Goji berries for body and mind wellbeing
Goji (Lycium barbarum or Lycium chinense) is a woody stemmed plant from the family of Solanaceae. It is a bush that can grow up to a height of 2 m and its fruit is a reddish egglike berry of up to 2 cm length. It contains 20-40 small seeds. Berries can be eaten raw or dried.
Goji berries traditionally originate from China, and because of their beneficial influence to human health they are considered a superfruit. Goji berries have traditionally been used in Chinese, Tibetan and Indian medicine, but modern scientific research confirms their healt beneficial properties.
Health in small berries
Goji berries are considered as the fruit with the most antioxidants and are the first on the American ORAC scale which measures antioxidant properties of food. The higher the position the better ability the food has in destroying free radicals that deteriorate health and accelerate the process of aging.
In the world of plants, Goji berries are the most abundant source of carotenoids and iron. It's interesting that they contain more proteins than a whole grain and more vitamin C than oranges. They also contain vitamin B complex necessary to convert food into energy and vitamin E that can rarely be found in fruit.
Among the 18 amino acids they contain, there are L-arginine and L-glutamine that are important for immune system function and maintaining optimal muscle mass. From the unsaturated fat acids goji berries contain linolenic and alfa-linolenic which are necessary for a healthy body
Goji berries contain 21 minerals in trace. Germanium showed to be an extraordinary stimulant for the immune system. It boosts anti-inflammatory factors and kills cervix cancer cells, testicular cancer cells and lung and liver cancer cells.
Interesting facts about the lucky berries
Because of their rich nutritional makeup, these wondrous berries have a wide range of function and they have been nicknamed „lucky berries" or „red diamonds “. In England these berries have been known since the 18th century when they were used for cooking and garnishing.
Goji berries are often mentioned as a fountain of youth. The region Ningxia hui in Northern China where the berries are grown and eaten daily have 16 times more people who have reached their 100th birthday than the rest of China. A legend says that a man named Li Qing Yuen ate the berries daily and lived to be 252 years old.
The oil extracted from Goji berries is used in skin care product.
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