Bananas are usually the go-to ingredient to for thickening up a smoothie, but chia seeds are a great alternative if you don’t have any bananas handy, or just don’t like how they taste.
Image: zstock (Shutterstock).
We’ve already shown you that chia seeds are a great source of fibre, magnesium and omega-3, all while adding far less sugar and kilojoules to your diet than a banana. But what you might not know is that when exposed to moisture, they form a gel that works great as a smoothie thickener. The flavour is obviously nothing like banana, but there are plenty of great recipes out there for chia-specific smoothies to try.
There are a few unique features of chia seeds you’ll need to watch out for in your recipe. If you’re working with a cheap blender, you may want to buy the seeds pre-ground, but a powerful one should have no trouble crushing whole seeds. The Kitchn also warns that chia seed smoothies have a tendency to get too thick if you let them sit for very long, so be sure to enjoy yours straight out of the blender.
Out of Bananas? Use Chia Seeds to Thicken Smoothies [The Kitchn]
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