More and more people are waking up to the fact that a proper diet and nutrition can both prevent and heal many types of disease. By strengthening our immune system through proper food choices, a lot today’s serious ailments can be avoided altogether. We know that a diet rich in antioxidants is one way to prevent things like heart disease and even cancer. And more people are finding out that goji berries contain just about the highest antioxidant count of any food on the planet. In fact, goji berries benefits have been praised by Chinese herbalists for centuries. Keep reading to learn how you can help fight disease naturally by consuming more of these little red superfoods on top of an already healthy diet.
What are Goji Berries?
Goji berries, also known as wolfberries, are a highly nutritious type of berry native to China. Known by either their Latin names Lycium chinense or Lycium barbarum, they grow on deciduous shrubs called boxthorns.
Goji berries have always been a major part of traditional Chinese medicine, having long been recognized for their high antioxidant and longevity-boosting properties. Most of the goji berries on the market, in fact, still come from China, often the northwestern part of the country or the Himalayan regions like Tibet.
The red berries are usually sold in their dry form. Much smaller than raisins, they’re often packaged in clear plastic bags. Even if you’ve never tried them, it’s possible that you still may have seen them before at your local store without realizing what they were.
Why Goji Berries Are so Good at Fighting Disease
You only have to take a look at the vitamin and mineral content of goji berries to see how powerful they can be in the fight against various diseases.
Nutritional Content of Goji Berries:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Calcium
- Iron
- Potassium
- Selenium
- Zinc
But there’s even a lot more to them than that! Goji berries are also rich in disease-fighting compounds like beta-carotenes, polysaccharides, selenium, and germanium, to name a few.
Goji Berries Benefits: Four Diseases Which Goji Berries Can Help Fight Against
Goji Berries Can Help Prevent Heart Disease
Goji berries have long been touted by the Chinese as an effective way to boost circulation. And having good circulation is incredibly important when it comes to heart health. One of the reasons for this could be the berries’ high fiber content, which is known to benefit the body’s circulatory system.
Goji berries also contain something called cyperone which is known to benefit the heart and improve blood pressure. Furthermore, nutritious goji berries are chock full of minerals like calcium and iron, which are also good for the heart. But that’s not all!
One major cause of heart disease is cell damage – namely when the lipids in the cellular membrane start to degrade. The high antioxidant content of goji berries can also help prevent this process from taking place, ultimately protecting the heart. (1)
One of the best ways to consume goji berries to improve heart health, and circulation in particular, is to drink a ‘goji berry decoction.’ According to “The Essential Herbs Handbook” by Lesley Bremness, you should drink it a few times a day to improve blood flow. The preparation method is a little bit tricky and time consuming, but it goes something like this:
Place about an ounce of dried goji berries into an enamel pot and add 1.5 pints (750ml) of water. Bring the water to boiling point, and then let the water simmer for about 1 hour. Whether you want to strain the decoction or leave the goji berries in there is up to you. This should be enough liquid for about three doses. (2)
Goji Berries Can Improve Type II Diabetes
In traditional Chinese medicine, goji berries have also been used to treat diabetes. More recently, modern Western scientific studies have been finding the berries helpful in the fight against diabetes as well.
One study done on a group of diabetic rabbits found that blood glucose and triglyceride levels were reduced after drinking a mixture of goji berries and water. Triglyceride levels were also found to be reduced in a separate study conducted on diabetic rats. (Triglycerides, by the way, are fat molecules that are commonly found in high amounts in people suffering from type II diabetes). (3)
Goji berries are also recognized for improving eyesight and reducing macular degeneration. Of course, many diabetes sufferers are at risk of poor eye health and even eventual blindness if the disease isn’t treated. Eye protection is another reason why those suffering from diabetes should be consuming more goji berries.
If you’re interested in learning more about curing diabetes naturally, check out my book ‘Diabetes: The Raw Food Diet for Diabetes Reversal.’
Goji Berries Can Help Fight Against Cancer
We already know that goji berries come packed with a tremendous amount of antioxidants and beneficial nutrients. The berries’ high anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting benefits are reason enough for them to also be potent cancer-fighting agents. But goji berries even contain certain chemical compounds which have been shown to be effective against cancer.
Goji berries contain a compound called germanium. Germanium on its own has been extensively researched for decades as a potential cure for a wide variety of ailments. Touted as a ‘miracle cure’ by a number of researchers over the years, germanium protects the body from free radicals and increases the flow of oxygen throughout the body. Oxygen deprivation in cells is considered to be one major reason for abnormal cell growth. (4)
Additionally, goji berries contain selenium. Selenium is a detoxifying agent which helps expel mercury from the body and has also been known to protect against cancer.
And while there are a lot more studies to be done, a recent study also found goji berry extract to be effective at fighting breast cancer in particular. (5)
Goji Berries Can Help Protect Against the Flu
For those of you living in colder climates, you probably know al too well how common the flu is at this time of year. One of the safest and most natural ways to protect yourself against diseases like the flu would be to start stocking up on more goji berries!
Goji berries have been proven to help us produce more of what are known as ‘antibodies.’ These Y-shaped proteins are what our immune systems use to help neutralize foreign viruses in the body. Furthermore, goji berries’ high vitamin C content is also another reason why the red berries can give your immune system a boost.
