Goji Berries

Goji berries are also known as wolfberries. They have been used in China for hundreds of years and are only now becoming more and more common in North America because of their great nutritional profile.

Fresh wolfberries have an oblong shape and look a little bit like cherry tomatoes.

Most retailers sell the dried berries which are deep red in color and look like raisins. The fresh berries are very difficult to find in North America.

Health Benefits

They are high in antioxidants, phytochemicals, and various nutrients including:

• vitamin C
• vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
• selenium
• calcium
• potassium
• zinc
• iron
• beta-carotene

They contain zeaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant which helps to protect your retinas from the damage that light can cause. Zeaxanthin also lowers your chances of getting age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

They may be helpful against inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, memory loss, diabetes, and some kinds of cancer.

There are a lot of other health claims being promoted these days. Many of these claims come from testimonials but have not been verified. More clinical trials need to be done on these berries.

How to Eat Goji Berries

Wolfberries have a taste that you may need some time to get used to. They taste a bit nutty with a slight hint of tomato. Very interesting….They are also more dry and tart than raisins.

I don’t really like the flavor, but I try to eat them at least once in a while because they are high in nutrients.

• Eat them straight just as you would raisins or dried cranberries
• Add them to your breakfast cereals and porridge
• Make them into tea by gently boiling them in water for a few minutes
• Take them as juice. You can find the juice in most health food stores. 100% goji juice is very rare though. Most juices that you will find will be a blend of various juices.
• Blend them into your smoothies
• Mix them into your favorite trail mix