Red Goji Berries Can help Your Health

You know about blueberries and strawberries, perhaps even acai berries and elderberries, but have you tried goji berries? These small fruits are usually consumed in a dried state and have a sweet-and-sour taste that’s like a celebration for your taste buds. Goji berries come from China, where they’re usually added to soups and teas. But you can also use them in snacks like smoothies, granola, cereal or trail mix. Plus, they’re a key ingredient in Nutty Superfood Breakfast Bites recipe, providing 3/4 cup of tart sweetness and numerous health benefits.

Bright red goji berries are very nutritious and have been classified as “superfoods” along with other types of berries. We interviewed dietitians to learn about the numerous health benefits of goji berries and why they are beneficial for you. See below for what they had

Goji berries have carotenoids that help promote good eye health.
If you want a delicious way to protect your eyes, don’t only rely on carrots: Try goji berries as well. These small fruits contain high amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin, which are carotenoids – plant pigments that act as antioxidants and give fruits and veggies (like goji berries) their bright red-orange hue. Carotenoids can battle oxidative stress and inflammation that can contribute to eye damage, according to registered dietitian Joanna Foley, RD. A recent study published in the Nutrients journal revealed that people who regularly consume goji berries are less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness.

It turns out that goji berries are packed with antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, which aid the body’s antioxidant intake. Apart from lutein and zeaxanthin, goji berries also offer other beneficial antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E and lycopene, among others.

“Goji berries have a higher amount of antioxidants than other regular fruits like kiwi, raspberries, and oranges,” says Foley. This is important because antioxidants combat free radicals – unsteady molecules that can accumulate in cells through smoking, environmental pollution, stress, and other causes. Over time, too many free radicals can cause long-term health conditions like heart disease, cancer, or type 2 diabetes. Eating foods rich in antioxidants – such as goji berries – can reduce the risk of disease.

Just 5 tablespoons of dried goji berries contain almost 4 grams of dietary fibre, as per the USDA. This is more than that found in one cup of strawberries, making it excellent news for your gut. Your gut highly depends on dietary fibre.

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