Friday Food for Thought: Goji Berries

Eco-Friendly Superfruit: Goji Berry by bellinatse

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to get my blog back to regular programing. And that begins with Friday Food for Thought (remember this or this?) The lucky superfood that will get the new year off to the right start is the Goji berry.

Goji berries are full of antioxidants. Goji berries have been used by Asians for over a century. This berry, indigenous to Tibet, China, and Mongolia,  is packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, 18 amino acids and 21 trace minerals, making it the smallest berry that packs the biggest nutrient punch. Goji berries are known to lower blood pressure and fight diabetes and free radicals.

To get the most out of this superfruit, eat it on its own as a snack, or mix it with some nuts. One of my favorite food bloggers, Joy the Baker, created a recipe for homemade granola with goji berries. You can also let it steep in hot water and stir in some honey for the perfect tea substitute. The goji berries release a subtle bitter taste, so adding honey will naturally offset the bitterness. Other additives that you can substitute honey with is ginger, chrysanthemum, and rock sugar.

Pangea Organics features a great antioxidant mask that boasts goji berry, matcha tea and acai berry as its main ingredients. It’s basically an anti-oxidant triple threat in a squeeze tube. Used during an at-home weekend spa will result in a double take in the mirror — after you wash it off of course.