Can You Grind Chia Seeds? – And The Best Way To Do It

For many years now, chia seeds have been a staple in every vegan’s life. It is the ultimate superfood as it has so many different functions in a kitchen as well as tons of health benefits.

Recently, a new trend has emerged amongst the nutrition enthusiasts, to blend your seeds and products to release even more nutrients than what they release in their whole state. 

Can you grind chia seeds? We highly recommend grinding chia seeds with a spice grinder or even a coffee grinder. When chia seeds are freshly ground, they release more of their nutrients and omega-3s. Ground chia seeds are easy to eat and can be incorporated into a variety of recipes.

If you want to know more, continue reading as we will be discussing the benefits of using ground chia seeds as well as compare different products to grind them with. 

Why Grind Chia Seeds?

Just like we grind spices to release their flavor, we grind seeds to release their nutrients. Although many people claim that when it comes to chia seeds there isn’t a need to do this, some studies say otherwise.

This means that if you are trying to consume chia seeds for their omega-3 benefits, it is better to grind them to obtain the most you possibly can.

How To Use Ground Chia Seeds

Another reason to grind your chia seeds is to make flour out of them. You can use chia seed flour as a substitute to all-purpose flour.

You can bake delicious goods such as cakes, muffins, or bread using your homemade chia seed flour.

Chia seeds, as you know, thicken as they absorb moisture, thus when in the form of flour or powder, they will make perfect natural thickeners to soups and sauces and because they are in a finer texture than whole, they will thicken much faster.

A technical problem that a lot of people run into when making recipes with whole chia seeds in them, is that the seeds make them feel bloated.

This is because the seeds haven’t fully absorbed all the moisture before being consumed. They then absorb moisture in your stomach, causing you to feel bloated and full.

To prevent this uncomfortable feeling, using ground chia seeds will fully absorb liquid much faster and more effectively within a shorter time frame. This will also shorten your preparation time significantly.

Some dishes to try to make using ground chia seeds include 1-minute chia seed pudding, chia seeds chocolate chip cookies, chia seed pancakes, or chia seed instant eggs. 

There are thousands of recipes to try and now you know all the added benefits to using them in their ground form.

3 Ways To Grind Chia Seeds

As you can see, there are tons of benefits to grinding chia seeds, even if they can be consumed whole. 

It is important to mention that when grinding these seeds, they need to be raw. If you soaked them or they have absorbed too much moisture, they will be sticky and nearly impossible to grind.

Let’s take a look at some ways we can grind chia seeds for you to choose the best method for your home.

1. Pestle and Mortar

This might seem like an old-fashioned and labor-intensive method, but chia seeds aren’t as hard or large as other spices thus much easier to grind into a powder.

You have much better control over the texture and the exact amount can be ground.

We love to prepare ingredients in traditional ways, such as hand grinding spices, as we feel much more appreciative of the process and final product.

If you don’t already have a pestle and mortar at home, we highly recommend this granite pestle and mortar.

Pros	Cons
You can control the texture of the seeds much better than with an automated blender. The finer you want the texture to be, the longer you can grind.	It does take longer than when using a blender or grinder.
You can grind a specific small amount of seeds that a machine wouldn’t be able to grind.	It does require a bit of labor.
It is a very durable product that will cause something else to break before it does.	Can be difficult to clean if it contains a lot of crevices.
You get cheaper versions of this product and in many different styles.
Grinds easier than spices as they are soft and small.

2. Spice Grinder [or Coffee Grinder]

A spice grinder (sometimes also a coffee bean grinder) is a very specific machine that is used to grind spices. It has small sharp serrated blades that chop up all the tiny spices or seeds. 

The machine is easy to use and will easily blend a lot of seeds in a short period.

This spice grinder is our favorite. We love using it as it comes with a removable stainless steel bowl that is easy to remove and clean.

It also has two different blade attachments so you can choose which will work best for each specific ingredient. It is very affordable for a quality spice grinder and has a sleek modern look.

Pros	Cons
Extremely easy to use.	Difficult to clean if the blades and container cannot be removed (which it normally cannot).
It is much quicker to use than using a pestle and mortar.	You cannot exactly control how fine you want your spices or seeds to be due to the effectiveness of the machine.
You get different qualities of spice grinders and can get ones that are affordable and stylish.	Can become clogged with powders and seize to work.

3. Blender

A blender is a great way to blend a large number of ingredients. It is a large jug containing sharp blades that rotate extremely quickly. 

However, blenders are not an effective tool for blending spices or seeds into fine powders.

The shape of a blender will prevent the blades from reaching a tiny amount of seeds and is more practical to liquefy ingredients.

With that said, if you don’t want to fully grind your chia seeds but want to incorporate them into a smoothie, this blender is a great choice.

Pros	Cons
They can blend a massive amount of seed or spice.	Blenders are too large to blend a small quantity of spice.
	Very difficult to clean if the blades cannot be removed.
	You have no control over the texture of your spice.
	They work much better for wet products or to liquefy ingredients.

The Best Method For Grinding Chia Seeds

In our opinion, the best way to control the exact amount of seeds you need as well as the exact texture you need it to be is by using a pestle and mortar. 

You can grind as little as half a teaspoon, an amount that no other product will be able to grind. Because the process is a bit slower, you can also easily see how fine you have ground the seeds thus having better control over the texture.

If you want to grind the seeds into pieces you can work the seeds for a much shorter period than if you want to have flour or fine powder.

They are also easy to clean and even though they are heavy, they come in various styles and colors to suit your home and be a décor piece.

We are definitely not saying the other products don’t work; this one is just our preference, but feel free to try as many methods as you like to find what works best for you.

Related Questions

Do you have to grind chia seeds?

No, you do not. Unlike other ingredients, you do not have to grind chia seeds to release their nutrients or thickening agents. You can use them as-is.

Are there other health benefits when grinding chia seeds?

Chia seeds are very high in tons of vitamins and minerals. We would think that these nutrients would also be released more effectively when ground – like the omega-3 levels do.

Can you buy chia seed flour in the store?

You will be able to find a chia seed flour at a pharmacy or health store. Make sure it is the consistency you are looking for as some brands have a much courser texture than others.

Just keep in mind that the flour might be much more expensive than making flour at home.

If you have a grinder or blender and want to make a bulk amount, put in an extra 5 minutes and make it yourself – it will save you a lot of money.

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