Fruit of the Week: Goji Berries

Name: Goji Berries

Brand: Tierra Farm Organic

Place of Purchase: Wheatsfield Co-op in Ames, Iowa

Country/Region of Origin: Valatie, NY

Price in Iowa: $4.79 for 4 oz.

Description: Crimson-colored, almond-shaped raisins

Flavor: Tart (from the dried berry).

Aroma: A slight flowery scent, but the dried berries aren't very aromatic.

Texture/Mouth-feel: Drier than a raisin, but pleasantly chewy.

Notes: Yet another dried fruit. I saw these goji berries at the local organic food co-op and I decided to pick them up. Supposedly, they're a new superfruit. I know that you're not supposed to to pop these in your mouth. You can, but they're not very flavorful. You can put them into cereal, or granola bars, or rice dishes as a tonic. The reason for eating these sour little nuggets is their antioxidant potential, not their taste. When your body makes energy from the food that you eat, the process creates oxidizing compounds called free radicals. When you're young, your body can clean up these toxic by-products. However, as you get older your body loses its ability to take out the trash. So, certain vitamins (like Vitamin E and Vitamin C/Ascorbic Acid) can act as antioxidants to help with the removal of thesefree radicals and you you looking young. Goji berries are chock-full of antioxidants. And even though they taste like sour lint, they're good for you. So, give them a try and keep the wrinkles and the aches away for another year.