Can You Put Chia Seeds In Coffee? Yes, please!

Have you heard of chia seed coffee? If you’re a coffee lover looking for a healthier and more nutritious alternative to your morning brew, chia seed coffee might be just what you need.

It’s as simple as adding chia seeds in coffee. How easy is that?

I talk a lot about heart healthy seeds like hemp, chia, and flaxseed vs linseed. These are the golden seeds, as they are rich in fiber, plant protein, and plant based omega 3.  I’m also looking for new ways to use these seeds in everyday cooking. So why not get the goodness of chia seeds in your daily coffee?

If you don’t know, chia seeds are tiny black or white seeds that come from the Salvia hispanica plant, native to Mexico and Guatemala.

They are a great source of fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and various micronutrients, making them a superfood that can boost your health in many ways. Chia seeds in coffee can enhance the taste and nutritional value of your drink, and provide you with sustained energy and satiety throughout the day.

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Health Benefits Of Chia Seed Coffee

Rich In Nutrients

Chia seeds are loaded with fiber, protein, healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Adding them to your coffee can boost its nutritional profile and provide you with essential nutrients that you might not get from other sources.

Sustained Energy and Satiety

Chia seeds are high in soluble fiber, which slows down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates and sugars in your body. This can help you feel fuller for longer and prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes that can lead to fatigue and cravings. Ultimately helping with weight loss. The caffeine in coffee can also give you a quick energy boost, while the chia seeds can sustain it for hours.

Improved Digestion And Hydration

Chia seeds are hydrophilic, which means they can absorb and retain water up to 10 times their weight. When you consume chia seeds, they form a gel-like substance in your stomach that can aid in digestion, promote bowel regularity, and prevent constipation. They can also help you stay hydrated and maintain electrolyte balance, especially if you drink chia coffee in the morning or after a workout.

Delicious And Easy To Make

Chia coffee has a unique texture and flavor that can vary depending on the type of coffee and additives you use. You can experiment with different combinations of chia seeds, coffee, milk, and sweeteners to find your perfect match. Plus, it only takes a few minutes to prepare, so you can enjoy it anytime, anywhere.

Coffee vs. Chia Seed

Here’s a table that compares the nutrition content of coffee alone and chia seeds in coffee. As you can see, adding chia seeds significantly increases the nutritional value and provides calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

Nutrient (per 8 oz serving)	Black coffee	Chia seed coffee recipe
Calories	2	267
Protein	0.3 g	13 g
Fat	0 g	15 g
Carbohydrates	0.2 g	23 g
Fiber	0 g	15 g
Calcium	4 mg	551 mg
Magnesium	7 mg	85 mg
Potassium	116 mg	518 mg
Omega-3 fatty acids	0 g	11 g

Note: The nutrient values may vary depending on the type of coffee, sweetener added, and chia seeds used.  This is based on the nutritional value of the chia seed coffee recipe below (1).

Now let’s look at the health benefits of chia seed alone.

Chia Seed and Heart Health Benefits

Chia seeds have been associated with several potential heart health benefits due to their high fiber, omega-3 fatty acid, and antioxidant content. Here are some ways that chia seeds may support heart health:

Lowering Cholesterol

Chia seeds are rich in soluble fiber, which can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the blood. A 2017 study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that consuming chia seeds reduced LDL cholesterol levels by 11.2% (2).

Reducing Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is a risk factor for heart disease, and chia seeds have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry found that chia seed supplementation reduced several markers of inflammation in overweight adults (3).

Improving Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, and chia seeds may help lower blood pressure due to their high potassium content (4).

Coffee and Heart Health

Drinking coffee can also reduce the risk of heart disease as some studies have found that moderate coffee consumption (2-4 cups per day) may be associated with a lower risk of heart disease (5,6,7, 8).  But it’s important to note that most research conducted to date is not based on randomized control trials, and more research is needed to clarify this recommendation. 

On the other hand, there is also evidence that drinking large amounts of coffee (more than 5 cups per day) may increase blood pressure in some people, which can be a risk factor for heart disease (9).

And there is further research that states that since caffeine is a stimulant it may cause rapid heartbeat or irregular heart rhythm in some people (10).

Frequently Asked Question

Can You Put Chia Seeds In Hot Coffee?

Yes, you can put chia seeds in hot coffee, just like you normally would add chia seeds to cold coffee, milk, or water. There are no adverse effects to adding chia seeds to hot coffee, try it for yourself!

Ingredients in Chia Coffee Recipe

Are full of healthy ingredients that lower blood pressure and unclog arteries.

• Chia seeds – are a great source of cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber and blood pressure-lowering potassium and magnesium. They are also part of the DASH diet and Mediterranean dietary patterns.
• Instant coffee –  Feel free to use regular brewed coffee here,  or decaf.  Whatever you prefer.
• Unsweetened soy milk – a staple in the portfolio diet, I prefer this non-dairy beverage of its high plant protein content, and soy isoflavones for lowering cholesterol, but any milk beverage will work here
• Cinnamon – for added flavor!

How To Make Chia Coffee Recipe

Making chia seed coffee is quite easy, and you can tweak it as you like by using different milk, no milk, or even adding sweetener.  

To bloom or hydrate the chia seeds, place the 3 tablespoons of chia seeds into a small bowl and pour in room temperature water. Let sit for 20 minutes.

Step 1: Pour chia seed into bowl

Step 2: Add chia seed and water

Step 3: Wait 20 minutes until hydrated

In a medium bowl, mix together the instant coffee and hot water.  If you don’t use instant coffee, regular coffee works just as well!

Step 1: Instant coffee

Step 2: Hot water

Add milk to the mixture and blend until creamy with the coffee blender or frothier.

If you are looking for a milk frother I recommend

Drain the chia seeds to remove the extra water (if there is any) before mixing it with the coffee.

Mix the hydrated or bloomed chia seeds into the coffee. 

There will be clumps initially and that’s okay.  You don’t need to blend the chia seed with a blender.  A simple mix with the spoon would work well here.

Pour into a glass and sprinkle the cinnamon on top.  It will have more of a thicker, pudding like consistency than normal coffee but it will likely taste the same!

Enjoy!

Expert Tip

Soaking the chia seeds in water for at least 20 minutes (longer is okay too!) is a step you don’t want to miss.

If you don’t soak them in advance, it would be like drinking water with poppy seeds.

You can adjust the ratio of chia seeds to coffee to your liking. Feel free to also add a creamer of your choice. The fewer chia seeds and more liquid will provide a thinner texture.

Video Tutorial

Other Variations

You can add the following to the chia coffee recipe:

• cocoa powder for a mocha chia coffee pudding
• collagen powder
• hemp or pea protein powder
• sweetener of choice like maple syrup, honey white sugar, or brown sugar
• almond extract or vanilla extract
• pumpkin spice
• use your favorite milk here like almond milk or eliminate milk completely
• peanut butter
• nutmeg
• add ice for a cold brew smoothie with chia seeds

Or add this to low sodium oatmeal in the morning for extra flavor and nutrition!

Other Chia Seed Coffee Recipes

• chia cold coffee or iced coffee (simply add ice and chill this recipe!) perfect for hot summer days
• coffee chocolate chia seed pudding
• cold brew smoothie with chia seeds
• coffee chia jam recipe

What Else Can You Make With Chia Seeds?

Final Thoughts

Finding this recipe has been a lifesaver for my morning routine. There is no better way to start my day than by getting loads of nutrition with my cup of coffee.  If you try it please let me know how you like it!

Recipe and photo by Isabelle Mah, Nutrition Student. Article was written by Veronica Rouse, MAN, RD, CDE.