But are you tired of the same old puddings? How can you make a pudding that is unique, but also healthy?
That’s where chia seeds come in. This seed is extremely versatile and is often used as a binding agent in a lot of vegan dishes, substituting eggs. Chia seeds are also a great course of organic protein, which is great if you are looking to bulk up.
But have you ever thought of combining coconut and chia seeds? No? Well, they do make an excellent combination. If you want a complete guide, as well as recipe guides and tips for making sure this one turns out delicious, then keep reading.
What Are Chia Seeds?
Chia seeds are tiny black seeds that are generally thought to hail from Central America. They are packed with nutritional benefits and are low in calories. Here is the nutritional value of 28 grams of chia seeds:
138 calories
4.7 grams of protein
8.7 grams of fat
11.9 grams of carbs
9.8 grams of fiber
14% of daily recommended calcium
12% of daily recommended iron
23% of daily recommended magnesium
20% of the daily recommended phosphorus
12% of daily recommended zinc
15% of the daily recommended vitamin B1
16% of daily recommended vitamin B3
Per gram, this seed has a lot higher value of protein and fiber than a lot of other seeds. As you can see, this has a rich nutritional profile for just a small serving.
This is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. This is good for the health of your brain as well as the health of your joints and boosts overall immune system responses.
Here are a few other health benefits of chia seeds:
Great Source Of Antioxidants
Chia seeds come with plenty of antioxidants that preserve the fat (you might have noticed that chia seeds secret a kind of gel, which is what makes them such a good binding agent).
However, the good thing about antioxidants is the fact that they also help to reduce the number of free radicals that get produced in the human body. These things damage cells, so keeping them to a minimum is great for your health.
A lot of these antioxidants also come with anticancer properties, as well as protecting the functions of your heart and liver.
Eating a spoonful of chia seeds a day will definitely increase your overall health and protect your body from disease in later life.
Could Help With Losing Weight
Because chia seeds are great sources of fiber and protein, this will help anyone lose weight, as it will leave you feeling full for much longer. This will help you to reduce your food cravings, which is ideal for building muscle and lowering hunger.
However, it is worth pointing out that you won’t lose weight simply by eating buckets of chia seeds. You should combine this with a balanced diet and fruits and vegetables.
Could Reduce The Risk Of Heart Disease
The combination of fiber and omega-3 is great for your heart. The fact that omega-3 has been scientifically linked to heart health shows that this stuff is good for you.
However, it is worth noting that no studies have shown a specific link between heart health and eating an increased amount of chia seeds.
However, it has been shown that people who eat chia seed supplements have reduced blood sugar, which is a contributing factor to heart disease.
These are just some of the health benefits that are associated with chia seeds. They have also been suggested to reduce your blood sugar levels, help with liver function and provide you with a lot of bone nutrients.
Why Chia Coconut Pudding?
The great thing about chia seeds is that they are very easy to add to your diet. Because they are packed with nutrients, they are an amazing addition to your diet.
The fact that they make a great binding agent is also an important factor in using them during baking (see also “What Is Vegetarian Baked Ziti And Ricotta?“). They release a gel when they are soaked in water, which will create a gloopy, sticky texture that is great for use in cakes.
Coconut is also a great addition to any pudding. It will provide you with a lot of flavors, especially if you are using coconut milk.
Chia seeds and coconuts are also a great way of making your pudding completely vegan. The chia seeds make an awesome substitute for eggs.
Coconut milk is also great as it contains a lot less fat than milk substitutes such as almond milk. It also has a very creamy texture, which makes it great for incorporating into your pudding.
Reasons To Make Chia Coconut Pudding
The recipe we are about to list below is one of the simplest that we could suggest for you. It only contains 6 ingredients, which makes it so easy to prepare.
This will be a quick treat that you can make and eat quickly before you go to work. You can also prep it in the fridge overnight.
You can easily put it in a portable mason jar or you can seal it up in Tupperware. You can also do as much as you want and have enough to last you for the whole week. All you must do is multiply the recipe by how many servings you want.
Recipe For Chia Coconut Pudding
Prep time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook time: n/a
Servings: 2
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
One quarter cup of chia seeds
2 tablespoons of shredded unsweetened coconut
1 and a quarter cups of coconut milk
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
That’s all you’ll need to make this recipe. Pretty simple, huh?
Equipment
Mixer/whisk
Medium-sized glass bowl
Foil
Recipe
Take all the ingredients together and stir them gently into a medium-sized bowl.
Let this sit for around 10 minutes, stirring the mixture every few minutes.
Cover your mixture with foil and place it in the fridge for upwards of 1-2 hours.
Take your mixture out of the fridge and Bon appetite!
Tips For Making This Chia Coconut Perfectly Smooth
Make sure that you mix all the ingredients well before you place it in the fridge. You’ll need to make sure that you avoid clumps.