There have been a number of studies conducted on how goji berries help combat the flu, although many of these have been done in conjunction with the flu vaccine. While goji berries have been shown to increase the effectiveness of flu vaccines, if you regularly eat foods like goji berries in the first place, then flu vaccines should no longer be necessary. (6)
As goji berries and similar foods are known to strengthen the immune system, eating these superfoods as part of an already healthy and alkaline-based diet should provide plenty of protection from things like flus and colds.
How to Eat Goji Berries
There are a few different ways to reap the multitude of goji berries benefits. But if you’ve never tried them before, you’re probably wondering: “How do goji berries taste?” In my, and many other’s opinions, goji berries taste . . . well, just OK. They’re mildly sweet but also tart, and the aftertaste can be a little unpleasant if you have more than a handful at once.
Luckily, a handful or so a day is all you really need to experience the benefits of goji berries. Simply sprinkle some on top of your cereal, or include them in trail mix and you’re good to go! Of course, we’re talking about dried goji berries here, as that’s the form they usually come in.
If you happen to come across fresh raw goji berries, it’s possible to eat them that way, too. I’ve only ever come across dried goji berries, but the raw variety is said to taste very bitter despite their juicy, sweet appearance.
As described above, one way to consume goji berries is by making a special decoction. You could also try making a goji berry tea.
Goji Berry Tea
Making a goji berry tea is really simple. Furthermore, it can be made hot or cold. Just take a handful of dried goji berries, put them in a glass or container, and then add about a cup and half of either hot or cold water. Let the mixture sit for 5 – 10 minutes, and then it’s ready!
You can remove the goji berries if you like and eat them separately, or just leave them in there. Combining goji berries with chrysanthemum tea is another popular combination.
For added flavor, try adding in some raw honey to taste.
Goji Juice
You can also try making your own goji juice, which is nearly as easy as making the tea. Simply add a cup of dried goji berries into a blender and add in about 600ml of water. Blend for a few minutes, and then enjoy! Instead of regular water, you can also try using coconut water. (7)
Where to Buy Goji Berries
If you live in Asia, even in countries other than China like Southeast Asia or Japan, you should have a pretty easy time finding goji berries at your local supermarket. The West has been slow to learn about the amazing health benefits of goji berries, though, but they’re slowly growing in popularity.
If you go to your specialty health food market or grocery store, you should be able to find them, though they tend to be tucked away in some random aisle. If you can’t find them locally, there are plenty of options for buying goji berries online. Since they’re in dried form, they’re very easy for suppliers to package and store.
The web site Superfoodly brings up some interesting points when it comes to trusting the label on goji berry packaging. Modern China, unfortunately, is known for its rampant pollution, and even “certified organic” goji berries may have been grown in an unclean environment. Furthermore, the true source of goji berries can be hard to identify, as they may simply be bought through wholesalers like AliBaba and then repackaged. (8)
On the other hand, Teya Skae writes that most goji berries are grown in Ningxia province, a region of China known for having an especially nutrient-rich soil. In fact, Ningxia-sourced goji berries may even be the most nutritious of all the goji berries on the market. (9)
I tried looking up some data on pollution in China, and out of 74 cities surveyed, Yinchuan in Ningxia Province was among the ten cleanest as far as air pollution goes. Therefore, ‘Superfoodly’ may have been painting all of China with too broad a brush. (10)
Regardless of whether you’re for or against Chinese-sourced goji berries, Chinese berries are most likely what you’re going to end up with. Despite there being plenty of other regions around the world in which they can grow, goji berry cultivation just hasn’t really caught on in other countries yet.
Since Ningxia has been a major center for goji berries for centuries, I’d like to think that I can trust that the farmers there know what they’re doing.
This product proudly declares the berries as being sourced straight from Ningxia on the packaging.
And while there aren’t any reviews for this one, the ‘Feel Good Organics’ company is clearly proud of where their berries are sourced as well.
Potential Goji Berries Side Effects
If you’re on any prescription medications, be sure to consult your doctor before consuming goji berries. Goji berries might not interact well with medications for blood pressure or certain diabetes medications.
Due to their high fiber content, goji berries might also cause digestive issues like diarrhea.
If you’re someone already suffering from low blood sugar, you should try consuming goji berries with other foods to keep your levels under control. (11)
Conclusion
Above we just went over only some of the powerful goji berries benefits there are. When it comes to fighting disease, few other foods can compare with goji berries and their high antioxidant content. And similar to other superfoods like chia seeds, goji berries are packed with beneficial vitamins and minerals in a very small package. So if you’re looking to give your immune system a boost this winter, or are already struggling with things like heart disease or diabetes, you could greatly benefit from giving goji berries a try.
Sources
(1) https://www.naturallivingideas.com/goji-berry-benefits/
(2) “The Essential Herbs Handbook” by Lesley Bremness
(3) https://www.thesuperfoods.net/goji-berry/goji-berries-and-diabetes
(4) https://www.stopcancer.com/germaniumstor2.htm
(5) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26525080
(6) https://www.organicauthority.com/flu-symptoms-goji-berries
(7) https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-12173/homemade-goji-berry-juice-takes-5-mins-to-make.html
(8) https://www.superfoodly.com/where-to-buy-fresh-goji-berries-locally/
(9) https://www.naturalnews.com/022639_goji_berries_superfoods.html
(10) https://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/news/blog/bad-to-worse-ranking-74-chinese-cities-by-air/blog/48181/
(11) https://www.naturesbeststuff.com/what-are-the-side-effects-of-goji-berries/
