My Mostly Clean Week

I have mostly been consuming the same foods I posted previously throughout the day. I have enjoyed them immensely and have gained complete satisfaction from their consumption. I did consume some non-vegan food items yesterday which included some Girl Scout Cookies (Thin Mints) and some baked Cheetos. I had a bad day and I wasn't feeling good and I had a moment of emotional eating. I read somewhere that when your upset you should not eat. I wish I had practiced that but it's okay, I am still in transition.

One product I have become obsessed with is...
Synergy Organic & Raw Chia drinks!

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 8 fl. oz.
Servings Per Container 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories 30
Calories from Fat 0
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 10mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 8g (2%)
Sugars 3g
Fiber 4g
Protein 2g

ADDITIONAL NUTRIENTS (per bottle):
Folic Acid 25%
Vitamin B1 20%
Vitamin B2 20%
Vitamin B3 20%
Vitamin B6 20%
Vitamin B12 20%

PROBIOTIC CONTENT:
Bacillus coagulans GBI-30 6086: 1 billion
S. Boulardii: 1 billion

ANTIOXIDANTS & ORGANIC ACIDS
EGCG 100mg - Glucuronic Acid 10 mg
L(+) Lactic Acid 25mg - Acetic Acid 30 mg

These drinks contain Chia seeds which are a super nutrient dense food. Top benefits Include:

1. Help Stablize blood sugar and reduce junk food cravings - The gel forming that the Chia seeds produce when soaked in water is due to soluble fiber in the chia. In your digestive system, this gel actually slows down the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar, thus helps to stablize blood sugar. By eliminating the peaks and valleys of your blood sugar, you get a more consistent energy level and reduced cravings.
   
2. Help your concentrate and improve your mood- Chia is an excellent source of Essential Fatty Acids, which are critical for concentration and other brain functions.
3. Energize now, Sustained energy later! -Chia has great nutrients like proteins, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and fiber, and complex carbohydrates to energize you. Chia can provide good stamina and energy over time due to its slowing of the sugar conversion mentioned in point 1. In fact, it has been called the runners food and was used by the Aztec Indians for long distance runs and endurance.
   
4. Fills you up - Chia seeds actually swells in water and help to make you feel full and potentially eat less. Take a look at the chia seed picture again and see how much each seed actually swells in just a ew minutes
   
5. Lower your cholesterol and heart health - Remember what is causes chia to swell in water? Chia is high in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber has been shown to help lower cholesterol.
   
6. Digestive Health - Chia has both soluble fiber (which forms the outer gel), and insoluble fiber. Both types of fiber are healthy for the digestive system. The insoluble fiber helps cleans the intestinal tract. The soluble fiber can act as a prebiotic and help feed the good bacteria in your digestive system.
   
7. Help build lean muscle mass - Chia is high in protein and helpful in a weight loss or muscle building diet. It is even low-carb and vegetarian.
8. Get Better nutrition from other foods - Remember the gel in point 1? Well, by maintaining the proper level of hydration and electrolytes in your stomach you actually optimize your bodies ability to effectively absorb other nutrients. Also. the essential fatty acids in chia help the body emulsify and absorbs the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
   
9. Build strong bones - Chia not only contains calcium, but it also contains the trace mineral boron, which speeds the rate at which calcium is absorbed and utilized by the body.
10. Healthy nails, skin, and hair - Remember that chia seeds are loaded with over 60% essential fatty acids? Not only are they good for your mental clarify, those same essential fatty acids help skin, nails, and hair grow strong and healthy. They are also a great source of protein, which is essential to grow healthy hair, nails, and skin.
11. Maximum hydration - Chia is said to help maintain hydration which can be helpful for endurance athletes. Presoak chia seeds before your workout and consumption(http://blog.thrivefoods.net/2009/07/chia-seeds-top-10-benefits.html)

Chia Nutrition Information

1. Super Soaker - Chia seeds can soak up to ten times their weight in water! Look at the picture above and you can see how in just a few minutes chia swelled to several times it size. If it were to soak for a half an hour or so, the gel effect is even more dramatic. The gel is actually soluble fiber that is swelling in the water into hydrophylic colloid that has a medicinal affect for many digestive health issues.
   
2. Excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Chia seeds are the best plant source of omega-3's known. They contain over 60% essential fatty acids. They contain more omega-3's than flax seed. Omega fatty acids are important for concentration and brain health as well as other metabolic processes.
   
3. Easy access - Flax seed is fantastic (if you don't know it's benefits, you should do a bit of research or give it a try). However, Chia seed is even better than flax in in terms of ease of access to the nutrition. Chia seeds do not need to be ground for their nutrients to be available to the body. Plus, chia is very shelf stable without the need for fancy packaging or concern of rancidity.
4. Antioxidant protection -Loaded with antioxidants
   
5. Vitamins and minerals - Chia seeds provide calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin, zinc, and even boron (which helps the absorbing of calcium by the body).
   
6. Gluten Free - Chia is a gluten free source of fiber and nutrition. If you have food allergies, check with your doctor, but chia is generally beneficial to the digestive system.
   
7. High source of protein - Chia is composed of over 20% protein, which is about 2 to 3 times higher than other seeds and grains. If you are a vegetarian looking for protein sources, check out chia! Plus, the protein source in chia is readily digestible and available to the body. So, if you are pregnant or a weight lifter, chia can provide benefits.
   
8. Low glycemic index - Chia has an extremely low glycemic index of 1, and actually helps to lower the rate at which other carbohydrates are converted to sugars.(http://blog.thrivefoods.net/2009/07/chia-seeds-top-10-benefits.html)

For anyone wondering how I would obtain my omega 3 and probiotic nutrients without consuming fish or yogurt now understand that I can obtain those nutrients and more from consuming this product. Chia seeds are also delicious when baked into foods or added to oatmeal. I prefer to consume them in a drink as the gelatin substance that they form inside of a liquid behaves like a sort of sticky gum substance in the body that sticks to toxins and carries them out as it naturally passes through. The consistency of the Synergy Chia drinks takes some getting use to but the flavor is wonderfully fresh and delicate.

Check back again for more posts!