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But times are changing for this simple berry, including how it is consumed. The ancient goji berry, which has long been part of Chinese culture, is now being viewed as a superfood both in China and beyond.

但是在時代的變遷之下，對枸杞的看法和食用方式也在改變。長久以來，枸杞一直是中華文化的一部分，不過現在枸杞不僅在中國，也在全球其他地區被視為超級食品。

Asia’s younger generations are embracing the goji berry, but giving it their own twist. For example, members of Gen Z are now buying “wellness kettles” for their goji berry tea. Their parents might recognise these as traditional soup kettles that have been repackaged by brands such as Buydeem and turned a more Instagram-worthy shade of pink. A 2019 study by Agility Research & Strategy on Gen Z in China showed that this generation sees living a healthy life as a key priority, even over money, career, personal enjoyment and having a family.

亞洲年輕人對枸杞的接納度正在提高，不過接納的方式與過去不同。例如，Z世代青年會買「養生壺」來泡枸杞茶。他們的父母可能會認為這些養生壺就是傳統的湯鍋，經過北鼎等品牌重新包裝後，再漆上粉嫩的夢幻粉色而已。根據市場研究公司Agility Research＆Strategy在2019年對中國Z世代青年進行的一項研究顯示，這一代的人將健康生活視為重中之重，甚至比賺錢、工作、個人享樂和成家還重要。

The berry has also become popular with international consumers. Hooked on the “superfood”, people in the West are paying up to US$10 for a packet of the berries, around three times the price in Asia.

枸杞也受到國際消費者的喜愛。迷上「超級食品」的西方人，願意花上高達300台幣的價格買一包枸杞，這個價格大概是亞洲的三倍。

The superfood price tag is encouraging farmers to make sure that their crop reaches the supermarket shelves faster. While the farmers in Ningxia pluck 180,000 tonnes of fresh goji berries each year from the vines, they sell most of their produce in dried form as the fresh berry’s shelf-life is short. The berries will ripen quickly in the hot summer sun, which means that farmers need to work quickly to gather their crop.

超級食品如此的價格更鼓勵農民盡快將農產品送達超市上架。寧夏的農民每年能從枸杞藤上採收18萬噸新鮮的枸杞，但是由於新鮮枸杞的保存期短，他們多半都是將枸杞乾燥處理後才販售。枸杞經過夏日陽光的曝曬會迅速成熟，所以農民採收的速度要快。

In times gone by, berries would be left to dry on large trays in the sun, though modern technology has sped up this process to meet the increase in demand. Ningxia Baishi Hengxing’s owner, Mr An Weijun, who was born to goji berry farmers, launched an organic farm eight years ago. He also built a state-of-the-art laboratory where his team can dry their berries and those of other regional organic producers in a fraction of the time.

過去會將枸杞鋪在枸杞盤上放在陽光下曬乾，但是現代技術卻能加快這個乾燥的過程，滿足增長的需求。寧夏百事恆興的老闆安為君出生於枸杞農家，他在八年前創辦了一間有機農場。他還建造了一座最先進的實驗室，讓團隊和其他當地的有機生產商可以快速地完成枸杞的乾燥過程。

The power of the goji berry doesn’t look as if it will dim anytime soon as there were a record number of goji berries (179 tonnes) sold in China during the recent Singles Day sales (China’s version of Black Friday). Asian trend spotters such as Amrita Banta, managing director of Agility Research & Strategy, has also seen young Asians embrace a healthier way of living:

在最近的雙11 購物節（中國版的黑色星期五），中國創下售出179噸枸杞的紀錄中，可以看出枸杞的熱度仍然不減其威力。Agility Research & Strategy董事總經理班塔（Amrita Banta）等專門觀察亞洲趨勢潮流的人士還發現，亞洲的年輕人選擇採取更健康的生活方式：

 “After many years of Chinese consumers shunning everything made in China as old and unscientific, we believe there is in China a renewed pride in many traditional products and practices,” she said. “Yet, the popularity of goji berries comes on the back of a global awareness of their properties. Today, Chinese youth eat them because they are considered a superfood, not necessarily because TCM indicates that they treat eye, liver and kidney ailments. It is fascinating to see China becoming so proud of its past, yet so connected to the rest of the world.”

