Hello! I bought some chia seeds this week (for nutritional purposes) and after researching them a little more I began to wonder if it was even ok for us to have seeing as how they swell in the stomach? Does anyone eat these? If so how do you prepare them? I added to tablespoons to my shake and let it sit overnight...disgusting! I had to dump it. Do they ever get completely soft? I wanted to drink them after adding them but the texture reminds me of drinking something like fleas....I can't handle that! Any suggestions would be great! Thank you in advance! I hope everyone is doing beautifully!

They kind of remind me of tapioca pudding after they swell. I've purchased the light colored seeds, just in case my tooth brush wasn't close by. The taste is unremarkable.

They did swell but weren't completely soft, I may just have to trash them.

@@Elode that made me laugh OUT LOUD! FLEAS?!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! I have some Chia seeds too. I dunno, I think there are some recipes where you can use them. But your story cracked me up!!

@@wannaBthinsoon It's true! I can't get the image out of my head when I try to drink them. I'm going to have to YouTube it.

I grind mine to a powder. I mostly use it if I want to make a jam like topping for something. Mascerated fruit + a bit of honey + a tsp or so of chia seeds. I haven't made anything with it since surgery though.

I'm also getting back to the grains I used to eat pre-op. Quinoa has been easy and I may make some farro this weekend.

They do not become soft. If you chew you will encounter the seed. Grinding is not necessary to reap benefits. Pre soaking would be best to avoid stomach swell. I like them. I used to make puddings with almonds milk and fruit and a sweetener for dessert...

I grind them because I don't like the texture. Reminds me of raspberries. Weird, I know.

Raspberries just aren't quite the visual as the fleas.

If you soak the Chia seeds in water or milk ahead of time, they swell and become completely soft like tapioca. They need a thin liquid to sit in. When they swell they turn kind of translucent and white. So try pre-soaking them overnight in just water before tossing them out.

@@BLERDgirl I thought about grinding it up I just didn't know if it would ruin it or not.

@@MisforMimi Thank you that's what I was wondering. I let them soak aver night in my shake and they didn't get soft so I figured they either don't or I need to use warm water or something?

@@majorsmama I will try it again. I watched a girl soak hers in almond milk so I think I may try that next.

Plenty of recipes out there for them. You can add it to pudding, soups,etc. Heck before this surgery i used to make power cookies with them. Wheat or coconut flour, spenda or raw sugar, almonds, peanut butter, oatmeal and chias. At work, people loved them.

I guess from what Ive been told is you aren't really suppose to chew them...good to know!

My friend (skinny bitch. Lol ) chews them. But they get into your teeth. Like a big piece of black peppercorn. Eww