Archive | January, 2010

Studies on the Goji Berry

Goji research began with some simple vitamin, mineral and nutrient analysis, expecting to find results similar to other fruits. The Goji Berry Fruit revealed itself to be quite possibly the most unique nutritionally dense food on earth!

Antioxidants fight damage to cells from harmful, reactive molecules called free radicals. Goji berries contain numerous health-promoting compounds known to provide a tremendous amount of health benefits.

Among Goji berrys beneficial compounds is a category called phytochemicals. Flavonoids belong to this category of nutrients that are extremely high in antioxidants including quercetin, anthocyanadins and antocyanins. Bioflavonoids are essential to the absorption and utilization of other nutrients, especially vitamin C.

In 1988, the Beijing Nutrition Research Institute conducted detailed chemical analysis and nutritional composition studies of this dried Lycium fruit; this is what they discovered:

In addition to being packed with vitamins B1 and B6 (which are needed by the body to covert food into energy), and vitamin E (which has never been found in fruit before), the Lycium berries contain more protein then whole wheat, 18 amino acids (8 of them essential for life), 21 trace minerals (including significant amounts of zinc, copper, iron, calcium, selenium, phosphorus and germanium), more beta carotene than carrots, 500 times more vitamin C by weight than oranges, essential fatty acids, (required for the production of hormones and smooth functioning of the brain and nervous system) and is the richest source of carotenoids (natural fat-soluble pigments that play a critical role in vitamin A activity in humans) of any food on the planet.

Additionally, the Tibetan Goji Berries have been found to have extremely high levels of immune-stimulating polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are very large, long-chain sugar molecules that are nourishment for macrophages (large white blood cells) in the walls of the intestines.

The macrophages are then transported to other immune cells, setting off a chain of beneficial defensive events in our body. They found that the polysaccharides profoundly activated the macrophages.
Also, it was found that macrophages increased their production of interleukin, a chemical that spurs the immune system to greater activity; and the polysaccharides also enhanced the activity of B lymphocytes, immune-system cells. ORAC units (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity scale) is a measure of the ability of antioxidants to absorb free radicals; 3000 units is considered a good standard for a healthy food – the Goji Berry is 25,300 units!

These delicious fruits are very widely used in Mongolia and Tibet and regular consumption of the berries is traditionally believed to lead to long, vigorous and happy life.

In Tibet and Inner Mongolia this red berry is cherished by the locals, they honor it with celebrations and festivities that last for two weeks every year. They live very healthy lives, and their life expectancies are well over a hundred. It has been used for centuries in Tibet and throughout the Himalayas and there is no known risk of continual use – only benefits.

Tibetan Goji Berries are wonderful and delicious tonic fruits. The berries have a high content of iron, about 20 times that of grapes and 15 times that of spinach. Goji berries also contain 124 ppm of organic Germanium. Many Tibetan formulas include these berries with other ingredients, and offered in well built formulas with tonic herbs, astringent herbs, herbs to strengthen essence and nourish our bodies.

Goji berries not only contain superoxide dismutase, phenylpropaniods, but it also has a high concentration of the branched-chain amino acid L-Ieucine. This amino acid forms the building block of a very unique compound called HMB (Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate).

Through the phenylpropabiod activity it helps strengthen the immune system. The berries contain polysaccharides, which have been demonstrated to strongly fortify the immune system. They are also very rich in vitamin C and B vitamins. Furthermore, it is the richest source of carotenoids, including beta carotene, of all known plants on earth and is thus a powerful antioxidant. It is believed to fortify the Immune System.

Modern chemical analysis and clinical study finds that Tibetan Goji contain a high concentration of the branched chain amino acid L-Leucine among 18 amino acids, 21 trace minerals, linoleic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, betaine, more beta carotene than carrots and 500 times more vitamin C by weight than oranges. It’s loaded with Vitamins B1, B2, B6 and vitamin E. Another study of people who consumed consistent doses of Goji berry found SOD in the blood increased by a remarkable 48%, hemoglobin increased by 12% and lipid peroxide levels dropped by an amazing 65%.

How do you use Goji berries? It is easy to enjoy this berry, just eat them from the bag, add them to hot and cold cereal, porridge, grains, casseroles, stews, baked goods and trail type mixes for snacking throughout the day for added stamina and delight. About 1-2 handfuls a day is an average amount to use that will support immune strength and vitality.

