Achiva

I recently heard of a new local company called Achiva. They have essentially created a nutritional supplement that incorporates dehydrated coconut water and chia seeds. Both coconut water and chia seeds are the new rage in endurance sports. I thought the joining of the two seemed ingenious. We emailed them and they gave us a few samples to try.

The first day that I tried Achiva, I PR'd (personal record) a local 6 mile loop that I run often and call the Butler Bolt. The next day I tried Achiva, I PR'd the bolt again. My immediate thought was that this is too good to be true! Maybe a placebo? The more that I put it to the test, the more it helps. I am officially a believer.

On the Achiva website, www.achivaenergy.com they reference a few benefits of the chia seeds. They are listed below.

They are a balanced food, meaning that calories come from equal sources of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. The caloric make up is 23% from protein, 35% from fat, and 42% from carbohydrates.

When chia seed get wet, they form a gel. The gel is caused by the soluble fiber found in the seeds. This gel slows down the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar, which provides consistent energy levels.

The carbohydrate source is in the form of easily digestible fiber.

Chia’s Soluble Fiber massively retains water, keeping users well-hydrated and maintains electrolyte balance

They are the highest vegetable source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids, which are critical for concentration and other brain functions.

Chia is composed of over 20% protein, which is about 2 to 3 times higher than other seeds and grains.

Chia seeds are very shelf-stable.

Chia Seeds are also a good source of B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, boron, and copper. They also have demonstrated strong antioxidant activity.

In a sport where you are doing anything that you can to get any additional energy, Achiva is aces! The help that it offers on hydration and energy is really second to none. I plan on using Achiva on all of my long trainers and for sure on race day. I highly recommend that you give it a try. You can follow them on facebook, twitter and they again can be found online at www.achivaenergy.com