Goji berries appear to be the new miracle fruit. This brightly-colored orange and red berry grows on a shrub native to China, Mongolia and the Tibetan Himalayas, and has been used by locals for 2,000 years as an health aid. There’s even an old folktale that tells of a man named Li Qing Yuen who consumed goji berries daily, and lived to be 252 years old.
250 years? Though it sounds a bit far-fetched, rest assure the many health benefits of goji berries are a bit more believable – and pretty fantastic.
- They contain 18 amino acids, 21 minerals and more beta-carotene than any other food on earth.
- They’re loaded with Vitamin C.
- They are used to treat many common health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, fever and age-related eye problems.
- Some studies confirm that these berries help improve athletic performance, happiness and quality of sleep. Sweet Dreams!
- They act on the kidney and liver meridians to help lower back pain, inflammation and dizziness.
- Rich in antiodixants and zeaxanthin, ingesting Goji berries help protect the retina of the eye by absorbing blue light.
Interested in adding a bit of Goji joy to your life? Here are a few ways to add this superfood to your daily diet. Get up and Goji!
- Eat by the handful! Grab a fistful of Goji berries and enjoy as a mid-day snack. These berries have a similar shape and chewy texture as raisins, so they’re easy to eat and easy on the taste buds.
- Add as a topping to oatmeal or yogurt.
- Add these berries to your homemade trail mix or oatmeal cookie recipes.
- Settle on a sweet drink. Make into a tea, or check out our Goji berry lemonade that is…ah, so good.
*Note: If you take blood thinners, consult your doctor before consuming goji berries.