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What are goji berries? – Part 2

You have probably heard something about Goji Berries considering they are currently been hailed as a Super food’ in health magazines and television advertising. So what exactly are these super berries?

Goji (pronounced go-jee) berries stormed the marketplace in 2006. They are far from a new fad or trend though. In Asia they have been considered a nutritious food and used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. By next decade it is believed they will be a billion dollar industry.

Goji berries are also known as Chinese Wolfberry, Lycium barbarum (the latin name), Fructus Lycii and Gou Qi Zi. The discovery of Goji Berries is rumored to have occurred when a doctor investigating an ancient society in an isolated part of the Tibetan Himalayas found that the villagers lived to 100 years or more. In addition they seemed to be robust and healthy with little signs of the usual degenerative aging process such as grey hair. After some investigation he discovered that the common factor was that these people lived near water sources that were surrounded by Goji Berries.

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE?

Goji berries are small, deep red berries that resemble the shape and texture of a raisin. They grow on a tall evergreen shrub on long vines. They first sprout as purple and white flowers which then turn into the berries which grow to around 1-1.5cm in diameter.

WHAT DO THEY TASTE LIKE?

When you bite into a Goji berry you will find that it has a similar chewy texture to a sultana. However they are not quite so sweet, with a slightly tarter taste something like a cherry or cranberry.They can be eaten straight, come in a juice form, a tea, bars, chocolate coated, added to trail mixes or smoothies.

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF GOJI BERRIES?

Goji berries are called a super food because of the abundant nutrients they contain. In fact they are said to include the most nutrients found in any food product in the world. This includes:

-Approximately 500 times more vitamin C then oranges

-More beta carotene then carrots

-Good source of vitamin A

-Contains vitamin E

-Rich in antioxidants

-Contains B group vitamins- B1, B2 and B6

-Contains 18 amino acids

-Contains 21 minerals including; selenium, zinc and calcium

-Contains essential fatty acids

-Contains approximately 13 percent protein

Both Asian and now some western studies have shown that Goji berries help with health in numerous ways:

-Help liver and kidney function

-Protect eyesight

-Strengthen the immune system

-They combat free radicals reducing the affects of aging

-Increase sexual function and fertility, for example boost sperm production

-Prevents the growth of cancer cells

-Lowers blood pressure

-Improves circulation

-Lowers cholesterol levels

-Balances blood sugar levels

-Can assist with skin problems

-Can help reduce the severity of an anxiety disorder

-Helps with insomnia

-Protects against heart disease

It is recommended that a person consume a small handful of Goji berries daily to gain health benefits.

WHERE TO FIND GOJI BERRIES?

Goji Berries are now widely available at health food stores, Chinese herbal shops, online stores, organic stores and some supermarkets.

CAUTIONS

Although not thoroughly investigated Goji berries may cause reactions with other medications such as blood thinners like Warfarin. If you are taking any medications you should research any possible drug interactions.

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What are goji berries? – Part 1

Goji berries have been heavily promoted recently in many health magazines. They are seen as a new super food. They may be new to western customers, but have been used for centuries in Chinese herbal medicine.

Goji berries are harvested from a small evergreen shrub that is found in the Himalayan regions of China, Tibet and Mongolia. Commercial production of Goji berries is largely confined to China, claims that berries are Tibetan or Himalayan are usually false.

Goji berries are a member of the nightshade family, and are also known by the scientific name Lycium Barbarum, or as wolfberry. The name goji berry is probably a corruption of the Chinese name gouqizi.

The berries look like small red raisins, and have a tangy and slightly sweet taste. They have a similar texture to raisins when you eat them. Commercially, they are available as the dried fruit, and also covered in chocolate or yogurt and as a goji berry juice.

Trials on the benefits of Goji berries use the dried berries, and for the best health benefits it is advisable to eat these. The processing required to produce the juice or the covered berries may reduce their activity. In addition the processed foods are far more expensive than the dried berries.

It is possible to buy goji berries in most health food stores, some pharmacies and in Chinese herbal shops. The food and drug administration has detected high levels of pesticides and fungicides in many imported sources, so pressure is now on Chinese growers to provide organic goji berries.

