Chinese medicine has been used to successfully treat our bodies for thousands of years. In this series I will be highlighting some commonly used herbs in Chinese medicine, their nutritional and therapeutic benefits, and my favourite ways of consuming these herbs.

The Goji berry

Goji berries (known in Chinese as 枸杞) are both a herb and a fruit. It has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. They are about the size of your finger tip, and are bright orange-red in colour. Goji berries provide a vast range of health benefits, and can be consumed in a number of ways.

Goji berries are my favourite Chinese herb to consume, because they not only have all these nutritional benefits, but they also taste great. They have a natural sweetness, and a very slight herb like aftertaste.

Benefits of Goji Berries:

• Goji berries are good for your skin, as they contain high amounts of beta-carotene.
• They help to boost your immune system and are able to ease cold symptoms.
• Goji berries are good for your eyes.
• They contain high levels of vitamin C, and are a rich source of antioxidants.
• They are high in fibre, low in calories, and are fat free. Reference

Potential side effects

Generally, goji berries don’ have any side effects, however, they could interact with some drugs. If you take warfarin (a blood thinner), you may want to avoid goji berries. Goji berries may also interact with diabetes drugs and blood pressure drugs. So if you are unsure, consult with your doctor before taking. Reference

How are goji berries consumed?

Goji berries can be eaten raw, boiled, and used in a vast range of recipes. They can be blended into smoothies, added to dried fruit snacks, or eaten on their own. When I was younger, I remember my mum’s breakfast often consisted of a Soft boiled egg soup with goji berries. This makes for a very tasty and nutritious breakfast. But my favourite way to consume goji berries is to have it as part of a herbal tea.

Goji berry chamomile tea

One of my favourite herbal teas is the goji berry chamomile tea. Chamomile consists of numerous health benefits, such as the ability to soothe the nervous system to aid with sleep, and consists of Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.

Based on Chinese medicine principles, chamomile tea has a strong ‘cooling’ effect to the body, which contributes to balancing the flow of the body. When your body has consumed too much ‘warming’ foods (such as cherries, oranges, spicy foods and fried foods), then your body may develop any or all of the following symptoms; inflammation and/or sores on the roof of your mouth, constipation, or bloody nose. Drinking chamomile tea helps to rebalance your body and ease these symptoms.

By combining chamomile tea and goji berries, the goji berry chamomile tea is a great way to consume the collective benefits of these super foods.

To make the goji berry chamomile tea:

1. Place a hand-full of goji berries together with a hand-full of dried chamomile flower (you can also use chamomile tea bags)in a cup
2. Pour hot water into the cup
3. Wait for a few minutes for the flavours to come out

Enjoy.

Please follow me @nextgen622 for Part 2 of the series.