Goji Berry Powder

Goji Berry History

Goji berries have a 3000-year history in Chinese herbal medicine. In the last decade, interest in the West has exploded and the goji berry is often cited as one of the most nutritious products available today.

Sometimes referred to as wolfberries, goji grow on vine-like bushes that can grow up to six feet tall .In spring, the narrow green leaves fall off and give way to delicate white flowers, which are in turn pollinated. They are the principle of the fruit: usually 1-2 cm in size with a high juice content. Goji berries have a slightly bittersweet taste, compared to a cross between cherries and cranberries.

Goji berries can be found at high altitudes where the soil is alkaline and very fertile. It is a hardy plant, which can withstand fluctuations in temperature well. Wild, goji berries are often found along mountain streams or small rivers, and according to a legend this is how their medicinal powers were discovered. This was eventually attributed to vines dropping their beneficial berries into the drinking water. With this news, the seeds also spread and the goji plant also grew in Tibet, Mongolia and China.

Processing

Our organic powder is made from goji berries, grown on the Qinhai-Tibet plateau in southwest China. Referred to as the 'roof of the world', the 2.3 million km² area has an average altitude of over 4000m and is the largest plateau in the country. Because of the altitude of the plantations, the growing goji berries enjoy clean, pure air and the nutritious Himalayan glacier water. These conditions, along with the long hours of sunshine, make goji berries from this region one of the most nutritious in the world.

The fruit is harvested when ripe and soft in late summer or autumn. They are either picked from the plant, or the vine is lightly shaken and the berries are collected in bins or baskets. Goji berries are traditionally dried in the shade on special bamboo mats, after which they are exposed to the sun. Here they remain until their skin is hard, but the pulp remains soft. They are treated with the utmost care to prevent rotting and discoloration.

The harvested fruit is then transported to a processing centre where it is freeze-dried at -54°C. This process ensures that the goji berries retain their original taste, colour and, more importantly, their highly valued nutritional value. After this, the dried product is checked and quality tested. Finally, it is ground into a fine powder, which is easy to store and include in a daily diet.

Our organic goji powder comes from the heights of the Qinhai-Tibet plateau in China. Mix the powder with water to make a delicious goji berry juice, or combine it with other nutritious ingredients for the ultimate superfood smoothie.