You can leave the mixture overnight to make sure that the chia seeds have time to expand properly, absorbing all the moisture for that gloopy texture.
If you want to add that extra crunch, you can save some of the coconut shavings and sprinkle them over the top of your pudding. You can also choose to add fruit or granola (some topping ideas are below).
You can prep multiple jars of this pudding, so you have them ready to go when you are rushing out the door for work.
You can also add some chocolate powder to this recipe, elevating the sweetness and giving you that much smoother texture. Add only 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder per serving.
Experiment with different types of coconut milk. You can add full-fat milk if you want your pudding to be extra creamy. However, if you are trying to watch your calories, then you should try using light coconut milk instead.
What Toppings Can You Put On Your Chia Coconut Pudding?
There are plenty of toppings that you can add to this to make sure that each batch tastes different. Adding fruit will give it a different flavor while adding granola will make it crunchy.
Here is a list of things that you can add to your chia coconut pudding:
Berries – this is a great way of giving your creamy pudding that added tang. If you add blueberries, then you will also up the antioxidant content of your pudding.
Banana – this gives you a great boost of potassium and carbs to start your day. This is a great substitute for the usual protein or chocolate bar.
Mango – you can buy shreds of dried mango from the store or you can cut up fresh mango. This will make your pudding sweet and tangy.
Nuts – This will give your pudding that extra dose of fat. If you add cashews, then you can make the whole thing much creamier.
Cacao – you can buy cacao nibs or you can apply it as chocolate dust over the top. Both will give this an added bitterness that might be a nice contrast to the creamy vanilla.
Cinnamon – we all know how strong cinnamon can be, but just a light dusting will give this pudding that extra kick, which might be exactly what you need to wake you up in the morning.
Bee pollen – this is a very unusual addition but trust us when we say that it is super delicious. The pollen adds extra sweetness, which will be tasty.
You can make a batch of the basic chia coconut pudding recipe and then add a different topping each day if you like variety with your breakfast or post-dinner snack.
What Other Puddings Can You Make With Chia Seeds?
As we have mentioned above, chia seeds are very versatile and can be used in a wide range of puddings. Here are some other recipes that you can try that will be simple and very quick to make:
Banana Cream Pie Chia Pudding
This is a delicious pudding that is not too dissimilar to the chia coconut recipe (see also “15 Best Keto Chia Pudding Recipes To Try Today“). You’ll only need a few ingredients, and it will be very simple to make.
Ingredients:
One quarter cup of chia seeds
Half a cup of full-fat coconut milk
Half a cup of almond milk
1 tablespoon of agave or maple syrup
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Coconut flakes (for topping)
All you need to do is prep this one in the same way as you would the chia coconut pudding. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and then place it in the fridge with a foil covering.
Chocolate Chia Pudding
This chocolate and chia pudding is perfect for anyone who has a sweet tooth. This one comes with not one, not two, but three different types of chocolate.
Ingredients:
One quarter of a cup of chia seeds
One half a cup of full-fat coconut milk
One half cup and 2 tablespoons of almond milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
One quarter of a cup of high-quality cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 tablespoon of cacao nibs
1 tablespoon of dark chocolate chips
Once again, prep this one in the same way as the above puddings. If you want your puddings to be extra thick, then you should leave them overnight.
Blueberry Chia Pudding
This next one is great if you want your pudding to be extra healthy. Blueberries come with a lot of antioxidants, as do chia seeds, so these are great for giving your immune system that extra boost.
2 cups of blueberries
One quarter cup of chia seeds
1 cup of light coconut milk (you can also use plant-based milk for this)
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
This recipe is slightly different in that you will have to cook the berries first to make a compote. Keep the blueberries on medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Place the mixture to cool on the side before adding it to the rest of the ingredients.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a new pudding that you can make from scratch, then we can think of no better recipe than the chia coconut pudding (see also “The Very Best Recipe For Keto Chia Pudding“).
This is very easy to make, prep and requires very few ingredients. This makes a great breakfast alternative and has plenty of health benefits.
Hi, my name is Justin Roberts and I like to live by one major rule in life – health is wealth. And where does all health stem from? The food choices we make.
I grew up in a not-so-wealthy household that often struggled to get food on the table.
The food we did eat was cheap, holding no nutritional value at all. I’m talking frozen foods, carbs, fats, and very little fresh produce.
I am fortunate enough to have made a life for myself where the money for food is no longer an issue, and I have spent the majority of it looking into healthy foods and different diets to try.
The most notable is keto and paleo. I am also interested in only using whole foods wherever possible – call it trauma!
As a professional chef, I now create recipes surrounding these diets every day. My family are my tasters, and I strive to make my recipes as budget-friendly as possible.
I hope that you’ll find some inspiration for healthier meals from my website. I want to create a catalog of recipes that you can come back to time and time again. Enjoy!
