Goji Berries: Nutrition, Health Benefits

Regarding the look, goji berries are small and bright red in their fresh state.

Dried goji berries are more common commercially and appear similar to red raisins.

The taste of goji berries is difficult to describe, as they have a distinct flavour.

In their fresh form, the berries have a slightly sour and bitter taste with astringent notes and minimal sweetness.

In their dried form, goji berries become less bitter, which is why they are more commonly consumed this way.

Although they retain a mild bitterness, they also gain a sticky-sweet flavour and texture.

Health Benefits of Goji Berries
Although they are
sometimes called ‘the fruit of longevity’ in China, we should not overemphasize this.

Most texts about goji berries exaggerate their health benefits with little evidence to support their claims.

In fact, there is zero evidence that goji berries can prolong lifespan or prevent/cure cancer.

Nevertheless, these small red berries still have some good health benefits.

1) Goji berries
have a lot of carotenoids, which make the fruit look orange or red.

Zeaxanthin is the main carotenoid and acts as an antioxidant (4).

Another carotenoid the berries have is beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A. Although plant foods have less bioavailable vitamin A than animal foods, it can still help.

This vital vitamin is necessary for many critical functions in the body, such as growth, development, and the optimal functioning of the immune and visual systems (5).

Clinical research indicates that consuming more carotenoid-rich food can elevate skin carotenoid levels (6, 7).

Multiple studies prove that having higher concentrations of carotenoids in the skin aids in shielding it from damage caused by UV radiation (8).

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