Tart Cherry Chia Limeade
Recently I was asked to give a talk to military personnel regarding performance nutrition and two products took main stage during my little chat…Chia Seeds & Tart Cherry Juice. I was even lucky to get Cheribundi, makers of fabulous Tart Cherry drinks on board & they graciously supplied samples–>thanks y’all! I’d love your product either way, but appreciate the added support! Check out their website for other fantastic recipes here, but guess what…they don’t have this one! And they have some pretty fun products out on the market now–> link here!
So, why chia seeds & tart cherry juice for military folks? Three key words: Recovery. Recovery. Recovery. Okay, that’s 
just one word, but it stands repeating. Operational Stress (aka Combat Stress) is real…very real, and nutrient attributes in both chia seeds & tart cherries bode well for folks working through deployments, recovery from deployments, recovery from strenuous workouts, sleep deprivation, and mental health struggles. The marines do a thorough job of covering Operational Stress (OS) here, so I’m going to let y’all link over there for a more in depth look at signs & symptoms of OS.
Benefits of Chia Seeds
The fact that these little black seeds require zero milling or processing to enjoy the benefit, make me feel like they trump flaxseeds–not a flax hater, but I do prefer chia seeds. Chia seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids (which I’ve covered often in these blog posts). Two tablespoons boasts 139 calories, 4 grams of protein, 9 grams fat, 12 grams carbohydrates and 11 grams of fiber, plus vitamins and minerals. I’m sorry, but did you see that? ELEVEN grams of fiber–holy toledo! You go, little seed, you go with your bad, fibrous self! As for omega-3’s…wait for it…wait for it… over 4,000mg / 2 Tbsp! Whoa! That’s impressive for a tiny, little seed! I feel like Dana Carvey and want to say “Scha-wing” after I write this.
I had to do it!
Omega-3’s are important for pain management and mental health, and the fiber is key for prebiotic & probiotic health! These little seeds are a winner!
Tart Cherry Benefits
I have touted the health benefits of Tart Cherries in repeated posts (see here & here, too). The top two area of concerns for military personnel are muscle recovery and sleep deprivation. If you pop on over to choosecherries.com you will find ample research highlighting the benefits of tart cherries in ways to combat both muscle fatigue, promote recovery, and correct insomnia. I drink 8 oz every day for sleep…every day!
Before you go buying cherries at the store or get just cherry juice, hold up! Tart Cherries are the ones with the research, so look for those!
Okay, but on to my nifty recipe that I’m pretty much consuming daily!
Tart Cherry Chia Limeade
- 8 oz tart cherry juice (like Cheribundi)
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1 ½ cups water
- In a quart sized mason jar put all ingredients and shake or blend well. Store in fridge. Drink will be ready (plumped chia seeds) in 15-30 minutes.
PS…I’m also not a fan of using plastic drinking containers, so please put this in a glass jar, y’all! Gracias!
OHHHH, and I might have a fabulous book you’d be interested in! It’s my latest Adrenal Fatigue For Dummies book which highlights tart cherries & chia seeds, too! Pick up a copy!
