Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Goji Berries
As part of an effort to spread the word about the delicious awesomeness of our vegan protein and nutrition bars, we’re going to feature one amazing ingredient each month and tell you all about it. For our first month the focus is on goji berries and how they can add a healthy kick to your diet. If you’ve never heard of goji berries before, no worries, they are native to China and have only recently been introduced in Western diets – primarily due to the range of health benefits they offer.
It’s Highly Rated
If you have never heard about ORAC ratings, then you may need a quick lesson to understand why goji berries are so good for you. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity and in a nutshell is a measurement of the antioxidant capabilities of natural foods. Of the tens of thousands of types of whole foods out there, goji berries are rated 27th – meaning they are a very high source of antioxidants. Goji berries have more than twice the antioxidant capabilities of cranberries and over four times that of blueberries.
That’s Great, So?
Antioxidants are good for you! Not only do they help rejuvenate your cells, they can also reduce the risk of certain cancers and even decrease your risk of heart disease. Foods high in antioxidants can also slow the aging process by reducing the damage done to your cells by free radicals – so your body stays in optimal health.
What Else?
If that’s not enough to convince you of the health properties of this wonder-berry, there’s more. For one, they contain all the essential amino acids (required by the body to build and maintain the tissues in our bodies), as well as 21 trace minerals and high fiber and iron content. Goji berries naturally act as an anti-inflammatory (great for dealing with arthritis) as well as being anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. Goji berries are also a great source of oleic acid, similar to olive oil, which helps the body absorb omega-3 fish oils. In turn this helps cells keep the receptors for hormones, neurotransmitters, and insulin working as efficiently as possible.
Wow!
Impressive, right? By adding goji berries to your diet you can help your body can fight off infection, renew cells more quickly, and feel great. Whether dried, as a powder supplement, goji berries are a great addition to any diet that is focused on a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Let's spread the word about the health benefits of goji berries!
