What is Black Wolfberry?
WHAT IS BLACK WOLFBERRY HERBAL TEA?
When we first came across black wolfberry on our travels, we knew that we needed it in our tea range.
Black wolfberry, otherwise known as black goji berry, is a cousin of the classic red goji berry, the super food that we all love to add to our cereal, nut mix and smoothies. Well we can do the exact same thing with black wolfberry, except it is so much more delicious used as a herbal tea.
WHY IS IT A HERBAL TEA & NOT JUST A TEA?
This herbal tea is quite extraordinary in it’s health benefits, but that’s not the best part. Black wolfberry has an amazing colouring ability. When it is added to water, the water will immediately start turning a bright blue and then gradually turn from a light purple to deep violet, all in a matter of minutes! This is due to the changing pH that the berry causes as it is brewing. Kinda cool, huh?
Keep reading to find out how black wolfberry tastes, its health benefits and the cool ways you can use it in your food.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF BLACK WOLFBERRY
This incredible herbal tea is used in Chinese medicine to settle stomachs, aid digestion, reduce menopausal and menstrual symptoms, dizziness, bad cholesterol, maintain eye and liver health, relieve heartburn, acid reflux and abdominal pain. Black wolfberry benefits are just one of the reasons that this herbal tea is one of our bestsellers.
They are also extremely high in antioxidants and vitamins, which is what gives it all of its supposed health benefits.
Remember that herbal teas are not to be taken remedially or as a substitute to actual medicine. Always seek the guidance of a health care professional.
WHAT DOES BLACK WOLFBERRY TEA TASTE LIKE?
Compared to it’s tart, cranberry tasting cousin the red goji berry, black wolfberry has a delicately sweet, berry flavour.
HOW TO BREW BLACK WOLFBERRY TEA
This herbal tea is pretty fragile when it comes to the water temperature. Do NOT add boiling water straight to the berries or you will destroy them, their taste, health benefits and colour. If you add just cold water, you will extract the colour, but not the flavour. We recommend using luke warm water, because that is when Wolfberry is happiest, extracts its best colour and flavour. If you wish for a stronger taste, fill your mug 3/4 with warm water and let brew for 3 minutes before topping with hot water.
Water temperature: 50-75 degree water
Amount: 2g per 250mL water
Steeping time: 3-5 minutes
Approx. refills: 2-4 times
Serving suggestion: drink warm. Do not use boiling water! Add lemon to watch it turn bright pink.
WHAT CAN I DO WITH BLACK WOLFBERRY?
Wolfberry can be used in a variety of ways, similar to how you would use red goji berries! For an added antioxidant and vitamin boost, add black wolfberry to any of the following:
Add to your morning yoghurt or granola
Add to trail mix or eat as a snack
Use in baking - I love using mine in banana bread!
Blend through a smoothie
Or you can add a squeeze of lemon juice to your wolfberry to see it change into a beautiful bright pink colour.
For more Black Wolfberry recipes, checkout this blog post.
BLACK WOLFBERRY FOOD PAIRINGS
It’s delicate fruity taste makes it perfect on its own or consumed with fruit salad, pastries, chicken, turkey and sandwiches.
READ OUR ULTIMATE TEA & FOOD PAIRING GUIDE
If you enjoyed this blog post, found it useful, have any questions or just want to say hello, be sure to leave a comment below! I love hearing from you and will get back to you as soon as possible.
Until next time,
Chloe