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All About Goji Berries
Published May 26, 2020. Read time: 4 mins
All About Goji Berries
It's not called The Berry of Happiness for nothing. Goji berries are renowned the world over for their delightful flavor and superfood status. Red, sour and delicious, goji berries have a cranberry-like bitterness with a touch of sweetness and a bit of pucker.
Goji berries have been enjoyed by humans for thousands of years. And you don’t hang around humans that long without collecting a few nicknames. We already let one slip! Goji berries are also commonly called wolfberries, lycium fruits, or even Chinese matrimony berries. Because they are so prized for their nutrition, goji berries get a lot of love for their anti-inflammatory properties and off-the-charts vitamins and minerals.
Even though these tart and tasty berries have gained popularity in recent years, quality goji berries are still difficult to find. That’s why your friends at FruitStand partner with specialty farmers to bring goji berries directly to you!
Keep reading to learn all about goji berries.
What Are Goji Berries
Goji berries are small, red, oblong-shaped berries that pack a tart, nutritional punch. Often consumed in their dry form, a goji berry tastes a lot like a sour cranberry, with a nearly imperceptible sweetness. The texture of dried goji berries is a cross between chewy craisins and a fleshy, dried apricot. Fresh goji berries are difficult to find, but are delicious raw, in juices, jams and sauces.
Their orangey, saffron-red color is thanks in part to goji berries’ antioxidant richness. They’re also loaded with protein (yes, protein), vitamins and minerals. The goji berry’s health benefits and relatively low sugar content are stuff of legend, making it an icon among powerfoods.
Goji berries are easy to use anywhere you already enjoy dried fruits like trail mix, granola and shakes. If you’re new to goji berries, they’re easy to use instead of cranberry in many recipes for a sour twist on old favorites. Fresh or dried, fans of goji berries enjoy them raw and added to recipes to be cooked, boiled, brewed or baked. Goji berries work great tossed into salads, added to trail mix snack mixes, or enjoyed by the handful.
This is one unusual fruit that kids and adults like having around for an easy, flavorful snack. Before you know it, goji berries will be a staple in your pantry!
Where Do Goji Berries Grow
Goji berries are native to China and grow across much of Asia. Today, goji berries are cultivated in the United States and Canada as well. They grow in pendulous, strawberry-like clusters on boxthorn shrubs, which are cultivated for their edible shoots and leaves as well as goji berries.
When Are Goji Berries In Season
Summer is peak season for goji berries and lasts through fall. Goji berries grow on a thorny shrub called boxthorn, and are typically harvested when ripe. Ripeness is usually determined by how sweet and tasty the goji berry is, versus the outward appearance of their red skin.
Spring leaves of the shrub are cultivated for use as a leafy green vegetable, and to impart flavor to rich soups. Mature lycium leaves are often used for tea.
Are Goji Berries Organic
Whether goji berries are certified organic or not will depend on the farm where it was grown. At FruitStand, we only partner with the best specialty farms for exceptional quality of produce. When each harvest is available, we'll tell you whether the fruit is considered organic or conventional.
Still curious about goji berries? Ask us anything about goji berries questions any time on Instagram @Fruitstandcom!