They are seen as a super food because they are a rich source of many of the phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals that are known to be beneficial to our health. They are a rich source of antioxidants, particularly beta-carotene and zeaxanthin, which mop up free radicals from the body. Zeaxanthin has been shown to have a particular protective effect on the eye, reducing age related macular degeneration.

In addition to carotenoids Goji berries contain Vitamin C in higher concentrations than oranges, Vitamins A and E and Vitamins B1, B2 and B6. They also contain the trace minerals Selenium and Zinc and some Calcium, and contain eighteen amino acids and essential fatty acids.

Selenium is important in preventing colon cancer, and zinc is essential for many bodily functions, including a healthy immune system. Vitamins A, C and E are antioxidants and the B vitamins play an important part in general health. Essential fatty acids play a part in reducing cholesterol.

In Chinese medicine as well as being used to preserve eyesight Goji berries are also used to improve longevity, protect the liver and improve circulation, and as booster to cancer treatments. Most of the evidence used to support the claims for Goji berries is based on analysis of their constituents, and not on trials. For this reason the claimed benefits are not proven, but their long use in traditional Chinese medicine is evidence enough of their benefits for many people.

People taking blood thinners should be cautious drinking goji berry juice or eating the berries, as there have been a few reported cases of increased blood thinning in these patients.

Goji berries are a healthy alternative snack food. While many of the claims made for them have little supporting evidence they are certainly rich in essential vitamins and minerals, and are far healthier to eat than many commercial snack foods.

http://altmedicine.about.com/o d/completeazindex/a/goji.htm

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Goji http://www.gojiberryjuice.us/success-stories.htm is the Chinese name for a number of different kind. It usually refers to varieties of Lycium, called in English wolfberry, matrimony vine, or Chinese boxthorn. Lycium is an evergreen shrub that is often spiny and grows in temperate and subtropical regions. The two species most commonly used in folk medicine are Lycium chinense or Lycium barbarum, both in the nightshade (Solanaceae) family.

The fruit is the major basis of medicinal extracts, although the leaves are also sometimes consumed as food. Traditionally, in various cultures, goji http://www.gojiberryjuice.us/goji-manufacturing-process.htm has been used to treat inflammations, skin irritations, nosebleeds and aches and pains, and has also been used as a sedative The more usually utilized goji berry http://www.gojiberryjuice.us/goji-juice-discussion.htm is Lycium barbarum. This plant originates in Tibet and Inner Mongolia. Apparently, various places compete for the title of “Goji http://www.gojiberryjuice.us/ingredients.htm Capital of the World.” Some people say this is Ningxia, situated in northwest China along the Yellow River. According to Dr. Mindell, “Ningxia goji berries http://www.gojiberryjuice.us/buy/freelife-goji-juice.htm are a real treat. The fruits are large and plump, with a beautiful deep red color, few seeds and an exquisitely sweet taste and juicy texture.”

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The past of goji juice http://www.gojiberryjuice.us/ingredients.htm and goji berries is rather attractive in itself. For thousands of years the berries have been known in usual Asian medicine to have highly beneficial healing properties. Indeed, in their native areas it is true that there are actually yearly celebrations held in goji’s honor. Many of the people in some areas of Tibet and elsewhere who regularly eat the berries are known to commonly live to be over 100 years old with no health problems. To learn more about the history and the discovery of goji berries, http://www.gojiberryjuice.us/goji-manufacturing-process.htm the rising popularity of goji juice http://www.gojiberryjuice.us/goji-juice-discussion.htmthroughout the West and the rest of the world, and more general information to help you choose whether or not to invest in goji berries http://www.gojiberryjuice.us/success-stories.htm

The Goji berry http://www.gojiberryjuice.us/goji-juice-discussion.htm is a small red berry with a sweet tangy taste. The mainly effective and important type is grown in the Himalayan Mountains, but different growing regions produce different potencies, so having a standardized variety is important to ensure consistent quality and results. http://www.gojiberryjuice.us/success-stories.htm

These people who live such a long and healthy life have 3 things in common:
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