All About Dried Goji Berries, the Superfood Raisin You Should Be Eating
Take your breakfast to a whole new level. (Photo: Christina Holmes)
On first glance, dried goji berries look like nothing more remarkable than slightly oversized red raisins. But these nutrient-dense berries, which taste like a cross between cranberry, cherry, and tomato, make regular appearances on the Instagrams of popular health food bloggers like Hemsley and Hemsley and My New Roots. What’s so special about these chewy, sweet-tart berries? Here’s your guide to eating and cooking with Goji berries.
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What You Need to Know
Goji berries are indigenous to parts of Asia, particularly the Himalayan mountain region of Tibet, where they’ve been used for thousands of years for medicinal and spiritual purposes. Consequently, it’s rare to see fresh goji berries—which grow on lush vines and resemble miniature Roma tomatoes—in the U.S. Here, you’ll most commonly find dried goji berries and goji berry powder, both of which you can buy at health food stores and, increasingly, at well-stocked supermarkets. Dried goji berries have a distinct flavor reminiscent of a cranberry or a sour cherry.
How to Eat Them
You can cook with dried goji berries in both sweet and savory recipes. The easiest way to get started is to use dried goji berries the way you would use raisins. That means putting them in baked goods like cookies, on top of your morning oatmeal or porridge, in trail mix, or by the handful as a snack. You can also soak dried goji berries in hot water for a few minutes until they’ve softened. When rehydrated, the goji berries taste almost like a “very sweet cherry tomato,” says Julie Morris, the executive chef of Navitas Naturals, a health foods company that sells organic dried goji berries.
Fold the hydrated berries into spiced rice and grain pilafs, salsas, chili, or anything else that could benefit from a dose of goji’s slightly sweet flavor. You can also blend a spoonful of soaked goji berries into smoothies, tomato sauces, or frozen desserts like ice cream and popsicles for a flavor and nutritional boost. Morris says some people find dried goji berry powder easier to incorporate than the berries when preparing smoother foods like sauces, salad dressings, and smoothies.
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Health Benefits
There’s a lot of misguided information out there about the extreme health benefits of these tiny berries. For instance, there’s no hard scientific proof that goji berries can reverse the effects of aging, cause weight loss, or cure arthritis, among other widespread health myths. Here’s what we do know: like all berries, goji berries pack a big dose of phytochemicals, which are compounds found in fruits and veg, whole grains, and other plant-based foods that protect against various diseases and cancer. They’re also rich in a slew of micronutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron, and contain all of the 8 essential amino acids humans we don’t produce naturally and need to get from food. A 1-ounce serving of goji berries contains 4 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber.
(Photo: Peden + Munk)
Buying Tips
When purchasing dried goji berries, check the package label to make sure there are no added sugars or preservatives like sulfur dioxide, which is sometimes added to dried fruits to help preserve their color. (And if you’re concerned about buying certified organic, check the package for that information, too.) Morris says the best-quality dried goji berries will be dry but still retain a bit of a soft bite, like a slightly chewier raisin. You’ll probably need to experiment with a few different brands, since each dehydrates the berries slightly differently, but if you get a bag of especially crunchy berries, that may be a sign you got a bad bag.
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How to Store
Store dried goji berries in a cool, dark place (your pantry is just fine). They’ll keep for at least a year, though brands that package the berries with added preservatives may advertise a longer shelf life. Make sure to keep the dried berries away from moisture to prevent them from clumping.
By Christina Chaey
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