Superfood Sunday!
The more I spend time investing into my health and studying the healing properties of herbs and food, the more excited I am to share with everyone. Now, unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past 5 years, you know that goji berries have been the top superfoods mentioned on every list. First off, what IS a superfood?
A superfood is a nutrient-rich and nutrient-dense food considered to be extremely beneficial in well-being and health.
So what’s the deal with Goji Berries?
For the past decade, Goji berries have been grown in the US due to their ability to be drought tolerant and adaptability to be grown in part shade. The Goji berry is originally native to China, however, thanks to farmers growing them locally in the US, it is fairly easy to source high quality berries within the US. Goji berries contain 21 trace minerals including geranium (which is rare to find in foods). They are a great source of vitamin C and beta-carotene. I also recommend Goji berries to my vegan friends, as they are a high source of protein – they actually have the highest concentration of protein of any fruit in the world.
Here is a list of other amazing benefits for Goji berries:
- Has been claimed to help support immune function
- Has a highest level of antioxidants
- Helps fight free radicals that contribute to cancer and aging
- Provides body with Vitamins B1, B2, B6 and E
- Promotes healthy skin
- Helps stabilize blood sugar
- Aids in detoxifying the liver
- Has been claimed to boost fertility
- Keeps energy and mood up
- Anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal
Where Do You Purchase Goji Berries?
It’s fairly common to see Goji berries at any health food store or even major chain now a days. But how do you know if the berries are sourced from high quality producers? Personally, I always check to see if the berries I’m purchasing are organic. Organic goji berries may cost you a pretty penny, but in the long run, when it comes to your health – does a few extra dollars really matter? Over the years I’ve tried a handful of brands for Goji berries, and these are my favorites:
Navitas Naturals Organic Goji Berries
Healthworks Certified Organic Goji Berries
Goji Berries in Bulk from Rose Mountain Herbs
Amazing Grass Green SuperFood Berry (Goji + Acai Powder)*
* This is currently one of the highest rated goji powders on Amazon.com with over 7,000 reviews and is one of my go to powders to put into my shakes and smoothies!
