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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.

Red chia drink in a glass on a wood table.

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. 

Chia seeds mixed with water.

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.

Kristen, her face screwed up with disappointment.

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

Chia seeds and antioxidant juice from Aldi.

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.

Chia seeds mixed with water in a Mason jar.

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.

Chia seeds soaked into a gel.

It’s kind of crazy to see!

Chia gel on a fork.

Next, mix in a cup of whatever juice you’d like to use.

Red chia drink in a glass.

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.

Red chia drink in a glass on a wood table.

3-Ingredient Chia Drink

Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

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 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 151Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 0mgSodium 80mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 6gSugar 14gProtein 3g

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Lynette

Sunday 20th of November 2022

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.

Kit

Thursday 11th of November 2021

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!!!

Kristen

Thursday 11th of November 2021

Yay!! I'm so glad this was helpful to you.

Leslie

Thursday 5th of August 2021

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.

Katie

Tuesday 3rd of August 2021

If you arenโ€™t a salmon fan but want the health benefits, Iโ€™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. Itโ€™s extremely easy and is the only way everyone in my family will eat salmon. We arenโ€™t otherwise huge salmon fans, but we enjoy it this way.

Nora

Tuesday 3rd of August 2021

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.

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