Goji Berries – Background, Nutrition & My Favorite Brand Review
In all likelihood, you’ve heard of goji berries (also known as Lycium barbarum or wolf berries). Perhaps you’ve even tried them or have adopted them into your current diet. I have….
Goji berries are a super food in that they’re PACKED with an amazing amount of nutrients. They’re also a good source of protein (3 g per ounce), fiber (1 g), as well as a staggering 18 amino acids; I should add they also contain a high amount of vitamin A and C as well as iron.
And we’re just getting started, nutrition-wise…
…because goji berries also contain antioxidants (which help repair cell damage and lower the risk of chronic diseases) including but not limited to: phenols, lycopene, beta carotene, polysaccharides, nicotinic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, and selenium.
Goji berries also reduce cholesterol, triglycerides, and help lower blood sugar.
In fact, ancient Chinese medical practitioners used goji berries to:
-Improve vision
-Promote skin health
-Improve liver & kidney function
-Promote overall longevity
-Improve sexual desire
Amazingly, there are no known side-effects to eating goji berries though I must mention they have been known to interact with Warfarin (a blood thinner) so if you’re currently taking Warfarin you will want to limit your goji berry consumption to some degree as foods high in vitamin K do interact with Warfarin (as do other super foods such as spinach, kale, and broccoli).
Yet perhaps my favorite aspect of goji berries is how DELICIOUS they are! I enjoy eating them on their own but will also add them to salads, cereal, trail mix and smoothies.
Goji berries are grown on vines in Mongolia, Tibet, as well as Ningxia, China.
Now, I must make it clear that all goji berries ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL.
When I first heard about goji berries I purchased a two-pound bag on eBay. When the berries arrived they were dry and lacked flavor. But I didn’t know any better until a friend recommended the brand I currently enjoy.
And let me tell you—the snack grade goji berries I buy now are SO MOIST (in fact, I have to work a spoon through the bag to separate them as they’re that moist—definitely a good problem to have in this case) and taste SO MUCH BETTER than the prior goji berry brand I had been eating.
And I’m super happy to say they’re also free of all chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and of course, GMO-free.
I buy my goji berries from Amazon and they’re rated an amazing 4.4 out of 5.0
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