In 2500 years there is no reported discomfort from continual use, only benefits. It is said in Tibet that eating a handful of these berries a day will make one happy for the entire day. Such a practice has a cumulative effect. Eventually, you can’t stop smiling!

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How cooking shows could improve for the average viewer

5100232766 85f4b3f0b4 m How cooking shows could improve for the average viewer

I cooked professionally in a seafood restaurant for 3 years. I’ve always loved cooking and still do. And I’ve watched plenty of cooking shows over the years. These days it seems that most cooking shows are more concerned with topping the cooking shows that were on before and after them, than actually imparting any real world knowledge to the viewers. As though anyone will be impressed by their ability to combine mahi-mahi fin with dried himilayen goji berries and the milk of an albino goat from syria, and some flowers you didn’t know you could eat (and probably don’t want to). And even if you are impressed, you’re not going to do this. Recipes like these make me long for penut butter and jam.

In todays world, the culinary arts are rapidly diminishing with each successive generation. We need to bring them back. Shows that promote cooking this sort of high end (and frankly bizarre)fare are elitist, esoteric and shamelessly self indulgent. They discourage people from cooking. They frequantly use ingredients that most people don’t know anything about, and can’t readily obtain. They use these ingredients to creat dishes that the average person doesn’t have much use for. I’m a pretty simple guy. My friends are all pretty simple, too. If I invited them over to eat mahi-mahi fin and flowers from my neighbours garden, and wash it all down with a tall glass of goats milk, I’d likely be dining alone.

Cooking shows would do much better to get back to the basics. Few people can do a proper stew or chili. I know lots that would be lost trying to make chicken noodle soup from scratch. If you don’t know, these are all quite easy (as most great dishes are). They should spend more time teaching the actual process of COOKING the dishes. Most seem to focus on the combining and preperation of their over-elaborite and lengthy lists of ingredients. Then they show it done, try a bite and make their most convincing, quasi-orgasmic ‘YUMMMMMM’ faces. Pompous.

If you can find access to it, and want a terrific show to teach the fundamentals and some great and USEFULL cooking tips, I highly recommend “The Urban Peasant”. Chef James Barber is the perfect teacher. He tends to use ingredients we all know while occasionaly mixing in something new, and explaining it as he does. He talks while he cooks and displays none of the arrogance of the other ‘new age’ cooks. Maybe because he’s not new age. He’s from the senior school of culinary philosophy where food is to be eaten and enjoyed. Not looked at like art and carefully considered for any possible cathartic enlightenment. Chef Barber has taught me far more over the years than all others combined. With teachers like him, anyone can learn to cook great, simple food that can be enjoyed by all.

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Discover All The Benefits Of Goji Berries And Then Some!

What are some of the benefits of goji berries and how can they affect you? There are many benefits of Goji berries and this article will discuss them all, but first we need to go back in time and find out where this fruit came from and who it was that first started consuming them.

Many centuries ago deep within the mountains of the Himalayas, in the region of Tibet, a group of Buddhist monks first noticed small red berries growing on a bush behind a well. They decided they would try them and once they had, they liked the taste and decided to continue eating them as a part of their daily diets. Many years later, they noticed that they had outlived all their fellow monks and could only presume to think that it was the many years they spent consuming those strange berries that could have resulted in their unusually long lives.

For many years after that, goji berries became apart of the Buddhist monks diet and they reaped the rewards and lived exceptionally long lives. It was until this century that Western society became aware of the amazing benefits of goji berries, and started to distribute all across the modern world.

So what are some of the benefits of goji berries? The first benefit of goji berries is the fact that it has the potential to increase a person’s lifespan. Although this has not been scientifically tested, most people are confident that this fact holds true. The second benefit of goji berries is that they also have healing powers, especially to cuts and burns, as well as some nasty rashes and abrasions.

There are products that are sold in most health food stores that are extracts from goji berries. These extracts are then turned into creams and remedies and usually are quite expensive, due to the fact it’s quite a new fad at the moment. However if you were to buy these remedies from the internet, you would be sure to save a lot of money, especially when buying in bulk.

So that’s basically all you have to know about the benefits of goji berries. Most people haven’t even heard of goji before and aren’t aware of its power. Basically if you are willing to give anything a go, then goji products should be the next thing on your list. It’s among the best natural health product on the market at the moment and people are quickly starting to take to it in full support.