她說：「多年以來，中國消費者一直在迴避購買一切中國製、過時而不講究科學的商品，但當前的中國卻再次對許多傳統產品與做法感到自豪。不過，枸杞會流行是因為世界對枸杞的特性有所認識。當今中國年輕人會吃枸杞是因為枸杞是超級食品，而不一定是因為中醫認為枸杞可以治療眼、肝和腎的疾病。看到中國一邊為自己的歷史感到驕傲，一邊又與世界各地緊密相連，相當有趣。」

Young chefs in Asia are also using goji berries in their dishes to give them a little local flavour. It was the goji berry that Chef Anna Lim turned to when she was invited to make a limited-edition breakfast dish for fast food giant McDonald’s. The Soup Spoon owner created a savoury porridge with goji berries, and it became so popular in Singapore that it was added to the permanent menu.

亞洲的年輕廚師還會在菜中加入枸杞，添加一點當地的風味。林如萍廚師在受邀為速食業巨頭麥當勞製作限量版早餐時，使用的正是枸杞。新加坡餐飲品牌「The Soup Spoon」的店主就是用枸杞做出風靡新加坡的粥品，還因此將這道粥加到常駐菜單中。

 “Adding goji berries gives a natural sweetness to the porridge, and with the combination of the colours of the green coriander, white tofu and the red goji berries, it became an eat your colours meal, elevating a simple rice porridge to something that is nutritious and healthy,” said Lim.

林如萍說:「在粥裡加入枸杞可以增添一股天然的甜味，結合綠色的香菜、白色的豆腐和紅色的枸杞，看起來可口又好吃，將簡單的粥提升為營養又健康的料理。」

While Lim is helping to introduce the fruit to a new generation, chefs such as Chef Chang Hon Cheong of the One Harbour Road restaurant at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong hotel is still giving people the chance to enjoy dishes as Asian families would have done in their own mother’s kitchens. Dedicating a page of his menu to herbal tonic soups, the goji berry features among his traditional ingredients.

林廚師目前致力將枸杞介紹給更多年輕一代的人知道，而另一邊，香港君悅酒店港灣壹號主廚陳漢章師傅等廚師則為顧客提供品嚐各種亞洲家常美食的機會。在他的菜單中專門有一頁是提供各種藥膳，而枸杞正是他所使用的傳統食材之一。

Guests can take a seat in the Shanghainese mansion-style restaurant where Chang serves the double-boiled soups that he created with TCM in mind. Each day, Chang’s team methodically chops the health-giving ingredients and places them in a ceramic pot, which they immerse into a pot of boiling water. This slow-food process pays homage to TCM and to the farmers who have grown the produce. “Double boiling is a much slower and gentle process,” said Chang. “By double-boiling soup I can fully extract the nutrients and flavours in the ingredients.”

客人們可以坐在這間充滿上海豪華府邸風的餐廳之中，品嘗陳師傅以中醫理念所精心烹製的煲湯。每天，陳師傅的團隊都會有條不紊地備上各種健康的食材，然後將食材放入陶瓷鍋中，再將它們浸入沸水之中。這種慢食烹煮過程是他對中醫和農民的致敬。陳師傅說：「煲湯是個緩慢而溫和的過程。藉由煲湯的過程，可以充分地釋出食材中的營養和風味。」

Beyond dining out, health-conscious consumers wanting to embrace the superfood as Asian families have done for generations, can simply throw some goji berries into their soup or tea, and enjoy the taste of the sweet raisin-like superfood that keeps Asia looking and feeling young.

若不吃外食，健康意識強的消費者也希望能像老一輩的傳統家庭一樣享受超級食品，他們會將枸杞加入湯中或茶中，品嘗枸杞這具有類似於葡萄乾甜味的超級食品，邊享受枸杞所帶來的年輕外表與心態。