BENEFITS OF GOJI BERRIES
✓ Source of antioxidants
✓ Strengthen the immune system
✓ Anti-fatigue
✓ Detoxifying
What is the goji berry?
Grown in China for at least two thousand years, it is also known as goji or wolfberry (Lycium Barbarum and Lycium Chinense). The name “goji” was created in 1973 by an American botanist, derived from the Chinese word for these fruits, gǒuqǐzǐ.
The goji is presented as elongated, slightly sweet red berries, which grow at high altitudes on shrubs up to 3 meters high. They belong to the Solanaceae family, along with tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes.
Their bright color has brightened up our granolas, smoothies, and other healthy desserts for a few years, but they have been known in China, Himalayan regions, and Mongolia for millennia.
Today, 80% of the world’s production comes from NingXia in northern China. Additionally, more and more are being found in France, in small-scale plantations.
They are part of the main remedies of traditional Chinese medicine, as food and tonic for the liver and kidneys. In the Chinese pharmacopoeia, they are considered a vehicle of eternal youth, as their antioxidant properties would prevent aging of neurological functions, vision, skin, and support the immune system.
They would enhance the Qi, our vital energy. In Tibet, this fruit is nicknamed “the berry of happiness.” Goji berries are usually consumed dried, and can also be found as juice, powder or capsule, and more rarely raw.
Goji is a remarkable source of nutrients. These berries contain more beta-carotene than carrots, more protein than wheat, and 1.5 times more calcium than milk.
The richness in nutrients and active ingredients of goji berries could be explained by the fact that they originally grew at high altitudes, in rather hostile regions, subject to strong droughts and frosts.
Their benefits have been praised for millennia in Asia and more recently in the West, where studies on this subject are still underdeveloped.
Nutritional composition
- Proteins: 18 amino acids including the 8 essentials (notably tryptophan and isoleucine)
- 21 minerals and trace elements including iron, zinc, copper, selenium, phosphorus, calcium, germanium
- Antioxidants: carotenoids including beta-carotene
- Vitamins: B1, B2, B6, C, and E
- Beta-sitosterol
Benefits of goji berries
🥝 Source of antioxidants
Goji berries have remarkable antioxidant properties, notably thanks to the carotenoids they contain, allowing them to fight against free radicals, which are responsible for cellular aging.
They are ranked among the richest fruits in antioxidants, with an ORAC index (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) of 36,000 per liter. This ranking is established by the US government health institute.
These antioxidants help combat oxidative stress and promote collagen production, acting as an anti-aging agent for the skin.
They could also help improve concentration and memory, and fight against age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
This preliminary study conducted by the University of Hong Kong demonstrated that goji berry extract protected rat neurons from a protein present in Alzheimer’s disease.
🛡 Strengthen the immune system
Goji berries have a high content of vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, and E. These particularly contribute to boosting our immune system.
They also contain polysaccharides that help regulate and stimulate the immune system. They would notably help prevent flu, colds, and treat urinary infections.
⚡️Anti-fatigue
Like camu camu and acerola, goji berries contain more vitamin C than oranges, acting as an anti-fatigue agent and a general stimulant. Vitamin C also contributes to better iron absorption.
They are also particularly rich in iron, which promotes the development of red blood cells and helps mitigate the effects of fatigue. This high iron content is also one of the reasons they are recommended for people following a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Their high content of trace elements helps to address certain dietary deficiencies and thus boost our energy.
💎 Detoxifying
Goji berries are an excellent detox food because they help to eliminate toxins more easily, and protect the liver.
They help to improve liver function and repair liver damage, especially those caused by excessive alcohol consumption. However, this is not a miracle remedy; ideally, having a healthy liver involves a balanced and healthy diet.
This study by the Chongqing University of Medical Sciences in China demonstrated the benefits of consuming berries on rats with alcoholic hepatitis.
🍳 Anti-cholesterol and aid in weight loss
Goji berries help combat cholesterol thanks to the beta-sitosterol they contain. This substance is a plant compound similar to cholesterol that limits its absorption by the body.
They have hypoglycemic properties and therefore contribute to lowering blood sugar levels and blood pressure.
They are true nutritional shots with a sweet taste and therefore a good “snack” option low in sugars and calories compared to other dried fruits.
They fit perfectly into a weight loss diet, especially since their high protein content enhances the feeling of satiety.
Also read Can you really lose weight with goji berries?
👁 Protect the eyes
Goji berries are high in zeaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant that gives them their beautiful reddish-orange color. This antioxidant acts directly on the retina, protecting its cells from degeneration.
They contain 5 carotenoids including beta-carotene,pro-vitamin A, promoting visual acuity.
This study conducted by the Nestlé Product Technology Center in Switzerland on subjects aged 65 to 70 shows that daily consumption of goji berries for 90 days helps combat macular degeneration and cataracts.
🔬 Potentially anti-cancer
Goji berries may help prevent the onset of cancerous cells due to their high content of vitamin C and antioxidants (such as zeaxanthin and beta-carotene).
