Customer Reviews

Navitas Naturals Certified Organic Goji Berries, Himalayan Superfruit, Goji Power 8-Ounce Pouch (Pack of 2)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

These berries are thought to be one of the one of the healthiest natural foods. There are many "stories" about the amazing benefits of these berries, many of which may be true, but a few verifiable facts about them (in dried form) follow:
1) High protein (about 12%), and are a complete protein. This is good for anybody, but particularly noteworthy to vegans, who choose not to get their protein from meats.
2) Decent fiber content (about 10%)
3) 18 (!!) amino acids
4) Like most sweet fruits, high in carbs and calories. 100 grams give you about 350-380 calories; roughly 3/4 from carbs and 1/4 from fat.
5) 6 vitamins, 8 amino acids, 11+ minerals (more in trace amounts)
6) Carotenoids, unsaturated fatty acids (this is a good thing), phytosterols (help lower cholesterol), and other healthy (or theoretically healthy but not particularly well researched) phytochemicals.

Enough with the technical jargon. These berries are great in cereal, smoothies (once hydrated), and tea. For tea, try this:
Put water, a small number of berries (6-15ish) and a teabag in your cup, microwave for about a minute per teacup (time varies), drop a small amount in your favorite tea along with the teabag and let the berries and tea steep for about 3 minutes.
This adds a subtle character to green tea (plus an unusual, tasty snack to do with a few of the sips). The flavor seems to blend well with chai and jasmine too. This may work differently for those who use creamer.

Of note:
- If you let them soak for too long (more than about 5-10 minutes) they get mushy and lose their texture and flavor.
- If you do not soak them long enough, they can feel a little bit gritty. I think this is due to the seeds. I don't mind it myself, but some might.

I recommend that you try a bag, keeping in mind that you may need to soak the berries in water/tea/whatever in order to make them soft, and see what you think. I have found they make a great addition to my usual cereal-only breakfast because they give me a much-needed protein boost.
If you like them quite a lot, you may want to take the time to look for a supply in a nearby Asian foods store. I have heard they can be purchased at a lower cost in bulk.

The reviewer that reported these are "gross" may have received something from a bad batch. I think they have a nice cranberry/raisin-ish flavor and have almost no noticeable odor (and the odor isn't an unpleasant one to me).

I ordered these from Amazon to give them a try. I was very pleased.

They taste good just plain -- dried cherries or cranberries is the closest comarisson I can think of, but the Goji is a bit pinker and larger, more like a berry. They are slightly sweet but not sticky. I'm sure they'd be great in pancackes, trailmix or ice cream too.

They are low calorie and have good vitamins, plus some fiber and protein.

It's like having the culuture of the Tibetan mountains shipped to you.

Very good stuff.

I LOVE wild Tibetan Goji berries. They are so tasty and make my body rejoice when I eat them. They help me with diabetic symptoms, especially when taken before bed. My 4-year-old daughter loves them too.

I used to pay $22/pound for this exact brand, so this price is truly unbeatable. Did I mention that I'm excited about this find??

I *love* goji berries and planned to use these for smoothies. I've eaten goji berries frequently in oatmeal, muffins, etc, as I used to purchase them from a bulk bin at my local health food store in CA. I moved, though, and needed to find a new source. I thought these would be a good deal b/c of the awesome price, but they are TERRIBLE tasting--for one, they're so hard (they're sundried) that it hurt my teeth to try to chew them. Then, when I did eat a few, they had such a bizarre, chemical-ish taste (they tasted kind of like the way melting plastic smells), that I became concerned and decided to throw them away rather than eat them. Amazon does not allow returns for this item (grocery). They were nice enough to give me a refund (unexpected!). Sadly, these are in the trash, and I will not be purchasing them again.

Added on Jan 30, 2011: If you read the reviews on this product carefully, you'll notice that many of the 4 and 5 star reviews sound like they were written by people responding to a Mechanical Turk assignment asking them to review the product. Most of the 4 and 5 star reviews don't say that the reviewer has actually purchased the product--they just contain general, positive info about goji berries.

Go to [...]. Search for the video entitled: WHOLE FOODS MARKET "ORGANIC" FOOD MADE IN CHINA!!!!

According to my research, China is the major supplier of Goji berries. There's been an unresolved growing concern about food, any food produced in China, even though it is labeled "organic" with the USDA and AIC labels.

If you want to know about specific products, you can go to the WJLA website for a "do not purchase" list.

Because I learned that China produces the vast majority of the world's supply of goji berries, I sent an inquiry to a US distributor-retailer of "certified organic" goji berries to ask them how they knew for sure that their "certified organic" goji berries were truly organic. I never got a response.

I have learned that the Chinese government does not allow non-Chinese, independent individuals or agencies to inspect the organic farms in China. I do not know whether the Chinese government has changed that policy or if any progress is being made as of this writing.

Until I can be sure the higher prices for "organic" labeled foods are justified, I am going to avoid any food products that are "Made In China" from Whole Foods Market or from any other distributor.

If you don't see the country of origin on the label, my feeling is....why? And I don't buy it.

Of course, even if the label says "Made In USA", that is no guarantee that some ingredients in the product do not originate in China. E.G., Trader Joe's does not sell products "Made In China" but that does not mean that products put together and "Made In USA" do not use ingredients imported from China. Which is worrisome.

The consumer is king. If you weigh in with your buying habits (your almighty wallet), the producers will listen. Your health is the most important asset you own. Become a fierce creature and protect your health.

Yeah, I have to agree: I was pretty disappointed after seeing Dr. Oz munch them out of the bag and declare them "tasty" as did a couple other of his guests (I mean, come on--what were they going to say when you asked them what they thought, Dr. O? "Yuk!"??? Well, being a dried cranberry lover, I expected to like these and found I had to force myself to continue to eat them. Putting them in other food mostly masks the weird, indescribable taste going down but does nothing to rid you of the nasty after taste. Wish I'd read the reviews before buying. As for the positive reviews--I agree, most of the 4 and 5 star reviews just talk about the benefits of gogi berries in general. I gave it 3 stars b/c of the supposed health benefits but for taste, I'd only give it one. Buyer beware!

Navitas Naturals Organic Goji Berries Himalayan Superfruit, 16-Ounce Pouch

need i say more. practically a miracle food. doesn't really taste bad or good. eat straight up as a snack, part of smoothies, in cereal.

These berries are not for everyone (no one else in my family liked them), but I think they are great. They do have a bit of a bitter aftertaste, but I just chase them with a couple of almonds and it is gone. They really give me a little pick-me-up and I eat a little handful 2 - 3 times a day.

THe goji berrie was old And NOT Fresh
I bought before 1 LBS bag and they ware jussy and fresh
unfortunetly thise one i cant even eat

I have been eating goji berries since a friend gave some to my brother when he was undergoing chemotherapy. They are less sweet and smaller than raisins and I find them quite tasty. At first, the taste was unfamiliar, so it took a little getting used to. They can also be a bit drier than other dried fruit. One of the best things about them is how they affect my energy level. I have a friend who uses a supplement made up mostly of ground up goji berries (also known as wolfberries) He lost a lot of weight, his skin got really healthy and started to glow and his energy was notably clearer. His improved health was so obvious, I noticed it before he even said that he was doing anything different and had to ask him what had changed.
These goji berries are well packaged and this is a better price than I was able to find elsewhere.