Superfood 2011: The Chia Seed & CHIA Bread at COBS Bread AND CONTEST!

Superfood 2011: All about the Chia Seed + Contest!

Introducing COBS CHIA Bread available now at COBS Bread!

Okay, I’ll give you a minute to insert all your Chia jokes in now. Yes, don’t forget the jingle…  are you done yet? Great! Now don’t hate me or my blog for getting it stuck in your head for the next hour or so. I’m just trying to introduce to you the Chia seed!

I was honoured to be invited to the exclusive product launch for Cobs Bread’s new line of Chia Bread made with Australian grown Chia seed from The Chia Company. The Chia Co believes in sustainable farming and is the world’s largest producer of 100% natural, raw Chia seeds.

COBS Bread just launched their COBS CHIA Bread yesterday and it is now available at all COBS Bread locations. All breads are baked fresh daily and on site and you can choose from CHIA White ($4.20), CHIA Whole Wheat ($4.20) and CHIA Flax ($4.70).

I first heard of the Chia seed on Twitter a couple months ago and then did my own research on it. The Chia seed was featured on Dr. Oz and Oprah early last year and it’s a highly anticipated and upcoming Superfood for 2011. I’m not really a health nut, but when it comes to a new ingredient I have to know about it! It blows me away that there are still new ingredients to be discovered. Like, how do you create or suddenly discover a new ingredient in this day and age?! Amazing!

The Chia seed is actually an ancient grain that was wiped out and now they’re more or less re-introducing it to the world. It’s been left out of the modern diet because it’s difficult to grow. It’s almost like the 2.0 version of the flax seed.

I noticed them at a few specialty grocery stores a couple months ago, but I would research the brand before purchasing. Chia seeds need to be grown in very specific conditions in order to maximize the nutritional value in each seed. I’m no Chia seed expert, so it is up to me, or you, to do further research. However I will mention the Chia Seed from The Chia Co is of premium quality (HACCP certified) and of reliable of supply, hence why it is the chosen brand for COBS Bread as well as many other food manufactures.

What does the Chia seed taste like?

It tastes like nothing and its texture is poppy seed meets flax seed, but the flavour is completely neutral. However leave it in your mouth for a while and as it mixes with your saliva it turns slimy and slippery. Use it in bread though and it’s simply delicious. Well not delicious because it adds no flavour, but it does give bread a nice crunchiness and great crispy texture especially when toasted.

Quick Chia Seed Facts & Nutritional Information:

• Chia seeds are the highest plant-based source of: Omega-3 Fats, Dietary Fibre, Antioxidants, Protein
• Helps lessen the risk of heart disease and stroke
• Helps control blood sugar levels and lower blood cholesterol
• Excellent for diabetics
• High fibre, high protein, low-carb, low sodium, gluten free (although COBS Bread is not a gluten free bakery)
• Has more omega-3 than fish oil & flaxseeds
• “More protein, lipids, energy and fibre but fewer carbs than rice, barley, oats, wheat or corn”
• Provides sustained energy
• Contains 8 essential amino acids
• Source of  iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, zinc and copper
• “On par with blueberries for cancer-fighting antioxidants”

CHIA Bread – Gram per gram, the Chia seed contains…

• 15 x more magnesium than broccoli
• 7 x more vitamin C than oranges
• 6 x more calcium than milk
• 3 x more antioxidants than blueberries
• 3 x more iron than spinach

“The uniquely viscous soluble fiber in CHIA bread delays gastric emptying, slows the rate or glucose absorption and keeps you full longer”

• Two slices of COBS CHIA Bread provide 100% of the daily intake of omega-3 fats for children and women and 90% for men
• It provides 30% of the daily recommended intake of dietary fibre.

Follow Me Foodie Thoughts/Experience

Besides learning about the Chia seed I got a hands on baking session with COBS Bread’s Master Baker and got to bake my own Chia Bread! They offer the standard CHIA White, CHIA Whole Wheat and CHIA Flax loaves at all locations, and these “fancier” ones will vary according to location. My favourite was the CHIA Flax because it’s extra crunchy and crispy when toasted and I like bread with lots of grains and seedy texture.

YES! Leave it to me to bake the cheesiest and greasiest CHIA Bread! It was delicious! I overloaded mine with pesto, cheese, ham and Kalamata olives.

I highly recommend toasting CHIA bread before eating it, it’s extra crunchy and better than way. It has no flavour, but great texture so you’re really investing in its nutritional value, which is pretty astonishing. I know it sounds a bit expensive at $4+ a loaf, but you do pay for what you get and the quality of The CHIA Bread is made from premium Chia seeds from The Chia Co.

Also I did ask if toasting/cooking the CHIA seed will affect the quality or nutritional value of it and the answer was no – it’s completely protected by the shell of the seed and this is proved through years of research and testing.

This was my gift basket compliments of COBS Bread and The Chia CO. The bag of CHIA Seed in not yet available in stores in Canada. The CHIA Bread is available at all COBS Breads.

If you’ve read all the way down to here, good job!

Sorry! Contest is now CLOSED.

I’m giving away 5 $25 gift certificates to COBS Bread!

How to enter:

1) “LIKE” the Follow Me Foodie Facebook Fanpage

OR

2) Comment on this post and RT the following:

I entered the @followmefoodie #contest to win a $25 gift certificate to COBS Bread http://bit.ly/g46nuX

5 winners will be chosen. Each winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to COBS Bread. COBS Facebook Page here.

Winner will be selected at random. Contest closes January 11, 2011.