Ch Ch Ch Chia

I recently read a book (so is this a book review or a recipe) called "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall.  It tells you everything you've ever wanted to know about running, running shoes, and the greatest runners of all times, the Tarahumara people who live in the Copper Canyons.

In this book is a recipe for a beverage consumed by the Tarahumara people which seems to give them incredible stamina.  It's known as iskiate.  One of the ingredients in this drink is the chia seed, that innocuous little seed used to grow hair on the infamous Chia Pets.  I've been acquainted with the nutritional value of chia seeds and already had a supply that I would occasionally slip into my morning fruit smoothie. 

The recipe for iskiate is simple -
     10 ounces of water
     1 T Chia Seeds
     Squirt of lime juice
     Dash of Agave nectar for sweetness (optional)
Shake up all the ingredients in a jar or bottle and allow to sit overnight.  The chia seeds will soften.  Drink and go find something to do with all of the wonderful energy that you'll feel.

My version of this drink is to put the water and a whole peeled lime into my Vita Mix and liquefy.  Next I add the chia seeds and the agave nectar.  And if you remember from the incredible chocolate dessert from some weeks back, agave nectar is a preferred sweetener because of its low glycemic index, which means it goes into your system slowly and does not cause a spike in blood sugar.  But back to the subject at hand.

For those of you unfamiliar with chia seeds let me quote from the book.  "As tiny as those seeds are, they're superpacked with omega-3s. omega-6's, protein, calcium, iron, zinc, fiber, and antioxidants.  If you had to pick just one desert-island food, you couldn't do much better than chia, at least if you were interested in building muscle, lowering cholesterol, and reducing your risk of heart disease; after a few months on the chia diet you could probably swim home."

In a pinch I've used plain orange juice and chia seeds when I was out of limes.  It seemed to work just as well.  No jitters or other effects.  Just lots of energy. 

So now we come to the warnings and other things to think about.  The first time I concocted a batch of iskiate and drank it I wanted enough energy to get a good start on redoing an overgrown flowerbed.  I decided that if I got a good start I might have the project finished in a few days.  Actually, I had the project finished in a few hours with enough energy left over to do a second flowerbed, and all before lunch.

Wanting to see how much more I could accomplish that day I had another glass of iskiate after lunch.  Caution!  Come bedtime I was still vibrantly wide awake.  Tried this a second time about a week later to see if this was a fluke or a result of the drink.  Spent another night alert and ready for action.

Finally, like any other nutritious food,  iskiate is not a magic bullet.  Don't expect to indulge in a diet of junk food and have one ten-ounce drink make you feel great.  Also remember to hydrate.  Water is magic and essential to life.  Happy running!