Any thoughts on Goji Berries?

[OrganicCook]

So, I'm trying to eat healthier and cook more for my family. My wife is really interested in goji berries (http://www.ghchealth.com/goji-berries.php) for some reason. I had never even heard of them until recently. She wants me to start implementing them into our diet. But... I literally have no idea what to do with them. So far, all i've done is add them to our morning fruit smoothies, which seem to be a good addition. I can't even tell that their in there, to be honest.

Are goji berries as healthy as the internet claims? I've always been highly suspicious of anything that is hyped up alot.

[wallycat]

They are healthy, but so are blueberries, strawberries, etc. and you don't have to sell an offspring to eat them :p

[Johnny C]

There was a programme on TV the other night about them ("Grow Your Own Drugs').

The chap reckoned that a lot of the healthy chemicals in fruit is the colouring compounds; it's a synergistic thing that evolved, the fruits colour themselves to be eaten and the seeds distributed, we eat the fruit that not only looks nice but is healthiest (eat the unhealthy fruit in a hunter/gatherer society and you don't live).

That may be bunkum, it sounds reasonable enough but sounds like a lot of speculation to me.

Anyway, goji berries are very colourful and the colour compounds are supposed to be healthy.

The chap used them to make a chicken soup for boosting the immune system, 4 chicken thighs, 10 cloves garlic, 4inches ginger, some veg (I forget which) simmered for 1½hrs, and then he added a fistful of dried goji's to the soup when it had cooked. he's half chinese and said it is a traditional chinese remedy.

If you're concerned about cost, you could grow them yourself, the bushes do well in temperate climates (I don't know what yours is like, I can't see where you're from in the reply page) and produce lots of berries.

He also said dried are as good as fresh, in the UK we can buy the dried reasonably cheaply in the 'bulk dried goods' type shops.