Wellness Wednesday: April 28

GOJI BERRIES

Sweet, chewy, and delicious, these small, dried berries make the perfect texture and flavor addition to your bowl or smoothie. Goji berries, that is!


Goji berries, also known as wolfberries, are native to Asia and have been praised for their medicinal and superfood qualities. Goji berries have been known for their anti-aging properties, eye health benefits, and their ability to help strengthen the liver, lungs, and and kidneys.


Goji berries contain more than 500% of the RDI of Vitamin A in a single 1-oz serving, which aids in immune health. In addition, goji berries are high in iron and fiber, making them an excellent choice for those on a plant-based diet as well, promoting the creation of healthy red blood cells.

A few research studies have also suggested that goji berries can help to promote eye health as well, aiding in the prevention of vision loss due to macular degeneration. They do this by preventing hypopigmentation of the macula, or central area of the retina, and softening the fatty deposits under the retina as well. They’re also high in a special antioxidant called zeaxanthin, which protects against damage to your lenses and retinas.

Goji berries have been regarded for their immune-boosting properties, enhancing immunity naturally and helping to fight off infection. Specifically, studies have shown that goji berries have helped the body fight off the influenza virus, which is especially important now more than ever!


Goji berries can be found on the Classic Bowl and blended inside the Peanut Butter & Jelly protein shake (they give it that unique, sweet jelly flavor!). You can also request to add goji berries on top of your favorite bowl or blended inside a smoothie or protein shake of your choosing.

Abbaspour, N., Hurrell, R., & Kelishadi, R. (2014). Review on iron and its importance for human health. Journal of research in medical sciences : the official journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 19(2), 164–174.

Bucheli, P., Vidal, K., Shen, L., Gu, Z., Zhang, C., Miller, L. E., & Wang, J. (2011). Goji berry effects on macular characteristics and plasma antioxidant levels. Optometry and vision science : official publication of the American Academy of Optometry, 88(2), 257–262. https://doi.org/10.1097/OPX.0b013e318205a18f

Mathenge W. (2014). Age-related macular degeneration. Community eye health, 27(87), 49–50.

Roberts, J. E., & Dennison, J. (2015). The Photobiology of Lutein and Zeaxanthin in the Eye. Journal of ophthalmology, 2015, 687173. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/687173

Vidal, K., Bucheli, P., Gao, Q., Moulin, J., Shen, L. S., Wang, J., Blum, S., & Benyacoub, J. (2012). Immunomodulatory effects of dietary supplementation with a milk-based wolfberry formulation in healthy elderly: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Rejuvenation research, 15(1), 89–97. https://doi.org/10.1089/rej.2011.1241