Chia seeds: Fad or real?

For anyone who has read "Born To Run" by Christopher McDougall, there are a number of interesting and enticing takeaways. One takeaway is the apparent benefits of eating Chia seeds. Not much has been researched on their effectiveness, but what the heck: I bought some anyway. I have been mixing ground Chia seeds (Chia Fresh brand from Whole Foods) with other foods for about 3 weeks, and they are good. I feel livelier in my runs, and they work wonders on keeping "regular." My left knee has also been feeling better, but that is probably the result of something else I am doing (new running shoes, calcium supplements, 30/20 shortened stride, etc.). Give them a try. FYI: They're expensive, but very good mixed in Greek yogurt or apple juice.

My blood sugars have also been very good but, again, hard to know if the "slower absorption rate" the seeds produce is the explanation. If you take prescription medicines that are "time released," check with your doctor first about adding Chia seeds to your diet--because you do not want the seeds to interfere with early stages of pill absorption in the stomach (such as thyroxine).