GOJI BERRIES - NUTRITIONAL POWERHOUSE / SUPERFRUIT / SUPERFOOD

Goji berries are the most nutritionally dense fruit on Earth. The goji berry, also known as the wolfberry, is a member of the Solanaceae or nightshade family of plants. It’s a bright orange-red berry commonly grown in the north-central and western areas of China. Native to the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet and Mongolia, the goji berry is now grown in many other countries as well. Although they have only been introduced in Western countries in recent years, goji berries have been used for thousands of years in Tibet and China, both as a culinary ingredient and medicinally.

The ripe berry is easily damaged during picking, so it’s common for them to be carefully dried to preserve them before export. IThis sweet-tart fruit is usually sold dried and looks like bright red raisins. You can also enjoy goji berries fresh off the vine (they’re surprisingly easy to grow in warm climates). Most supermarkets sell dried goji berries in the bulk section. They also come prepackaged. n the UK they are commonly eaten as the dried fruit or as a component of fruit juice.

They are most often consumed raw, made into a tea or extract, or as an ingredient in soups. Goji berries are most commonly available in dried form, and make a great snack eaten as is, added to trail mix, muesli or oatmeal. They can also be soaked for a couple of hours in enough water to cover them. Then the soak water can be drained off and makes a delicious drink, or both water and berries added to smoothies.

Unique among fruits because they contain all essential amino acids, goji berries also have the highest concentration of protein of any fruit. They are also loaded with vitamin C, contain more carotenoids than any other food, have twenty-one trace minerals, and are high in fiber. Boasting 15 times the amount of iron found in spinach, as well as calcium, zinc, selenium and many other important trace minerals, there is no doubt that the humble goji berry is a nutritional powerhouse.

Goji berries are a nutritional powerhouse, packing healthy food energy into small servings. That means that while they don’t have any direct correlation with weight loss, they can be part of a healthy weight loss plan. Their rich, sweet taste, along with their high fiber content, provides a feeling of fullness that can keep you from overeating and packing on the pounds.

This amazing little superfruit also contains natural anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal compounds. Their powerful antioxidant properties and polysaccharides help to boost the immune system. It’s no wonder then, that in traditional Chinese medicine they are renowned for increasing strength and longevity.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the goji is said to act on the Kidney and Liver meridians to help with lower back pain, dizziness and eyesight.

The complex carbohydrates that make goji berries so yummy raise blood sugar slowly, so you won’t experience a sugar crash afterwards. Hence also aids in regulating blood sugar levels.

Antioxidants protect cells against breaking down when they are exposed to elements like smoke and radiation. Even better, foods with healthy levels of antioxidants are often high in fiber and low in unhealthy fats.

Please note that there can be adverse interactions if you consume goji berries while also taking medication for diabetes, or blood pressure, or take the blood thinner warfarin. So be sure to consult your health care provider if that is the case.

Hey my lovely angels please let me know if you have better ways to incorporate goji berries into your daily diet in the comments below.