Every few months another weird and wonderful ‘superfood’ is written and talked about that no one has ever heard of before.

I feel like chia seeds are on everyone’s lips at the moment – apart from in our household that is, we’re waaaay behind the times with our quinoa and goji berries…

Apparently chia seeds come from a flowering plant in the mint family which grows in Mexico and Guatemala. In America the plants are actually used as decorative pets – bizarre! The seeds only became available as a food in the UK in the last year or so but have been popular among the Hollywood A-listers for a while.

So why is everyone obsessed with them? Well, according to health experts they are high in omega-3 and fibre and can boost energy, help with digestion and lower cholesterol.

What is in 100g of chia?

• Protein: 20.7g
• Fat: 32.8g
• Carbohydrate: 41.8g
• (of which fibre is 41.2g)
• Calcium: 714mg
• Iron: 16.4mg
• Niacin (B3): 613mg
• Thiamine (B1): 0.18mg
• Riboflavin (B2): 0.04mg

Source: Nutritional Science Research Institute

So do I need to become a chia cheerleader?

I am always wary of food trends. The people who advocate them often fail to realise that not everyone can afford to add more exotic foods into their diets and do they even taste nice anyway?

The seeds can be sprinkled on anything from salads to ice cream. But isn’t that a bit boring? Couldn’t I just cook some smoked mackerel or salmon and get the same benefits but with a food I can actually taste and enjoy?

As you can tell I’m unsure about jumping on this particular bandwagon. BUT I have decided to buy some seeds this week so I can make a real decision and I’ll keep you posted on the results.