New Power Food for the Office... Chia Seeds or Bath Salts?

Everyone remembers those ugly chia pets from back in the day. The large objects that you sat outside and turned an obnoxious green turfy color once they were watered. Apparently, Chia seeds which have become a new health 'superfood' craze are now taking finance professionals by storm.

Christine Kenney, a triathlete who works the equity capital markets execution desk at Citigroup (C) in Manhattan, starts every morning at work with a bowl of low-fat yogurt, honey, and a heap of chia seeds. Throughout the day she subsists on chia snack bars. “It’s better for my job because I’m not supposed to be off the desk very much,” she says, noting how she’s gotten most of the co-workers from her desk hooked on the seeds.

I have to say that I have noticed a proliferation of chia seeds around the office here, so much so that I actually went out today to try some. Personally, I feel like a squirrel or something. Apparently, however, they are also becoming the stimulant of choice quickly outpacing co***ne, coffee, red bull and maybe even bath salts.

I have to say I'd opt for something more akin to red bull or bath salts. At least I know I'll have the aggression to finish off my work or crush client meetings, psychosis be damned. Chia seeds just make me feel like a tree hugger or something.

So what do you guys normally use for a pick me up around the office? Do you run to your trusty stash of chia seeds and granola or do you opt for something akin to red bull or starbucks?

23 Comments
 

I don't know about chia seeds, but I chew sunflower seeds.

On a side note, there was a guy in my office that drank two 22oz red bulls a day (5 days a week). I did an analysis and showed him he was spending about $6k a year on red bull. If he had the same habit with coffee (assuming he got a Starbucks coffee of the day) he would be spending well under 1g.

You're born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take more shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Till one day you're up in the rarefied atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake, son.
 
Nefarious-On a side note, there was a guy in my office that drank two 22oz red bulls a day (5 days a week). I did an analysis and showed him he was spending about $6k a year on red bull. If he had the same habit with coffee (assuming he got a Starbucks coffee of the day) he would be spending well under 1g.

That's over 20 bucks a day on Red Bull - where the fuck is he paying 10 bucks a can?

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petergibbons
Nefarious-On a side note, there was a guy in my office that drank two 22oz red bulls a day (5 days a week). I did an analysis and showed him he was spending about $6k a year on red bull. If he had the same habit with coffee (assuming he got a Starbucks coffee of the day) he would be spending well under 1g.

That's over 20 bucks a day on Red Bull - where the fuck is he paying 10 bucks a can?

Some place in NYC, it was like 8 bucks a can.

You're born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take more shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Till one day you're up in the rarefied atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake, son.
 

I did the math real quick, it came out to $4,200. Sorry for the slight over exaggeration.

You're born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take more shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Till one day you're up in the rarefied atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake, son.
 

Hah, no, not your math...just shock and awe at NYC prices...I'd believe $8-10 for a 22 oz

Fuck my job, I'm gonna start a shitty bodega near some bank's office

Life, liberty and the pursuit of Starwood Points
 

my friend just made me a batch of chia bagels (can't buy bagels at stores in bsas) and she always makes this good chia/kiwi spread - good stuff. in my "superfoods" post last week i mentioned i'm looking for something good, heard chia is great because it helps you stay hydrated (it absorbs water) and has some vitamins etc (amino acids?) - though she mentioned not to eat more than a tablespoon a day as its considered an overdose apparently? anyways going to give the chia a try and see if it gives me some extra energy

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Kombucha, greens, chia, kefir, "antioxidant superberries," etc. None of these are the silver bullet for "sustained energy." To feel "good" and obtain sustained energy, you need to eat clean. You don't feel the benefits of a good diet until after a month of consistently conforming to it.

If I want a kick in the ass, I use coffee or energy drinks.

 

I think the hype was started by the 2009 book "Born to run". For the Tarahumara, a native tribe of "natural superrunners" chia is a staple in their diet and believed to help them in their athletic abilities.

 

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