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Go Goji!
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What I Choose to Buy at the
Co-op ... and Why
A series of monthly articles by members of our Nutrition &
Education committee |
by Loretta Gillen
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I’m sure you’re pleased
about the expanded space at the store that houses our bulk section as
we patiently await the construction of the new store. Personally, it’s
my favorite section of the Co-op because it provides so many options
with the ability to buy ingredients in large or small quantities. It’s
also a way to save money and resources due to packaging. That’s why I
choose to buy my dried fruits from the bulk section. There are so many
to choose from and they are available year round.
Dried fruits provide versatility to main dishes, side dishes and
desserts or can be eaten plain as a sweet treat. I add them to pilafs,
baked goods, hot and cold breakfast cereals and yogurt or just nosh on
them, sometimes mixed with nuts. Some of my favorites are the medjool
dates, black mission figs and monukka raisins. And just as the bulk
section has expanded, I have recently expanded my diet to include goji
berries after being exposed to them by some friends from China. The
Co-op sells organic gojis (PLU1777) next to the other dried fruits and
after you read the benefits of gojis, I think you’ll want to bulk up on
them.
Here’s the scoop on gojis. They are mildly sweet and sour taste in
taste and are shriveled red berries that look like raisins. Goji
berries are grown on an evergreen shrub in subtropical regions of Asia
and are part of the nightshade family.
According to Cathy Wong (About.com/Alternative Medicine), goji berries
have been used for 6,000 years by herbalists in China, Tibet and India
to protect the liver, help eyesight, improve sexual function and
fertility, strengthen the legs, boost immune function, improve
circulation and promote longevity. They are rich in antioxidants,
particularly beta-carotene and zeaxanthin. Cathy’s article also states
that food containing zeaxanthin may prevent developing age-related
macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in
people over the age of 65.
A Chinese study published in the Chinese Journal of Oncology indicated
that people with cancer responded better to treatment when goji was
added to their regimen. There have also been studies that show that
goji berries and its extracts may lower blood glucose and cholesterol
levels. In traditional Chinese medicine, the berries are mostly brewed
into teas or added to soups.
In this country, goji is being added to juice blends. After looking
through the aisles of the Co-op, I found that there are several juice
blends with goji, acai and pomegranate, for example. These varieties
include Lakewood Organics, R.W. Knudsen and Santa Cruz. So if you’re on
the go, you can reap the health benefits of goji berries in liquid form
as well.
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| Resources: |
http://altmedicine.about.com/od/completeazindex/a/goji.htm.
“New Fruits on the Shelf.” Parade, November 16, 2008, p.19.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dried_fruit. |
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