I’m eating Chia. Out of a bowl. With almond milk. Voluntarily.

Chia Goodness contacted me a little over a month ago to ask if I would like to sample their new cereal and I happily agreed, remembering the hairy Chia plant characters of my youth with a fond sigh. They sent me Original, Cranberry Ginger, and Apple Almond Cinnamon.

First impressions

• Small package! (I discovered that this is because the recommended serving size is 2 tablespoons which gets you 140 calories before adding milk or water.)
• Looks like bird seed or… chia pet pre-sprouting!

I immediately opened the Cranberry Ginger package and ate a raw scoopful. Mmm. Nutty, like bird seed. And a little salty (not too). Pumpkin seeds and shelled hemp seeds. Definitely felt like health food. Then I read the directions, which instructed that rather than eating it raw, I was supposed to lubricate it. Specifically, “Add 4 tablespoons hot or cold water or choice of milk. Stir well.”

Simple cereal strategy except for the next step in the instructions: “Wait 3-5 minutes or until it thickens.”

The result was semi-mushy seeds with a snappy core. The chia seeds develop a gelatinous exterior when you allow them to soak for a while, which increases the Chia volume in your bowl substantially, though it still only takes a little of the stuff to fill your gut. Powerful punch!

I’m not sure how I feel about the texture, but I’ve been eating it consistently for a while now, so it can’t be all bad, right?

Healthological Statistics (It’s good for you.)

From a health perspective, Chia seems poised to make a play as the next big Superfood.

Here are the most important nutritional stats (from the Original version, other flavors vary):

• Five times the calcium of milk
• More Omega 3 than salmon
• Protein (6g per serving… not bad for a seed)
• Fiber (5g)
  

Not bad for cereal!

Takeaways

I’m not a cereal person because it usually doesn’t make me feel full or satiated. Despite the protein and fiber, the Chia Goodness was no different for me, but I solved the problem (as I do with most cereal) by pairing it with fresh fruit.  That left me feeling full and energized.

As I mentioned, the texture is potentially challenging but not totally prohibitive to enjoyment. The added-flavor varieties have just a tiny bit of sugar (3 or 4 grams) and are yummy, though I usually prefer to maintain control over breakfast-cereal embellishments.

I tried the Chia with soy milk, non-fat dairy milk, almond milk and water and found that almond milk was my favorite (Almond Breeze) and water was my least favorite. Your choice of lubricants will definitely affect your experience – choose wisely.

Where to get it

Portland peeps can pick it up at New Seasons Market and those of you in other locations can use the Store Locator to track down the Chia Goodness.

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I wasn’t at the studio when the shipment arrived and Sal called me in a tizzy, “A big refrigerated package arrived for you! What is it??!” I think he thought I joined a gourmet cheese club.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t very excited when I broke the news about the actual contents of the box.

Onto the Yogurt at Hand:

Better Whey of Life yogurt addresses two of my long-standing issues with other yogurt options: too much sugar (and corn-syrup crap to boot!) and not enough protein.

In the past I’d solved the dilemma by eating plan yogurt (greek if I was feeling spendy) sweetened with agave syrup and mixed with whole, raw fruits – so I was curious to see if Better Whey of Life could compete with my work-around.

The Nitty Gritty Numbers

• 15-17 grams of protein per serving (whey protein, which is way good for you)
• About 14g of sugar (less than most brands)
• Mutliple flavors including: Strawberry banana, French vanilla, Acai mixed berry, and Peach mango
• 6oz containers

The Real Dirt

It tastes good.  Very good.  (I’ve sampled Strawberry Banana, French Vanilla, and Peach Mango).

Does it taste better than my plain-yogurt-agave-fruit concoction?  If you’re used to the sugary single-serving grocery-store style yogurt, then yes.  If you’re me and you’ve been eating the Swift Fruit Yogurt Workaround for 3+ years, then no.  Call me stubborn, but I still like mine better (and since I use whole fruit, mine probably has more fiber, but that’s kind of splitting hairs.)

That said?  In order to match the protein content of Whey of Life, I have to add a half scoop of protein powder to the Swift Concoction and I’m going to be honest with you – no matter which fabulous protein powder I add, this combination does not taste good. And certainly not anywhere near as good as the Better Whey of Life option.

So, protein-to-protein, Better Whey has me whooped.

Is it Right for You?

If you’re currently eating previously mentioned sugar-loaded grocery store fruit yogurt options then YES.  Better Whey of Life yogurt blows that crap out of the water. No contest.

Also, unlike the Swift Fruit Yogurt Workaround, the convenient Better Whey of Life yogurt containers are much easier to pack into lunchbags and picnic baskets.

Or, if you’re a late night snacker, this could be the perfect fix for your last meal of the day.  Protein ingested before bed helps prevent the protein breakdown that occurs naturally when you sleep.

Find It.

Currently, Better Whey of Life is only available at health food stores and Whole Foods Markets (though it’s not in all Whole Foods yet, hence the refrigerated box delivery).  Check the Where To Buy link on their website for more information.

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