Remember those funny Chia Pet commercials from the ’90s? You spread seeds on a clay animal, and they sprouted green fuzz. Your digestive system is not a clay animal, thank goodness, but the principle is similar. Those seeds want to turn into gel.
Take a teaspoon of dry chia seeds and drop them into a glass of water. Wait five minutes. Look at that. They’ve transformed into a slimy, jelly-like blob. Now imagine that happening in your esophagus. Not so fun, right?
But here’s the good news: you can absolutely eat raw chia seeds—you just need to give them a drink first. Stir them into yogurt, oatmeal, or a smoothie. Let them sit for a few minutes. You’ll get all the nutrition without feeling like you’re swallowing a science experiment.
