood!

How does such a small seed manage to contain so much? Well, one important aspect of chia is that it is hydrophilic, which means it can absorb ten times its weight in liquids in a matter of minutes. When chia is added to water or some other liquid, it creates a sort of “chia gel,” which then helps to prolong hydration ability and electrolyte retention of the body during exercise or activity. The more hydrated an athlete stays the better, especially a long-distance runner like my friend. Dehydration can lead to a decrease in performance, muscle cramps, mental fog, and even death, so anything that can help prevent dehydration is definitely worth incorporating in the diet.

The “chia gel” also forms a block between carbohydrates and enzymes in the body, so the conversion of carbohydrates takes longer and energy is released steadily, allowing for better endurance. Anyone running a marathon will tell you the longer his or her energy can be sustained, the better he or she will perform in the race. Sometimes athletes see out drin to maintain their energy, but drinking sugary sports drinks can easily lead to a sugar spike that is great for the short-term in regards to boosting energy, but then can quickly lead to a sugar “crash” that is both dangerous and counterintuitive. Chia slows the impact of sugar on the bloodstream, which means there is no “crash” later and makes it a great food choice for diabetics and athletes alike.

How Do I Use Chia Seed?

The “chia gel” can add a great nutritional punch to porridges, puddings, and liquids of any kind while the chia seeds are great for baked goods including breads, cakes, and biscuits. Chia seeds also tend to “bulk” up food, displace calories, and add “good fat” – all without changing the flavor of the food. Chia seed adds a wealth of nutrients to liquids without excess calories, making it a great easy, healthy meal replacement for those that are also watching their weight.

Add chia seed to your favorite protein shake or water bottle before your next workout, and see just how far your body is willing to take you when it’s operating on chia seed.

The post Chia Seed – The Muhammad Ali of Nutrition appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

muscle hypertrophy.He has extremely reduced body fat and 40% more muscle than “normal” toddlers his age. He can do chin-ups, he was running up and down the stairs at one year old, and he has a six-pack most guys I know dream about as they’re lifting weights.

Liam at three is the guy a lot of much older guys wish they were, and he is more than likely only going to improve with age. He’s got something everyone wants – lean muscle mass – and he’s only three! Watching Liam made me wonder how the rest of us can get lean muscle mass in a safe and natural way if we aren’t blessed with Liam’s amazing genetics? The answer it turns out might just be found in fish oil.

My father, my brother, my male friends and even some of my male co-workers have spent years talking about getting “fit”, and having lean muscle mass. They aren’t looking to bulk up like an old-school Schwarzenegger; they aren’t necessarily trying to break out their “guns” for all the world to see; and they don’t necessarily want to spend the hours in the gym it would take to get the results they want. A lot of women I know including myself don’t want to necessarily get into weight lifting for fear of building bulk and losing our feminine form. We all want to look great in our bathing suits, but isn’t there an easier way to get there than spending hours in the gym? Like many of us in the “Quick ‘n Easy Gratification Generation”, what other option do we have? It’s not easy to spend a lot of time at the gym; it’s not easy to maintain a fit body; and it’s certainly not easy having an out of shape body, so if there’s an easier way to get there, I’m all ears.

There has been great research surfacing about how fish oil can help build lean muscle mass without having to work so hard. Don’t get me wrong, we still have to work our butts off, but some studies show, and fitness experts swear, that adding fish oil to our diets will help build the bodies we want faster and better.

So now let me share with you a little science and nutrition. If you’re like me, this part might seem a little jargon-heavy, but stay with me because it’ll all make sense (I promise).

Dr. Mauro Di Pasquala, a world-renowned expert on nutrition and sports medicine, states there may be a connection between fish oil and muscle health. He says the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil are particularly beneficial because these essential fatty acids (EFAs) slow down, or even inhibit, muscle proteolysis, which is the breaking down of muscle proteins. Proteins are the “building blocks of life”; the body uses protein to rebuild and repair tissue on the muscles and organs. Protein is the ONLY macronutrient that builds and maintains muscles, so it is important especially for an athlete or someone trying to build muscle to consume an adequate amount of protein daily.

Basically, if you don’t get the proper amount of protein in your diet, your body will struggle to make new proteins and will actually start to break down muscle you already have. If you’re like me and trying to build muscle, you certainly cannot afford to lose any just because of improper nutrition! I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t need a slower metabolism than I already have and if protein will help, then you better believe I will be getting my daily share!

If our body needs protein to keep what we’ve got and build on what we have, then one can surmise that protein needs fish oil to get the job done right.

Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in Missouri examined the effects of fish oil on protein synthesis, which is the process in which cells build proteins. The researchers found after conducting several studies in both young and older adults that omega-3 fatty acids stimulate muscle protein synthesis, which can substantially increase the anabolic effects of the post-workout window when insulin and amino acid concentrations spike. In other words, your body keeps lifting weights long after you’ve left the gym when you add fish oil to your protein-filled diet.

I’ve given you science and we’ve talked about an amazing three-year-old, but what about fish oil? Does it really help build lean muscle mass? Charles Poliquin, a Canadian strength training coach, has trained and/or consulted numerous world class athletes and professional sports teams. He is a huge advocate of fish oil and offers some great scientific explanations as to why fish oil works on his website, but one of my favorite things about his website is the story he tells about his experience when he added 45 grams of fish oil to a first-round draft pick for the NFL and the player put on 29 pounds of lean body mass in one month. Who wouldn’t want results like that?

Fish oil is gaining traction in the media for its benefits to the brain and heart, but what if it could also help us achieve the physique we wanted too? What if we could all be like Liam Hoekstra – strong, lean, and little to no body fat? All I have to say is where do I sign?

The post Want to Get Strong and Lean? Take Fish Oil appeared first on Breaking Muscle.