Know2eat

Goji berries

Lycium barbarum

What goji berries has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

  • 1 Limited
  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About goji berries

The small orange-red fruit of a Chinese Solanaceae shrub. The USDA entry is the dried berry, which is how goji is almost universally sold and eaten outside its growing regions.

Also known as Wolfberry, Chinese wolfberry, Gou qi zi

Eye HealthAntioxidant & Oxidative Stress

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Macular health

Eye Health
Limited evidence

Evidence is limited but not empty. A small number of trials report increased macular pigment optical density after several weeks of daily goji berries or a zeaxanthin-rich goji drink, mostly in healthy adults. Whether that translates into any difference in eye disease has not been tested.

What may be going on: Zeaxanthin dipalmitate is absorbed and deposited in the macula, where zeaxanthin and lutein form the macular pigment that filters short-wavelength light.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Oxidative stress markers

Antioxidant & Oxidative Stress
Insufficient evidence

Goji is sold heavily on antioxidant marketing. The human studies measuring oxidative-stress markers are small, short and mostly conducted with a single proprietary juice, and they do not amount to a dependable finding.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Goji berries

Ask about Goji berries

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories349 kcal17%
Protein14.3 g29%
Total fat0.39 g1%
Carbohydrate77.1 g28%
Fibre13 g46%
Total sugars45.6 g—
Water7.5 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0 g0%
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Vitamins
Vitamin C48.4 mg54%
Minerals
Calcium190 mg15%
Iron6.8 mg38%
Sodium298 mg13%
Other measured compounds
Ash0.78 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Goji berries, dried (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 173032).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Interaction

    Warfarin interaction

    Several case reports describe raised INR and bleeding in people stabilised on warfarin who began drinking goji juice or tea. The mechanism is thought to involve inhibition of warfarin metabolism. Anyone on warfarin should raise it with their anticoagulation service before starting.

  • Too much

    Dried fruit sugar concentration

    As a dried fruit, goji carries a concentrated sugar load per gram, and the sweetened varieties sold as snacks add more. The handful-sized portions typical of trail mixes add up quickly.

  • Allergy

    Nightshade family reactions

    Goji is a Solanaceae, related to tomato and potato. Allergic reactions including anaphylaxis have been reported, sometimes in people sensitised to peach or tomato lipid transfer proteins.