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Properties of Goji Berries

The benefits of Goji Berries are numerous. Some of these benefits include:

Improving of vision
Increased flexibility
Treating insomnia
Headache and muscle and joints pain
Better and focused memory
Better energy levels
Better stamina

These are just some of the benefits that have already been clinically proven. There have been many studies being conducted on the medical benefits of Goji berries and all of them have come to the same conclusion.

Nutrition and other facts

When one reads about the almost magical properties of Goji berries, one tends to think that most of these properties are mere exaggeration but there have been many modern scientific studies that have confirmed these facts and these possibilities have also opened avenues for further research in the field with better results.

These berries are cultivated in the Himalayan valleys of Tibet, Mongolia and China. These bright red berries are very delicate and that is why when harvested it is not picked out of the vines but shaken out of it. To preserve the Goji fruits, these are slowly dried in the shade. The people in the Himalayas and the Tibetan have been consuming them for ages and some of their festivals are also centered on Goji. It is believed that eating those berries induces a feeling of well being and that is why it is also known as happy berry.

One of the major ingredients of Chinese medicines is Goji and its bark. It is believed that these make your immune system stronger, enhances your eyesight, increases your sperm count, protects your liver, improves circulation and also is a great anti-aging product. If you read the Chinese medicine (TCM), you would find that Gojies are considered as sweet in taste and in nature neutral. They work on your liver, lung and kidney channels and also enrich your yin. As for eating it, you can eat it raw, or brew it into tea or even take it as tincture.

Some of the properties of Goji berries are:

Vision improvement
Yin tonic
Improves complexion
Increases sperm production
Keeps your liver and kidney in good shape
The vital essence (semen) gets replenished
Antimutagenic
Very powerful antioxidant
Helps in circulation
Anti-carcinogenic properties.

Gojies are considered very well where improvement of vision is concerned. It is a documented fact for over 15 centuries. But what was restricted to these chronicles of herbalists have been endorsed by modern studies also. It has been found out that Goji fruits contain high percentage of B-carotene (about 8 mg/100 g) and that too in a highly active form biologically. What this does is that it is easily utilized by the body.

One other property of Goji fruits which is very interesting especially to the fairer sex is its ability to benefit complexion and to enhance one’s beauty. What is more it is also found to have anti-aging properties. It is true that not many would agree to these observations but there have been many studies that have revealed that Goji fruits do have these properties. Some of these include immuno-potentiating, hypoglycaemic, antioxidant, hypolipemic and hypotensive properties. All these properties considerably slow down the aging process and you get to live a lot longer and a lot better health wise.

Goji berries have found use in skin-care products. Laboratory studies have shown its antioxidant properties as well as its effectiveness in increasing dermal hydroxyproline level in mice which can increase collagen synthesis improving skin quality. It is also seen that they could also be prepared as tonic decoction which is wonderful for regulation of blood pressure and could also lower cholesterol levels.

Those berries are also very effective on liver and kidneys and it is generally taken internally to treat high blood pressure, poor eyesight, diabetes, lumbago, vertigo, menopausal complaints and impotence.

The root bark is certainly bitter but has a very cooling, antibacterial effect. It can control cough and high fever. It can also lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol. They could be taken internally and it can treat internal hemorrhages, chronic fevers, tuberculosis, nosebleeds, asthma, coughs and many other ailments. It could also be applied externally in case of itching of genitals. The bark is generally harvested in the winter season and is then dried to be used for diuretic and purgative purposes.

Tea could also be prepared from the leaves which is quite nourishing. The family to which Goji belong produces other fruits and all of them boast of rich source of vitamins, minerals, flavanoids and other bio-active compounds. Generally fruits dont have essential fatty acids but these berries are exceptions in this case.

Goji berries are also effective as anti-carcinogenic substance. It prevents tumor growth; neutralize the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, resist autoimmune disease, lowers blood cholesterol and blood lipids and also increases adsorption of calcium.

You could also use Goji them to improve:

Lack of energy
General weakness
Back and joints ache
Dizziness
Tinnitus
Sexual inadequacies
Blurred vision
Diabetes

What is more, it has several external benefits in case of ulcers, burns, frostbite, furuncles and bedsores.

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