It’s a tiny little seed but chia packs quite a punch when it comes to nutrition. You might remember it best from the Chia Pet commercials, but before it grows atop a small clay head as chia hair, it starts out as a seed, high in Omega-3’s and antioxidants good for your hair, nails, skin and immune system.

Chia seeds are also gluten free!

Not only are chia seeds good for you, there are quite a few uses for them. Here are just seven of the ways chia seeds are awesome.

1. Chia seeds help fill you up! Chia seeds are a great source of soluble fiber and can absorb up to 12 times their volume. That means chia seeds act as a natural appetite suppressant merely because they’re filling! You can add them to anything from yogurt and smoothies to salads and baked goods.

2. Chia seeds are popular with runners because they really absorb water. You can add them to your water bottle before a workout to keep you hydrated!
3. Chia seeds have no taste but because of their ability to absorb, they actually amplify the taste of the foods that they are added to. For instance, when added to chocolate pudding, the pudding tastes even chocolatier! Which is a big bonus.
4. When you put chia seeds in water, it can make a gel which you can use in place of part of the butter in a recipe. Here’s how to make chia gel.
5. You can also use chia seeds as an egg substitute in some recipes.
6. Chia gel is known to ease symptoms from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Because they absorb water, chia irrigates as it travels through your body, keeping very important parts, like your digestive tract, hydrated.
7. Chia also contains calcium, so you can kick cravings that have to do with calcium (hello, ice cream!)

Learn more about the chia seeds we recommend here.