This delicious, nutritious breakfast or snack is a snap to make and has many health benefits! It delivers a nice dose of calcium as well as protein. In her book, Healthy Bones, Healthy You Lara Pizzorno also states that when calcium and protein are both present, we boost the breakdown of fat. Calcium also decreases fat absorption, which is why we excrete more fat in our stools resulting in more weight loss due to fat loss. Bonus!
One of my favorite recipes to harness this action is Chia Pudding. It is SUPER easy to make and to have on hand. It’s dairy free, vegetarian and can be vegan. You can use any milk you like, and I’ve included a chart below to help you make your decision on what works best for you.
Ingredients:
- 2 T chia seeds
- ½ cup milk of your choice
- 1 T. sweetener of your choice, maple syrup, honey, agave (optional)
- Berries, fresh or frozen for a topping
Directions:
Pour your milk into a ½ pint mason jar (or other glass jar with a lid.) Stir in chia seeds and sweetener, if using.) Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Stir and top with berries (or another fruit of your choice, or no fruit at all!)Depending on milk and fruit choices, this is under 200 calories.
| PER CUP | Calories | Fats | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Calcium |
| Cow’s milk | 158 | 9.05 g | 8.11 g | 11.5 g | 294 mg |
| Soy milk | 95 | 4.5 g | 8 g | 4 g | 330 mg |
| Rice milk | 130 | 2.5 g | 1 g | 26 g | 315 mg |
| Coconut milk | 45 | 4.25 g | 0 g | 1 g | 220 mg |
| Almond milk | 35 | 2.5 g | 1 g | 1 g | 330 mg |
Enjoy. Will stay good in your refrigerator for 5 days or can be frozen for longer storage if desired.
Chart Source: https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/nutritionally-speaking-soy-milk-best-plant-based-milk-284229
Pizzorno, Lara, Health Bones, Healthy You, Published by Algae Cal 2022, pp 148-149