How to make 3-ingredient chia drinks
Lisey introduced me to chia drinks some years ago; she loves their fruity flavor and seedy texture, so she buys them occasionally.
And sometimes we buy them for her if she needs a little pick-me-up on a rough day.
I've always been kind of surprised by the high-ish price ($2.79-$3.50 for a 10-ounce bottle), and it occurred to me that I could probably make these at home for a lot less.
I did a little googling, and basically followed this method, sans the maple syrup.
I wrote up a super-detailed price comparison post, which I'll publish tomorrow, but I wanted the recipe post to be easy to find, so that's what you'll get today!
Why would you want to drink chia?
According to Healthline, chia seeds are a good source of protein, fiber, and a number of minerals.
They do also have omega-3 fatty acids, but unfortunately, they're not a type we humans can make much use of (see this article for more information).
I was very disheartened to hear this because I was hoping I could drink chia juice instead of eating salmon.
Sigh.
Life is full of disappointments.
Including the fact that nutritional advice invariably ends up at, "Eat salmon."
Still, there are plenty of good things about chia seeds, so it's not like it's pointless to eat them.
Also: if you like the interesting texture of a chia seed juice, that's reason enough to drink one!
How to make a chia drink
I use chia seeds and antioxidant juice from Aldi. OF COURSE.
This process is ridiculously easy.
First, mix a cup of water with three tablespoons of chia seeds.
Let the mixture sit for about a minute, stir again, and let it sit for another 5-10 minutes.
By that time, the seeds + water will have formed into a gelatinous mixture you could scoop with a spoon.
It's kind of crazy to see!
Next, mix in a cup of whatever juice you'd like to use.
And then you're done!
You can try your drink right away, or you can let it sit in the fridge overnight.
Printable recipe is below, and tomorrow I'll publish the detailed price analysis.
3-Ingredient Chia Drink
This is a super easy copycat of bottled Mamma Chia drinks!
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 cup juice
Instructions
1. Whisk chia seeds into water. Let stand one minute; whisk again.
2. Let stand an additional 5-10 minutes, or until mixture has turned into a gel.
3. Whisk in juice; serve immediately or refrigerate overnight.
Notes
You can use any juice you like; Aldi's antioxidant juice tastes very similar to Mamma Chia drinks, but you could also use grape juice, apple juice, or cranberry blends. Experiment and see what you like!
Nutrition Information
Yield 2 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 151Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 0mgSodium 80mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 6gSugar 14gProtein 3g
I am going to try this! My husband often puts chia seeds in pancake batter and I think they are a great addition to pancakes 🙂
Looks interesting! I use a repurposed coffee grinder to grind chia, flax and sesame seeds and add the mixture to my weekend waffles. I make a double batch so I can grab a waffle and go during the week.
I used to make chia pudding, which is basically letting 1/4 cup chia seeds sit in one cup of your choice of milk for a few minutes then add whatever sweetener/flavorings/fruit that you want. I have had to cut back on my seed consumption (seeds are off-limits in the elimination phase of AIP) but I still like chia. Remember when the only use we had for chia seeds in most of the U.S. was chia pets? We were missing out!
Yes, I've been experimenting with chia pudding too; I tried a chocolate one that was very tasty!
And yes, chia pets. What a weird thing those are!
@Kristen, I actually prefer to let my chia seeds soften in my homemade yogurt...overnight it becomes much more solid-
just 20 minutes and it's perfect for absorbing the extra liquid from yogurt, add a banana, and YUM!
And in my energy balls, too. Yummmmm!!!
I add a spoonful each of chia seeds and ground flaxseed to my morning oatmeal (along with blueberries). Another way to get these two healthy seeds if juice is not your thing! Love the pancakes suggestion, too!
I too add chia seeds, ground flax seeds, and blueberries to my morning oatmeal.
I also make a chia seed/ground flax seed egg replacement when I make pancakes. That way I don't have to worry about them being totally cooked in case there is salmonella in the eggs.
I buy chia seeds at Costco since I use them every day on my oatmeal.
