Say chia to the new superfood

Chia Bia, a Tramore, Co Waterford company that imports, mills and sells chia, a nutrient-rich plant-based food grown in South America, has been commissioned by Wiley, publishers of the “For Dummies “ series in the US, to produce a book on how to use it in cooking.

The publishers came up with the idea for the book in response to a perceived lack of consumer awareness of how to use chia, coupled with the impressive dietary claims made on its behalf.

It is high in omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, vitamins and minerals, and unusually for a plant, it is a complete protein.

The Irish company was asked by Wiley to devise recipes using the tiny black and white seeds, which come from a plant related to mint that only grows in locations within 24 degrees north and south of the equator.

Barrie Rogers, co-founder with Ray Owens of Chia Bia, wrote the book with marketing manager Debbie Dooly, using recipes they devised themselves which were then professionally tested and nutritionally evaluated. The seeds can be mixed with water to form a gel that can be substitued for butter or eggs in baking recipes, and milled chia can be mixed with or used instead of other flours.

Cooking with Chia For Dummies (€15), can be purchased online from chiabia.com, or ordered from bookshops.