Kiwi Chia Seed Pudding
Kiwis are exotic, sweet, and delicious. They include several nutrients including fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin K, vitamin E, and lots of vitamin C. The Zespri organic Sungold kiwi I chose for this recipe (according to their website) has 100% of your daily needs for vitamin C. Amazingly, consuming just one small fruit a day can meet your needs for this important vitamin.
Vitamin C is crucial to so many functions in the body. It is important for the formation of collagen, which helps to give support to the body by providing the base for tissues found in the skin, joints, teeth, and bones. It helps to maintain collagen assisting cells to enhance the healing of injured or aging tissues. YES PLEASE!!! Vitamin C aids in hormone production from the thyroid and aids the adrenal glands. It can help to lower blood cholesterol and has also been shown to help the immune system function better. According to The New Optimum Nutrition Bible, deficiency in vitamin C has been associated with infertility in men, hair loss, inflammatory diseases, lack of energy, frequent colds, tender gums, and slow wound healing. It is crucial to intake this nutrient every day because the above functions are only a few responsibilities that vitamin C has in our bodies.
The pudding part of this vitamin C rich breakfast is chia seeds. They are small seeds from a plant native to Central America. Chia seeds are a complete protein, high in fiber and essential Omega-3 fatty acids. One tablespoon of chia seeds contains about 2500 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids, way over the recommended daily intake. I mentioned Omega-3s in a previous post, Three Reasons to Eat Healthy Fats. They have been shown to nourish your brain and skin and reduce the risk of heart disease. Deficiency can include problems like eczema, asthma, depression, fatigue, and even ADHD.
My hope in sharing all of this information is to help you and your family lead a more nourished, nutritious life. My goal is to encourage you to eat more whole foods and try new recipes adding a variety of foods to your diet that can help to keep your body functioning properly. I would love to hear your thoughts about this recipe or any questions!
Kiwi Chia Seed Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup organic almond milk
- 4 tablespoons organic chia seeds
- ⅛ tsp vanilla
- 1 kiwi
- 1 scoop organic coconut yogurt
- Shredded organic coconut
Instructions
- The night before, mix chia seeds, milk and vanilla in an air tight container. Mix well and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- Remove pudding from the refrigerator and mix with a spoon until it is smooth and there are no clumps.
- Place kiwi in a blender and blend or mash in a bowl until smooth.
- Pour kiwi over pudding and top with coconut yogurt and shredded coconut.
- Share and enjoy!
Notes
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics it is not recommended to feed babies solid foods before 6 months of age.