Here are some experiences with one of my favorite "superfoods," goji berries. I don’t know who first coined the term "superfood." I just did a search on the Internet to find that there are more than 8 different individuals who claim to have coined the term, and the media is also attributed to the origin of this nomenclature! Perhaps they all dipped into the same consciousness.

In this blog, by "superfood," I mean a food that’s jam-packed with nutrients that the body can use. To me, a superfood is organic (preferably certified organic, but definitely free from pesticides), whole, raw, living, and with a wide variety of nutrients. They build the immune system and strengthen the body.

Goji Berries

I’ve sifted through a lot of the literature on Goji Berries over the last 10 years. I was first introduced to them by Ron Teeguarden, a Caucasian herbalist specializing in Chinese herbs and philosophy, when I took a course from him. He identified them as Lycium berries, from the Latin botanical name.

The berries that Ron imports (or at least did when he taught this class) are from Tibet. They contain more vitamin C than any other food known and other vitamins that make them a powerful antioxidant. The 18 amino acids and other nutrients put this little orange goody into a class by itself.

They grow wild in Tibet, in an area where pesticides are not used, nor is the designation "certified organic." They are naturally "dried" by the sun and harvested by shaking the bushes (so they are untouched). Many Asians attribute their beauty, strength, and longevity to Goji berries.

In Ron Teeguarden’s book, "The Ancient Wisdom of the Chinese Tonic Herbs," (and also re-told by Dr. Earl Mindell in "Goji: The Himalayan Health Secret"), is the story of Li Qain Yuen who is documented to have lived 252 years. His main food was the Goji berry. Goji berries are also used by the long-lived Hunza people throughout the Himalayas. And they are revered by Chinese women in China.

Some products called Goji berries may or may not be, and their place of origin does determine the nutrient density. Look in credible supply places and for words like "wild crafted," "organic," or "certified organic." Except for "certified organic," these are loose terms, but at least give you an indication. I was first introduced to the Tibetian Goji berries, so I’ve learned more about them. However, places in China also produce goji berries with equivalent nutrients.

For Purchase and Further Reading

Dragon Herbs Goji berries (Ron Teeguarden’s Place)

SunFood (David Wolfe’s Place)
(My recommendation and where I purchase most)

Eat Raw (I’ve purchased here as well)

Kitchen Doctor
I’ve not purchased them here, but it has a nice synopsis and some recipe ideas.

Goji berries tend to appear pricey on the retail market. They are surely worth it, though, as a few are jam-packed with bioavailable nutrition. Be wise in your purchase. Trust your source. As with many items, especially purchased on the Internet, you can get a look-alike. Wolfberries are generally inferior (although not always), are often sold in Chinatown shops in the US, and can even be chemically treated and colored. You do not want these!

A Secret of the Goji

So here’s a secret, shhhhh. Most of the long-lived persons drink the soak water of the goji berries. They also eat the berries, but the soak water is treasured even more. The soak water is more alkaline; the berries are more acidic.

It takes several hours for the nutrients to be drawn into the soak water. Goji berries soaked in water overnight give your morning a healthy start. You can also put them in a water bottle that you carry with you (and keep adding water to the same bottle). Great for joggers.

For consuming warm, put them in a tea pot on a warming tray that maintains a heat under 113º and sip the warm tea. (Caution: Do not boil the water or cook the berries.) If you want to alter the flavor of this "tea," add some vanilla.

If you choose to eat the plump berries in your goji liquid, you’ll find them a pleasant surprise in the middle of a sip of water or tea.

Fasting and Cleansing

In future articles, I’ll write about fasting and cleansing. When doing either a fast or a cleanse, consider incorporating Goji berry soak water. Fasting or cleansing is a great way to move from a highly acidic diet to one which is more alkaline. During a fast or cleanse, strain the tea and only drink the soak water. I usually drink until there are only berries and sometimes I discard them.

Eating Goji Berries Dry

You can certainly eat them right out of the bag. However, if you have any sensitivity with that practice, just soak them for a while to soften them and activate the alkalinity. Likely they are just too acid for you if you get a tummy ache.

Once, a friend called me to say, "Yuck, I hate these. I don’t like the taste and they upset my stomach. I bought four bags, do you want them?" First, I assured her I’d take them off her hands. Then I made some of the suggestions you find here. She called the next day to say that she was no longer eager to get rid of them. She had fallen in love with the goji tea with a little snip of vanilla bean.

Bottled Goji Juice

There are products called "goji juice" in bottles, which I’m unlikely to purchase, as these would be processed, probably with heat or additional ingredients or preservatives. What is marketed as "goji juice" is different from this soak water. Buyer beware. Check the ingredients. Ask questions. Make the choices that are best for you.

Enjoy Goji Berries for a Very Long Time!

Goji berries are one of the most wonderful foods in nature. When you start incorporating them and other such superfood items in daily eating, craving for unnatural foods disappears. It’s so much more fun to eat wonderful foods you like than to be concerned with restricting yourself. Living a long life is only fun if you’re healthy.