Are Goji Berries a Superfood? Unpacking the Health Benefits

Updated: May 2026

Goji berries have been eaten in China, Tibet and across Central Asia for centuries. In the West they arrived with considerable fanfare — labelled a superfood, credited with extraordinary properties, and occasionally presented as something close to a cure-all. The reality is more measured and, in some ways, more interesting. These are genuinely distinctive berries with a long culinary history and a real nutritional profile. They do not need the hype.

This post looks at what goji berries actually are, what they contain, and what a grounded case for eating them regularly looks like.

What are goji berries?

Goji berries — also called wolfberries — are the dried fruit of Lycium barbarum, a shrub native to China and parts of Central Asia including Tibet. They have been used in Chinese cuisine and herbal tradition for well over a thousand years, eaten dried as a food rather than taken as a medicine. The dried berry has a flavour somewhere between a cranberry and a cherry — slightly tart, mildly sweet, with a distinct herbal note.

Our organic goji berries are sourced from Tibet, grown at altitude and dried without additives. They are Soil Association certified organic.

What do goji berries contain?

Goji berries are nutritionally dense relative to their size. They are a source of vitamin C, vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), iron, zinc and several B vitamins. They contain all eight essential amino acids, which is unusual for a fruit. They also contain polysaccharides — complex carbohydrates that have been the subject of research interest — and carotenoids including zeaxanthin and lutein, which are associated with eye health in the broader dietary context.

Their ORAC score — a measure of antioxidant capacity — is around 3,290 per 100g. That is a respectable figure, though it sits below blueberries (4,669) and well below acai berries (102,700). ORAC scores are a useful reference point but do not tell the whole story of how a food behaves in the body.

In terms of macronutrients: roughly 14g protein, 68g carbohydrates and 0.4g fat per 100g. They are higher in protein than most fruits, which contributes to their usefulness as a snack for people following plant-based diets.

Are goji berries a superfood?

“Superfood” is a marketing term rather than a scientific one — there is no agreed definition and no regulatory body that grants or withdraws the label. The EU actually banned the use of the word in health claims back in 2007 for exactly this reason.

What goji berries genuinely are is a nutritionally dense whole food with a good range of vitamins, minerals and plant compounds relative to their size and calorie content. That is a straightforward and defensible case. The dramatic claims that accumulated around them in the early 2000s — longevity, disease prevention, dramatic health transformations — were not supported by the evidence and have largely fallen away.

The more useful question is whether goji berries earn a regular place in your diet. On that basis, yes — they are a versatile, genuinely nutritious dried fruit that works well as a snack, in porridge, in baking and steeped in tea. That is more than enough reason to eat them without reaching for the superlatives.

Goji berry tea

Steeping dried goji berries in hot water is one of the most common ways they are consumed in China and Tibet. The resulting infusion is lightly sweet and takes on the berry’s gentle colour. It works well on its own or combined with other teas — chamomile, ginger or peppermint all pair naturally with the flavour.

The berries can be eaten after steeping rather than discarded — they soften considerably and are pleasant to eat as they are or added to porridge. For more on getting the most out of dried goji berries, our guide on how to rehydrate goji berries covers the process step by step.

How to buy goji berries in the UK

Goji berries are widely available in the UK now, but quality varies considerably. Things worth checking:

Organic certification — conventionally grown goji berries can carry pesticide residues. Soil Association certification gives independent assurance of growing standards.

Origin — Tibetan and Ningxia-grown berries are generally considered higher quality, grown at altitude in conditions that suit the plant well.

Additives — some dried goji berries include sulphites as a preservative. Worth checking the ingredient list if you want a single-ingredient product.

Freshness — goji berries should be pliable and slightly sticky when fresh. If they are rock hard or dusty, they are likely old stock.

Our Tibetan organic goji berries are sold without additives, certified organic, and arrive in resealable packaging to keep them fresh. For ideas on how to use them once you have them, our post on what to do with goji berries covers the practical ground.