What exactly are Goji Berries and why are they becoming so popular?


by Glen Jansen

Goji berries are small red berries that come from the Box Thorn plant that grows wild in Tibet. The plant is a vine that can grow as high as 15 feet. You can think of the plant as a mix between a grape vine and a cherry tomato plant. To harvest them, they are shaken onto mats and then dried. This because they will oxidize and turn black if touched while fresh. They normally are cultivated in the Ningxia Province of north western China. There are two other common names for Goji berries. Sometimes they are referred to as 'Oriental Wolfberries' or 'Chinese Wolfberries'. The actual real name for Goji berries is Lyceum Barbarum but Goji berries or wolfberries is much easier to remember. The red berries are normally dried to preserve them. The end result is something similar to a red raisin. So, what exactly makes these berries so alluring?The biggest reason for the popularity of the Goji berry is the incredible high antioxidant level. There is a standardized method of ranking the antioxidant level of food. It is called the ORAC (Oxidation Radical Absorbance Capacity) antioxidant test. The US FDA has stated they recommend people start increasing their consumption of antioxidants to at least 5000 to 7000 ORAC units. There have been claims that the ORAC rating for Goji berries is as high as 22,000 per 100 gram serving. That would seem like a god send to those people seeking to increase their antioxidant intake. There are 2 things that you should be cautious about.First, there are lots of ways in which the ORAC rating can be manipulated. They can be as simple as the particular growing season, the preparation of the food (fresh, frozen, dried) and the timing of the harvest, to the more sinister practice of spiking the produce with vitamins. The second concern with using just the ORAC scale is that is does not measure what is called the bioavailability of the antioxidants. Since the ORAC test is done in a lab, it cannot tell us how much of those antioxidants are actually absorbed by the body. In other words, you may be eating a lot of antioxidants that are not absorbed and they pass right through you.Knowing this, there are still other great reasons for eating Goji berries. The type of sugar in the berry is actually good for you. The name given to the Goji berry sugar is Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharide. In studies done in 2005, this sugar was shown to have anticancer properties and was also shown to be beneficial in preventing age related macular degeneration. Another study in 2003 found that is helps regulate the production of cytokine which is used by the immune system. And yet another study in 2001 showed that it inhibited the growth of human leukemia cells. Of course, more human trials are needed to discover how to best use the amazing properties of this sugar, but so far, the research has been very positive. It is useful to note that this sugar is helpful for hypoglycemic people, is ok for diabetics and can help reduce the cravings for processed sugars.In addition, the Goji berry has 18 amino acids, including 8 essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are ones that the body cannot produce and must come from the food we eat. In addition, they have 21 trace minerals and the fruit is about 15 protein. There is more beta carotene in Goji berries than in carrots. They are also a rich source of vitamin C, B1, B2, B6 and vitamin E. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids, which is a bit unusual for a fruit.Here are some of the many beneficial claims being touted from eating Goji berries or drinking the juice. - Strengthen the immune system - Protection from premature aging - Help reduce obesity - Help prevent cancer - Strengthen muscles and bones - Build strong blood and promotes cardiovascular health - Support proper eye health - Maintain healthy blood sugar levels - Stimulate the production of human growth hormone - Support proper kidney function - Improve fertility help in the treatment of sexual dysfunction - Protect the liver - Restoring original hair color - Used to prevent morning sickness by pregnant mothers (consult your doctor first)The most popular way of eating wolfberries is purchasing the dried fruit (unless of course, you live in Tibet). You can also get Goji berry juice, tea and capsules. In Asia, this plant has been used for up to 2000 years in traditional preventative medicine. Normally you can find it online for about $25 to $30 a pound. Depending on your family size, a pound would last between 2 and 4 weeks.

About the Author

You can read more interesting raw food diet related articles by visiting Raw Food Diet and discover some Raw Food Secrets Visit their website at: www.cleansing-raw-food-diet.com

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