Goji berry contains a unique combination of phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. Therefore, if you want to truly get all the most important goji berry benefits, you'll need to enjoy dried or fresh berries. The former is the easiest to include in meals because fresh berries taste bad. Possible culinary uses of organic goji berries include:
- Trail mixes
- Cereals
- Baked goods
- Salads
- Desserts
- Sauces
- Stews
In order to enrich your regular meal plan with organic goji berries, you can start by adding a handful of them to your morning cereal or smoothie. This will increase the calorie count of the meal very little, but the nutritional benefits will be great. Dried goji berries also taste amazing in vegetable salads when paired with tomatoes. Reconstitute them beforehand to improve the texture. You can add these berries to your pizza topping, curry, chili, and even an omelet. If you want to make a delicious, antioxidant-rich goji berry drink, reconstitute dried fruits and include them in the fruit or vegetable mix you are about to juice. Pure goji berry juice is made by slow-cooking fresh berries and it requires a lot of sugar to be drinkable. Mixing the berries with other ingredients allows you to get the benefits without the hassle and extra-sugar.
Dried Goji Berries and Weight Management Snacking on dried goji berries can help you achieve your weight management goals. This is a low-calorie food as far as dried fruits go and it provides you with a huge amount of nutrients. Goji berries are also rich in dietary fiber.
Goji Berry Nutrients List Organic goji berries can be considered a superfood because they contain an extraordinary amount of nutrients. Every serving of these fruits gives you:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B2 (and other B vitamins in smaller doses)
- Copper
- Selenium
- Potassium
- Zinc
- Iron
As they are so nutrient-dense, goji berries are good for vegans and vegetarians as these people need good food sources of iron, in particular. They also benefit from zinc and selenium, which aren't very common elements in plant foods.
The Power of Goji Berry Tea Goji berry tea is delicious and will go well with ice during hot summer months or hot with your favorite blanket when you need some extra comfort in winter. In both cases, this beverage will provide you with a great number of strengthening vitamins and minerals. To make this healthful goji berry drink, soak ¼ cup of dried organic goji berries in 3 cups of hot water. Let the tea steep for 20-60 minutes and enjoy after adding your sweetener of choice.
Goji Berry Taste: Fresh Vs. Dried The natural taste of goji berries is downright unpleasant, so very few people can eat them as they are. Fresh fruits are even more bitter than their dried counterparts as they contain less sugar per gram of the fruit. Therefore, goji berries are one of the few foods that are actually better dried. Dried goji berries can be eaten as they are, but the taste gets some getting used to. If you mix them with other dried fruits and nuts for a raw midday snack, you'll be able to enjoy them quite a bit.
How Much Goji Berry Should You Eat Per Day There is no 'maximum dosage' of goji berries per day as the food doesn't contain any dangerous toxic elements. However, you should remember that dried fruits are higher in calories than fresh, so if you are on a weight management diet, you'll need to regulate the amount of these snacks. Usually, ¼ - ½ of a cup is the ideal amount of dried organic goji berries per day. This can be considered as one of the daily servings of fruit. Note that healthy eating guidelines require 2 cups of fruit per day.