This study from the Second Military Medical University in Shanghai conducted on 75 patients with various advanced-stage cancers attests that the consumption of goji berries combined with an anti-cancer drug has beneficial effects and reduces cancer cell growth.
How to consume goji berries?
Dried goji berries
Currently, most supermarkets sell dried goji berries, either in the dried fruit section or in the organic section. Organic stores, health food shops, and e-commerce sites also stock them, and you can buy them in bulk.
They are harvested when ripe and ideally dried artisanally in the sun (these will be the most tender), by cooking, or by a mechanical dehydration process.
This is the most convenient way to consume them, either plain, like eating dried fruits, or in sweet or savory recipes.
They can accompany savory dishes with chicken or fish, as well as red berry smoothies, granola, cakes, and yogurts. They will add a lovely color to your dishes in any case!
Goji berries in juice
Another interesting way to consume goji berries is in juice form. These juices are often made in Europe, from berries imported from Asia.
Their composition varies, they are often predominantly made of water and other fruits, so it is important to check their high goji berry content to fully benefit from their effects. Be careful, a pure juice might be rather acidic, it is advisable to mix it with water.
Their price and nutritional value, due to the multiple processing steps, are often less appealing than dried berries, but they are easy to consume and to mix with other juices or coconut water.
Goji berries are also available in tablets, in capsules and in powder.
Can goji berries be dangerous?
These berries do not have a unanimous reputation among nutrition experts and several controversies are ongoing. On one hand, they are not considered more beneficial than other red fruits we already consume like raspberries, blueberries…
Also read Are goji berries dangerous?
On the other hand, some producers subject them to irradiation to better preserve them over long distances, a process which limits their nutritional richness and is suspected to be detrimental to the body in the long term.
Additionally, following a study conducted by the magazine Test Achat, the Belgian counterpart of 60 Millions de consommateurs, Goji berries have recently gotten bad press. Out of 15 product references, 10 contained a significant amount of pesticides, including 3 brands certified organic.
The taste of goji berries
Goji berries are slightly sweet and tangy, somewhat like traditional berries. Their taste varies from one producer to another and according to their production method. They blend well with both savory and sweet dishes!
Consume sustainably: prioritize organic, fair trade, and local goji berries
✓ Obviously, organic goji berries are better for nutrients, your general health, and the planet. To ensure they are organic, rely on labels and their traceability must be clear. Small farms should be prioritized, whether in China, Tibet, or Mongolia. Fair trade goji berries should be favored to ensure better income for their producers and growers.
✓ One way to ensure optimal cultivation quality is also to source from small French producers, in the Mediterranean region, in Beaujolais, or in Alsace for example. French goji berries are more expensive, but since they are local, their carbon footprint is significantly lower than those from Asia.
✓ A final option is to grow them yourself! You just need to get seeds or a plant and follow the steps provided by your merchant.
Dosage
They are very easy to consume, and their sweet taste might make you want to eat them without limit. What dosage to adopt?
⚖️ For an anti-fatigue cure: 6 to 12g per day (approximately 2 tablespoons) for three months.
💊Goji extract capsules (about 600 mg): 2 to 3 capsules per day to start, then increase the quantities if necessary.
🥄 In a therapeutic setting: up to 80 dried berries per day.
Contraindications and side effects
There are no major contraindications to consuming goji berries. However, they are not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women as well as children and people on anticoagulant treatment.
At the start of a cure, it is possible to experience side effects such as nausea, stomach aches, and headaches. These might mean the detox is working, but it’s better to reduce the daily dose and gradually increase it again.
History, culture, and market of goji berries
Traditional Chinese medicine prescribes goji berries for treating various ailments. They are particularly used by seniors to strengthen the Yin, the inverse force of Yang.
They are particularly believed to strengthen the Qi, our vital energy, and promote healthy longevity.
They are consumed raw or in decoction, to treat liver and kidney problems. They are said to lubricate the lungs.
They originally come from regions where the climate is very harsh, with temperature variations ranging from -20°C to 20°C, in Inner Mongolia, Tibet, and the Chinese region of NingXia. The latter, consisting of high plateaus over 2000 meters above sea level, is the world’s leading producer of goji berries with 80% of the production.
Sources and scientific studies
Yu MS, Leung SK, Lai SW, Che CM, Zee SY, So KF, Yuen WH, Chang RC, 2005. Neuroprotective effects of anti-aging oriental medicine Lycium barbarum against beta-amyloid peptide neurotoxicity.
Gu S, Wang PL, Jiang R, 2007. [A study on the preventive effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on the development of alcoholic fatty liver in rats and its possible mechanisms].
Bucheli P, Vidal K, Shen L, Gu Z, Zhang C, Miller LE, Wang J, 2011. Goji berry effects on macular characteristics and plasma antioxidant levels.
Cao GW, Yang WG, Du P,1994. [Observation of the effects of LAK/IL-2 therapy combining with Lycium barbarum polysaccharides in the treatment of 75 cancer patients].
