BENEFITS OF GOJI BERRIES
✓ Source of antioxidants
✓ Boost the immune system
✓ Fight fatigue
✓ Detoxifying
What is the goji berry?
Cultivated in China for at least two thousand years, it is also called the goji or wolfberry (Lycium Barbarum and Lycium Chinense). The name “goji” was coined in 1973 by an American botanist; it’s a derivative of the Chinese word for these fruits, gǒuqǐzǐ.
Goji appears as elongated red berries, slightly sweet, which grow at altitude on shrubs that can reach up to 3 meters tall. They are part of the nightshade family, like tomatoes, eggplants, or potatoes.
Their bright color has enlivened our granolas, smoothies, and other healthy desserts for a few years, but they have been known in China, the Himalayan regions, and Mongolia for millennia.
Today, 80% of global production comes from NingXia in northern China; moreover, they are increasingly found in France, in small-scale plantations and in limited quantities.
They are among the primary remedies of traditional Chinese medicine, used as food and as a tonic for the liver and kidneys. In Chinese pharmacopoeia, they are considered a source of eternal youth, since their antioxidant properties are thought to prevent the aging of neurological functions, vision, and skin, and to support the immune system.
They are said to strengthen the Qi, our vital energy. In Tibet, this fruit is nicknamed the “smile berry”. Goji berries are usually consumed dried; they are also available as juice, in powder or in capsule form, 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 compounds of goji berries could be explained by the fact that they originally grew at high altitudes, in rather hostile regions prone to severe droughts and frosts.
Their benefits have been praised for millennia in Asia and more recently in the West, where studies on the subject are still limited.
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 due to the carotenoids they contain, and thus help fight free radicals, which are responsible for cellular aging.
They are ranked among the top fruits richest in antioxidants, with an ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) value of 36,000 per liter. This ranking is established by the health institute of the U.S. government.
These antioxidants help fight oxidative stress and promote collagen production, acting as an anti-aging treatment for the skin.
They may also help improve concentration and memory, and fight age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
This preliminary study conducted by the University of Hong Kong showed that goji berry extract protected rat neurons from a protein involved in Alzheimers disease.
🛡 Strengthen the immune system
Goji berries are high in vitamins B1, B2, B6, C and E. These particularly help boost our immune system.
They also contain polysaccharides that help regulate and stimulate it. They would notably help prevent the flu, the common cold, and treat urinary tract 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 reduce 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 in trace elements helps offset certain nutritional deficiencies and thus boost our energy.
💎 Detoxifyings
Goji berries are a quintessential detox food because they help eliminate toxins more easily, and protect the liver.
They help improve liver function and repair liver damage, particularly that caused by excessive alcohol consumption. Note that this is not a miracle cure; the best way to keep a healthy liver is to have a balanced, nutritious diet.
This study from the Chongqing University of Medical Sciences in China showed the benefits of berry consumption in rats with alcoholic hepatitis.
🍳 Anti-cholesterol and help with weight loss
Goji berries help fight cholesterol thanks to the beta-sitosterol they contain. The latter is a plant substance similar to cholesterol, which limits its absorption into the body.
They have hypoglycemic properties and therefore help lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure.
They are true nutritional shots with a sweet taste and therefore a good “snacking” option low in sugar and calories compared to other dried fruits.
They fit perfectly into a diet aimed at weight loss, especially since their high protein content enhances the feeling of satiety.
Also read the Can you really lose weight with goji berries?
👁 Protect the eyes
Goji berries are loaded with zeaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant that gives them that beautiful red-orange color. It 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 demonstrates that daily consumption of goji berries for 90 days helps combat macular degeneration and cataracts.
🔬 Potentially cancer-fighting
Goji berries may help prevent the development of cancer cells thanks to their high vitamin C and antioxidant content (notably zeaxanthin and beta-carotene).
This study by the Second Military Medical University in Shanghai, conducted on 75 patients with various advanced-stage cancers, shows that taking goji berries combined with an anticancer drug has beneficial effects and causes cancer cells to regress.
How to consume goji berries?
Dried goji berries
Nowadays, most supermarkets sell dried goji berries, either in the dried fruit aisle or in the organic section. Health food stores, dietary shops, and online retailers of course stock them; in fact, you can buy them in bulk.
They are harvested at maturity and ideally sun-dried using traditional methods (these will be the most tender), by baking, or by a mechanical dehydration process.
It’s the most convenient way to consume them, either plain, as you would enjoy dried fruits, or in savory or sweet recipes.
They can accompany main courses with chicken or fish, as well as berry smoothies, granola, cakes, and cottage cheese. In any case, they’ll add a very nice color to your dishes!
Goji berry juice
Another interesting way to consume goji berries is in juice form. These juices are often produced in Europe from berries imported from Asia.
Their composition varies; they are often made mostly of water and other fruits, so you should check that they have a high goji berry content to fully benefit from their effects. Be aware that a pure juice can be quite acidic; it is advisable to dilute it with water.
Their price and nutritional value, because of the multiple processing steps, are often less favorable than those of 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 are not universally accepted by nutrition experts and several controversies are ongoing. On the one hand, they would not be more beneficial than other red berries that we are used to eating: raspberries, blueberries…
Also read Are goji berries dangerous?
On the other hand, some producers irradiate them to better preserve them during long transports, a process that reduces their nutritional value and is suspected to be harmful to the body in the long term.
Furthermore, following a study by the magazine Test Achat, the Belgian counterpart of 60 Millions de consommateurs, goji berries recently received bad press. Of 15 products tested, 10 contained high levels of pesticides, including 3 organic-certified brands.
The taste of goji berries
Goji berries are slightly sweet and tangy, a bit like regular berries. Their flavor varies from one producer to another and depending on how they are processed. They pair well with both savory and sweet!
Consume sustainably: favor organic, fair trade, and local goji berries
✓ Obviously organic goji berries are better in terms of nutrients, for your overall health and for the planet. To ensure they are organic, you should rely on certification labels, and their traceability must be clear. Small farms should be favored, whether in China, Tibet, or Mongolia. Favor fair-trade goji berries to ensure a better income for their producers and growers.
✓ One way to ensure optimal cultivation quality is also to source from small French producers, in the Midi, in Beaujolais, or in Alsace, for example. French goji berries are more expensive, but because they are local, their carbon footprint is considerably lower than those coming from Asia.
✓ One last option is to grow them yourself! Simply obtain seeds or a plant and follow the steps indicated by your seller.
Dosage
They are easily absorbed, and their pleasant sweet taste could make you want to eat them indefinitely. What dosage should you follow?
⚖️ For an anti-fatigue regimen: 6 to 12 g per day (about 2 tablespoons) for three months.
💊Goji extract capsules (about 600 mg): 2 to 3 capsules per day to start, then increase the dosage if necessary.
🥄 In a therapeutic context : 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 and children, or for people on anticoagulant medication.
At the start of treatment, you may experience side effects such as nausea, stomach pain and headaches. They may indicate that the detox is working, but it’s better to reduce the daily dose and restart it gradually if needed.
History, cultivation, and market of goji berries
Traditional Chinese medicine prescribes goji berries in the treatment of various conditions. They are especially used by older adults to strengthen the Yin, the opposing force to Yang.
They are believed to mainly strengthen Qi, our vital energy, and to promote healthy longevity.
They are eaten raw or as a 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, made up of high plateaus over 2,000 meters above sea level, is the world’s main producer of goji berries, accounting for 80% of 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].