@K D, We buy chia seeds in quantity too due to our everyday use, from Amazon. Ground flaxseed also that way! I freeze them and keep an amount on the counter in jars, filling from the freezer.
We like to make this a little bit thicker, more like a pudding texture, and serve it in bowls with fruit salad on top.
One of my favorite boba places offers something they call Boba bran as an add-in. I think it's basil seeds but the texture is very much like chia seeds. So when I make iced tea at home, I add chia seeds in there to mimic the expensive ones I splurge on 🙂 Not nearly as much as in your recipe, but about a tablespoon.
Oh, it's so funny you mention salmon. I have recently really gotten into it....I'd eat it every day if I could afford it! Of course, I don't make it at home but it's my current restaurant treat. I need to find out how to buy it fresh and make it at home I suppose! I live in a small town and worry it'd get too hot transporting it from the city in these hot months. But this winter...
@Sarah C., We bring a cooler in the car with freezer packs. No worrying necessary.
Yay, thanks for sharing this recipe! I've been getting into chia seeds lately and it's been fun to try using them in new ways. This weekend I sprinkled some on some chocolate cherry muffins I made. Can't wait to try your recipe now!
I have never been disappointed in you---until I read that you do not like salmon! We eat it fresh, dried in the traditional fashion, and as lox. I cannot imagine a world without salmon!!
My comment- try this in small quantities at home first! It caused some extreme gastrointestinal effects for me. (This was several years ago- from a different blog). Whether it was the seeds, the juice, not being used to it, or some coincidence, I had to leave work! Haven’t wanted to try again, but maybe I will.
I really, really don’t like salmon, either.
@Jenny, same. My system absolutely cannot handle chia at all. I bought a couple bags and didn't want to waste them, so I tried eating them different ways, and it got me super sick every single time. Eventually I gave up and tossed them! And now that it's popular, they are put in all kinds of weird stuff, so I have to be careful!
Oh man, that's frustrating!
This is the mildest way I've ever found to eat salmon: In a 2-cup microwavable bowl, lightly beat one egg with flavorings. I like onion powder and dill weed but use whatever appeals to you. Stir in one can drained and flaked salmon. Microwave on high 3 minutes. Sides will pull away from bowl but center will be damp. Let sit until center firms up. Eat from the bowl or use it to make a sandwich. Making a sandwich makes it even milder.
A naturopath told me chia seeds had to be ground to get the nutritional benefits from them. I searched online now, and found whole or ground is a point of discussion. The omega's are absorbed better from grinding.
Sounds yummy. Costco has chia
Seeds in a pretty good size pack for about 8.00 for 480z. Chia pudding is great also. Try it.
If you aren’t a salmon fan but want the health benefits, I’ve found that a good glaze makes it much more palatable. I use one from the NYT cooking website that I love - put some brown sugar in a cup, add enough Dijon mustard to make a thick paste, and mix. Then spread it on salmon and bake. It’s extremely easy and is the only way everyone in my family will eat salmon. We aren’t otherwise huge salmon fans, but we enjoy it this way.
I drink 2 T of chia seeds almost every day and have for the last 3 years. I mix up the chia seeds with 1 packet of True Lemon, True Lime, True Orange or True Grapefurit Citrus Chrystalized flavor (available Amazon or some stores) and 1 tsp sugar in about 12 ounces of water. Yum! They have so much fiber and are a complete plant protein. They are super easy to pack for trips. My cholesterol has gone down 50 points and that was my only dietary change.
Thank you so much for this! My kids and I have loved the Mamma Chia drinks for years, but they're definitely not the cheapest drinks (especially when all 5 of us want one). We tried this today and the drinks came out perfect!!!
Yay!! I'm so glad this was helpful to you.
Please do more research. You can absolutely NOT eat salmon or any other fish. Omegas come from seaweed. Just take an algea oil supplement. Super easy..no fishy taste.
I followed your recipe to the letter but all I got was chia seeds sitting on the bottom of the jar of water. I have white chia seeds, is that the problem?
Very disappointed.
Oh, I have never heard of white chia seeds! I have always used black and have never had a problem with them gelling. Maybe try this again with some black seeds!