Goji Berries strengthen the immune system, improve white blood cell count, and may stimulate release of rejuvenative human growth hormones by the pituitary gland. These amazing Berries have been traditionally used for strength building, adding longevity, regulating blood sugar and, have been linked to sexual potency, improved sleep and better vision. They have also been used in Chinese medicine for their anti-cancer properties. The Goji Berry is without a doubt one of the most nutritionally dense, medicinal foods on earth, and a true SUPER food.
What Do We Know About the Goji Berry Plant? The goji berry plant is normally grown in Tibet, Mongolia and parts of China. This wonder plant should not be confused with that they call the wolfberry plant. These two plants look similar and have similar fruits, but while the goji berry plant bears sweet and juicy fruits, the wolfberry is slightly bitter and dry in taste. Few people however, know about this basic difference and in many places in the world, the wolfberry is sold as a goji berry.
The goji berry plant is a very hardy plant that will adapt to almost any type of soil and climate. This plant was found to fight extremes of cold and heat such as -15 degrees Fahrenheit in winter and above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. Though the goji berry plant thrives in well-drained soil, it will grow okay in other types of soil as well. This plant loves the sun and it will always give you a better yield if planted in full sunlight. The only detrimental factor in the well-being of the goji berry plant is wet and soggy soil conditions.
With countless generations of people using goji every day to stay healthy, this powerful little berry has finally captured the attention of a new generation of research scientists, who have discovered a range of special protective molecules found only in goji. Dozens of studies are now confirming that these unique Lycium barbarum (goji's Latin name) polysaccharides (LBPs) are largely responsible for this potent fruit's remarkable benefits.
While maybe new to North Americans, the goji has a rich history in China dating back thousands of years. It was used to nourish the Yin and the blood, protect the heart, and strengthen the eyes, liver and kidneys. In China, goji and ginseng have always been highly touted as nutritional and therapeutic plants that promoted anti-aging and long life. The secret weapon used by gold medal winning Chinese Olympic athletes? You guessed it goji and ginseng.
Goji Berry (pronounced GO-jee) is the common name for the fruit of the Lycium barbarum plant. It grows on a thorny bush or spreading vine in the sheltered valleys and hills of the Himalayan mountain range in Tibet and in Mongolia (which are now parts of China). Lycium is a deciduous woody perennial plant which can grow to 1 to 3 meters in height, or grow vines up to 20 feet in length. There are over 40 varieties of the genus Lycium, which is part of the plant family Solanaceae, which also includes the tomato, eggplant, potato, chili pepper, tobacco, and deadly nightshade.
| The Goji berry is perhaps the most nutritionally rich fruit on the planet. It contains an impressive amount of naturally occurring minerals, amino acids, polysaccharides, phytonutrients and anti-oxidant vitamins. Goji berries contain 18 kinds of amino acids (six times higher than bee pollen) and contain all 8 essential amino acids. They also contain up to 21 trace minerals and are the richest source of carotenoids, including beta-carotene of all known foods or plants on earth! They contain vitamins B1, B2, B6, and vitamin E as well as 500 times the amount of anti-oxidant vitamin C, by weight, than oranges making them one of the richest vitamin C sources on earth. Finally, it has also been shown that Goji berries contain several key polysaccharides that have the ability to potentially play an impressive role in boosting the immune system response of individuals. | |
Many goji berry products have a excellent anti-infection property as well. The amino acids present in this tiny berry boost the functioning of white blood cells up to 300 percent which is extremely important, especially during Flu season. The increase in healthy white blood cells means less bacteria and cholesterol in the blood stream. Hence, the goji berry has so many benefits to offer that everyone should actually give it a try. It seems that all that you need from life to stay healthy and happy at the same time, is to be able to eat a few goji berries every day. There are many uses for these berries; the most common being it's anti-oxidant properties. According to ORAC Oxidation Radical Absorbance Capacity testing, the recommended number of units of antioxidants that a person should consume should be minimum 5000-7000 (calculated in ORAC units). In comparison, the dried goji berries contain 22,000 units per gram which is just amazing.
Goji berries grow like shrubs so you'll want one plant in each pot. Make sure they get enough water (the soil should always be moist) and you'll have to put your plant in the sun (or under the light) for 8 hours a day. Also make sure you provide enough organic matter to provide ample nutrition for the plant.
Chemical fertilizers are NOT recommended when growing Goji berries. We grow the berries for their health properties. Chemical fertilizers can invalidate all of our hard work and that's not something any berry grower wants to see. It's not a pretty thought, but manure is much better for your berry plants than a chemical fertilizer will ever be.
Pollination because you're growing your Goji berries indoors the plants can't pollinate on their own. This means you have to do it for them. Don't worry — it's not as hard as it sounds. Simply touch the flowers against one another (gently) and they'll be pollinated.
Then it's just a matter of the upkeep and, of course, picking the Goji berries that grow on your indoor Goji plant!
Victoria Beckham has shocked fellow celebrity friends by shunning botox injections to help keep her skin wrinkle free.
Geri Halliwell and Victoria Beckham perform on stage during The Spice Girls world tour
Geri Halliwell and Victoria Beckham show off their svelte figures during The Spice Girls world tour
The Spice Girl and fashion designer has told friends that she doesn’t want to have a frozen face like the rest of Hollywood, and has been eating exotic Goji berries in a bid to help smoothen out her skin.
Goji berries, which contain up to 500 times more Vitamin C than oranges, store linoleic acid which is an essential fat that plumpens up the skin and makes it appear more youthful.
This is not the first time Mrs Beckham has resorted to unusual methods to help keep her figure trim and her face looking young. Earlier this year she reportedly existed on a diet of soya edamame beans, strawberries and lettuce and drank a 2 pint "shake" of a chlorella algae and dulse seaweed every day, in a bid to remain svelte for the Spice Girls reunion tour.
Dulse seaweed helps balance the bodies metabolic rate whilst chlorella algae can help to detoxify the skin and potentially assists with the breakdown of deposits of fat.
Ok you have taken the first step and bought some dried Goji Berries, so you might ask your self what do I do now? For starters you can eat them all by there selves just like rasins or Goji berries are great in hot and cold cereals, blender drinks, fruit juice blends, teas, trail mixes, soups, whole fruit & nut bars, all baked goods, and salads.
