Last summer, I heard an interview with Christopher McDougall, the author of Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super-athletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen.  At the time, I was training for a half marathon and thought I’d try out the mid-foot running style I heard him describe.  Probably not the best thing to do right before an event.  My legs needed more time to re-program themselves before attempting that kind of distance.

Anyway, by chance, I saw the book at my local library over the holidays and picked up.  I, then, couldn’t put it down.  The book not only told a great story, it covered ground in terms of science, cultural anthropology, body mechanics, and a host of other topics.  I walked away inspired to try the bare-foot running style described in the book as soon as the ice lets up.

In the course of reading the book, I also learned about uses of the chia seed – a seed I had been experimenting with long before I read the book. You see, I’m the type of person who will see a new product at the grocery store and, out of curiosity, buy it immediately – regardless of whether I know what to do with it at the time.  One such purchase included a bag of raw chia seed and one of Chia Goodness breakfast cereal, both from Ruth’s Hemp Foods.

The chia seed appealed to me because it is gluten-free, is great for baking, and it has a lot of calcium (which is a great thing for a non-dairy person).  The cereal is pretty good, but if you are a texture-sensitive eater, this may not be the thing for you.  I would describe it as similar to passion fruit seeds or the tapioca in bubble tea – a little gelatinous and slimy.  But, chia is super tiny, and when mixed with other ingredients, isn’t too bad.

Anyway, according to the book, the Tarahumara Indians make a natural energy drink called iskiate or chia fresca, that they drink before and during endurance runs.  Because it is high in fiber and is a complete protein, chia seed is a great slow-release nutrient that will keep you going for a while.  Mixing it with water, lime juice, and sugar (a quick-release energy booster) make it a refreshing energy drink alternative.  Here’s a demo on YouTube that shows how to make iskiate and what it looks like.

There are several recipes for iskiate circling the web – this is a very hot topic at the moment – but they all seem to be about the same, with adjustment for personal taste.

Iskiate – Chia Fresca Energy Drink Recipe

• 1 cup of water
• 1 Tbsp dry chia seeds
• Juice from half a lime juice (more or less to taste)
• Cane sugar, honey or agave nectar, to taste but 1 tsp is about right

Stir together and let sit for a few minutes to allow the chia to soak.  (Note:  If you eat chia seeds without soaking them first, they will likely absorb whatever hydration you may be trying to preserve.)

Iskiate is easy and quick to make, but I’ve read on the Runner’s World forum that some people have make large batches of this mixture to have it on hand in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

So, are chia seeds as amazing as they’ve been rumored to be?  Well, the other morning I had a double serving of the Chia Goodness cereal (which has also has buckwheat, hemp, and other goodies in it) topped with fresh strawberries.  I went hiking in the snow, and did not have a chance to eat for a while.  This was not a research trial by any means (nor is it an advertisement for Ruth’s), but that combination of foods did sustain me for about 5 hours (2 hiking) without my getting hungry or jittery – even without snacks.

Like anything, you need to try a food out and see what it does for you personally.

Oh, and as for the title reference to la india, I guess that’s me: una india Maya some generations removed from my Yucateca Maya great-grandmother.