Food Plant

Goji Berry (has a safety note)

BotanicalLycium barbarumAlso calledWolfberry, Lycium fruit, Gou qi zi

Chewy, ruby-red dried berries with a sweet, tangy, slightly savory taste, eaten by the handful or steeped into a bright tea.

* Safety note: Can strengthen the effect of warfarin and cause allergic reactions in some people; read the cautions. Read the cautions

Goji Berry, fruit (dried berries)

Dried goji berries are small, wrinkled and bright red, somewhere between a raisin and a dried cranberry. They taste sweet with a gentle tang and a faint savory edge, and they plump up beautifully when dropped into hot water, soup or oatmeal.

Goji has been eaten and brewed in China for a very long time, in sweet soups, rice porridge and tonic teas. It is not part of classical Ayurveda and we have not found a reliable Ayurvedic description of its energetics, so we share it here simply as a nourishing food.

Ayurvedic Properties

Not described in classical Ayurveda, and we have not found a reliable modern Ayurvedic profile, so most of its energetics are shown as unknown. In Chinese tradition it is both an everyday food and a tonic.

RasaTastes
  • Sweet
  • Sour
ViryaHeating or cooling
Not known
VipakaPost-digestive effect
Not known
AgniEffect on digestion
Neutral for agni

A small handful of soaked or warmed berries sits lightly with little direct effect on digestive fire.

GunaQualities
Not known
TridoshaEffect on Vata, Pitta and Kapha
  • Vata: not known
  • Pitta: not known
  • Kapha: not known
  • decreases (calms that dosha)
  • increases (can aggravate it)
  • neutral or balancing
  • not known
  • V Vata · P Pitta · K Kapha

With no classical or reliable modern Ayurvedic profile, we do not assign goji a dosha effect. Its sweet and slightly sour taste is the main clue. Like other dried fruit, it is easiest to digest when soaked or warmed rather than eaten by the big handful.

Traditional Uses

  • Traditionally used to support healthy eyes and clear vision in Chinese food tradition.
  • Traditionally used to support steady energy as a nourishing food.
  • Traditionally used to support healthy, glowing skin.

How People Use It

  • FoodEat a small handful of dried berries as a snack, or stir them into oatmeal, rice porridge, soups and trail mix.
  • TeaSteep 1 tablespoon of berries in a cup of just-boiled water, covered, for about 10 minutes. Sip the tea and eat the softened berries.
  • WaterSoak a spoonful of berries in a jar of room-temperature water for an hour for a lightly sweet, rosy drinking water.
Try This

Warm Goji and Cardamom Morning Porridge

A rosy, gently sweet bowl for a cool morning.

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup water or milk
  • 1 tablespoon goji berries
  • 2 pinches ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon ghee
  • A drizzle of honey
  1. Bring the oats and water or milk to a simmer in a small pot.
  2. Stir in the goji berries and cardamom and cook for 5 minutes, until creamy.
  3. Stir in the ghee and spoon into a bowl.
  4. Once it has cooled a little, drizzle with honey.

Pairs Well With

Cautions

  • Goji in normal food amounts is generally eaten safely, but there is little safety research on concentrated goji during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Keep to food amounts in pregnancy and check with your doctor or midwife before using more.
  • If you take warfarin, avoid goji berries, juice, wine and concentrated teas unless your doctor approves. Several case reports describe raised INR and bleeding in people on warfarin after drinking goji tea or goji wine.
  • Goji may change how the liver processes some other medicines. If you take any prescription medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist before using goji regularly.
  • Allergic reactions, including severe ones, have been reported, especially in people with food or pollen allergies such as lipid transfer protein allergy. Goji is in the nightshade family, so take care if you react to tomatoes, peppers or other nightshades.
  • Please consult a qualified practitioner or your doctor before using goji in more than food amounts.

In Our Shop

Organic Goji Berries

Organic Goji Berries, from $7.00. Weighed and packed by hand at our Rockville Centre studio.

Shop Goji Berry →

Sources and Further Reading

This page shares how herbs are traditionally used in Ayurveda and other herbal traditions. It is for general education only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please talk with your doctor or a qualified practitioner before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition.