Chia seeds are the seeds from a purple flowering annual plant called Salvia Hispanica (a member of the mint family). Chia means "strength", which is a perfectly suited name when you investigate it's nutritional profile and the health benefits it provides. 

Whole vs. Milled Chia Seeds

Chia can also be found either in a whole seed or milled (ground) form. Both forms are highly nutritious and can be used in all types of foods (including the popular chia pudding!). However, the milled chia is better suited towards children as it's better digested and absorbed by their tiny digestive systems which are still developing.¹ In fact, milled chia is better suited for adults as well, as it increases the amount of nutrients that are absorbed by your body.¹

White vs. Black Chia Seeds

Chia seeds can be found in three varieties of color; a speckled black, a creamy white, or a light brown color. Black chia seeds have slightly higher protein content, while white chia seeds have slightly higher omega-3 content. Otherwise, their nutritional profiles are very similar making them both highly nutritious foods. Brown chia seeds, on the other hand, have far less nutrients as they are the immature seed of the black and white chia varieties. 

With high levels of protein, most B-vitamins, magnesium, iron, and zinc to name a few, chia seeds are an easy and almost perfect food to include in your child's diet.² The nutrients chia seeds are best known for are fiber, calcium, omega-3s, and antioxidants.²

FIBER

• One serving provides over 24% of the daily fiber needs for a toddler, making chia the perfect addition to any meal. ^2,3
  
• Chia is 35% fiber by weight making them one of the highest fiber sources your family can consume on this planet. ²
  
• Fiber from plant foods like chia positively impact the gut microbiome and overall health, keeping your family's digestive system moving! ^4,5

CALCIUM

• Chia seeds contain 5x more calcium than milk per gram! ^2,6 A single tablespoon of whole chia seeds contain 57mg of calcium vs. whole milk which in the same quantity contains only 11mg of calcium. ^2,6
  

OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS

• Chia seeds contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for the brain, nervous system, heart, and overall great health.
  
• A 10-gram serving provides 1.8 grams of ALA, which is more than sufficient for a young child to meet their omega-3 intake for the day.² Some of this ALA is converted by the body into DHA, which has been shown to improve brain development. 
  

ANITOXIDANTS

• Chia seeds contain high amounts of plant-derived flavonoids, which are plant compounds that have a protective effect on the body's cells.

Tiny Sprouts Organic Chia Seeds also have the added benefit of vitamin D + probiotics. The vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and magnesium to support bone development, while the probiotics help support both the digestive & immune health.

Children have the highest nutrient needs in their first years of life as they are undergoing rapid growth and development. Because chia seeds are so nutrient-rich and an easy addition to any food, chia seeds can help fill nutritional gaps that may occur due to picky eating and the elevated nutrition needs.

Below are our top 5 reasons why your kids should be eating chia seeds daily. The benefits of consuming chia seeds are so great that we think you should be eating them daily too! Healthy kids become healthy adults and chia seeds help support lifelong health and wellbeing.

• Chia seeds help reduce constipation and improve digestive health.
  
  Chia seeds are the most fiber rich seed you can find containing a whopping 1.7g of fiber in a single tablespoon! When you compare this to other commonly "high fiber" foods, chia seeds come out as the fiber hero: 
  
  - 1 tbsp of prune has only 0.6 grams of fiber.⁷
  
  - 1 tbsp of pear has only 0.2 grams of fiber.⁸
  
  Fiber is essential for good digestive health. Not only does it keep bowel movements regularly reducing constipation, but it also feeds the friendly bacteria in the intestines, which is critical in promoting good health and maintaining a strong immune system.
  
  The added benefit of the Bacillus coagulans probiotic found in Tiny Sprouts Organic Milled Chia Seeds + Vitamin D & Probiotics adds additional good bacteria to help build that healthy gut.
  
• Chia seeds promote brain & heart health.
  
  Chia is high in the omega 3 fatty acid Alpha-linolenic Acid (ALA), in fact it is one of the highest sources of ALA you can consume. 
  
  Omega 3s help promote brain development and function as well as reduce the risks of heart disease later in life.⁹
  
• Chia seeds help build strong teeth and bones.
  
  As mentioned, chia seeds are high in calcium containing over 5 times as much calcium than whole milk! ^2,6 Calcium is an essential building block for strong teeth and bones.
  
  Chia seeds also contain many trace elements, one of them being boron. Boron is important for bone growth and maintenance.^10,11 It also improves the levels of vitamin D and magnesium in the body, both of which are also crucial for bone health.^10,11
  
  The added benefit of the vegan vitamin D3 found in Tiny Sprouts Organic Milled Chia Seeds + Vitamin D & Probiotics helps the calcium found in chia seeds get better absorbed by the body.
  
• Chia seeds can improve the immune system and response.
  
  The antioxidants from chia seeds protect the body's cells, prevent illnesses, and reduce inflammation.⁶ One antioxidant is quercetin, which helps reduce inflammation and improve allergic reactions.¹²
  
  Chia seeds contain vitamin C and E, which are known to improve the immune system.^13,14
  
• Chia seeds promote lifelong health benefits.
  
  The high levels of antioxidants and omega-3's protect against several types of cancer, osteoporosis, and other diseases, contributing to lifelong health benefits.⁹
  

We recommend the following serving sizes:

• 1 tbsp serving (5g) for babies ages 6-12 months
• 2 tbsp serving (10g) for children ages 1-3 years
• 3 tbsp serving (15g) for kids 4+ years.

Similar to how you would introduce any new food into your little one's diet, start off by introducing chia slowly over the course of a couple of days, gradually building up to the full recommended serving size. Because of its high fiber content, your child's digestive system will need a bit of time to adjust to the fiber, especially if they are under 12 months of age. Increase water intake with any high-fiber foods. Chia seeds can be added, baked, mixed, or sprinkled onto all foods and beverages that you and your little ones consume! The probiotic included in Tiny Sprouts Organic Milled Chia Seeds + Vitamin D & Probiotics is heat-stable, which means it can be added to any hot food without losing the probiotic benefit! Below are some ideas to get you started. Also, check out www.tinysproutsfoods.com for some fun and easy recipe ideas using chia seeds!

• Mix into oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies or overnight oats
• Mix into any baby food puree (store-bought or homemade!)
• Sprinkle on peanut butter toast
• Bake into any of your little one’s favorite treats!
• Make yummy chia jam or chia pudding

Because they are virtually tasteless, chia seeds are very easy to "hide" into your little one's favorite foods. And while this tactic works for some, we encourage you to show your child what you are putting into their meals to help teach healthy eating habits from the start. Your little one's will love that you are sprinkling some 'supersprinkles' into their meals... 'supersprinkles' that help them transform into superkids! Have fun with it and with them! And don't forget, super parents need some great nutrition too, so make sure you are adding some Tiny Sprouts Organic Milled Chia Seeds + Vitamin D & Probiotics into your diet everyday as well!