Goji Berries – What do they taste like?

The goji berry is a curious superfood. The word “goji” in itself sounds intriguingly exotic, and the berry’s flaccid texture is peculiar for a berry, which one might associate with being firm and juicy (think acai berries and blueberries!). As a result, it is highly probable that at least one person out there reading this has been, for the longest time, hesitant about consuming this fruit – simply because it’s suspicious-looking (and –sounding)! Because we don’t want our superfriends to miss out on the marvelousness that is the goodness of goji berries (they are 15 times more nutritional iron than spinach and have 400 times more vitamin C than oranges!), we’ve written this article to describe, to the best of our abilities, what goji berries taste like. However, as with a similar article we wrote about maca, we would like to disclaim that taste, like many other things, is difficult to put into words. The way every individual describes the taste of a particular something differs from person to person. This article merely serves as a guide and a resource for our readers to be more informed about goji berries, and is in no way an attempt to make a 100% ‘accurate’ statement regarding their taste! Though said, there are several common descriptors of goji berries fare on the taste palette. They are usually described as bitter with “a tinge of sweetness”, and tend to taste like a “mix between a tomato and [an] orange” when fresh^[1]. For this reason, they are often dried before consumption, especially for those who prefer sweeter, less-bitter tastes.^[2] Texture-wise, goji berries are as unique as its name sounds. Especially when dried, they are chewy, and hence provide interest when added to cereals, parfaits and granolas – i.e. consumables that are predominantly crunchy. In other words, goji berries are perfect in many desserts as they are in Asian broths, the latter of which renders the berries soft and almost liquid-y when placed in the mouth. The above descriptors have more or less given insight as to how goji berries taste, but if you are still unsure or curious, the best thing to do is to try it yourself! References ^[1] > Houzz. (2011). Do fresh goji berries taste bitter? GardenWeb [online]. Retrieved from <http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1452532/do-fresh-goji-berries-taste-bitter> [Accessed 6 September 2016]. ^[2] > Velez, A. (2013). The truth about goji berries will make you go for them. The Stir [online]. Retrieved from <http://thestir.cafemom.com/food_party/163877/the_truth_about_goji_berries> [Accessed 6 September 2016].