4.6 26 Published Apr 07, 2017, Updated May 28, 2024 Back at home I’ve been missing those fun drink options so I started playing around with infusing water and even got some tamarindo from nuts.com to try making agua de tamarindo. I haven’t experimented with it yet, but I’m excited to try my hand at it. Anyhow, all of these new drink ideas inspired me to try making a chia fresca. If you’re unfamiliar, a chia fresca is simply water and/or juice mixed with chia seeds. The idea originated in Mexico as Ancient Aztec warriors and long-distance runners would use chia seeds to provide sustained energy for long periods of activity. Mixing the seeds with water is like making a homemade energy drink! Today people use chia frescas to stay fueled and hydrated for exercise, but also as a replacement for plain water, tea or coffee. So instead of opting for a cold brew to get you through your afternoon energy slump, you can sip the refreshing lemon chia fresca I’m sharing today. Not only does the chia fresca have a delicious sweet lemon favor (without any actual sugar), it’s super hydrating and the cayenne pepper gives your metabolism a little boost. No more raiding your snack drawer all afternoon! This basic lemon chia fresca recipe was actually inspired by Suja’s Lemon Love juice with lemon, stevia and cayenne pepper. It’s like a healthy lemonade and one of my favorite treats to buy at my local health food store. I’m hooked on this combo, but I have a feeling I’ll be experimenting more this summer with different chia fresca flavors, too. There are endless variations to play around with! If you’re not a fan of drinking chia seeds because of the texture, you can always use them in other ways! Maybe try these chia breakfast cookies, chia seed pudding or chia jam!
