The goji berries – ancient natural superfood from China – facts and nutritional value

Gogi berries are fairly new to the U.S. market and are mostly found in health food stores. You can even find them in drinks and energy bars at local grocery stores. I was first introduced to the little berry when I purchased a raw vegan health bar from a store on etsy.com. It had pistachios and gogi as well as other yummy goodies inside.

Gogi [pronounced go-gee] is related to the tomato family and is also known under the names hallelujah berry and wolfberry.  It is mostly grown in Asia although some transplants have been seen in Arizona. It has a mild tangy taste that is slightly sweet and sour.  [1]

Many people believe that the Gogi berry is grown in the Himalayans and originated with Tibetan Monks. I don’t know how true that is because SunLife Gogi™ visited his source and disproved this theory. The Chinese and Tibetans use the berries in tea and soups as well as for medicinal purposes so maybe that is how this rumor got started. [2]

Gogi berry is grown on a shrub like plant and is harvested in August. The berries are harvested by shaking the shrubs and then they are dried slowly in the shade. You will find these berries usually dried or crushed into a powder.

Finding pure gogi juice is rare so check your labels as most drinks I find have about 10% gogi juice in them. You can make the juice yourself by adding water [about 12 oz] to the berries and allowing them to sit for about 15 minutes. You can also eat the rehydrated berries or add them to your green smoothie.

There are only 2 studies about the benefits of these berries one being the Chinese Journal of Oncology published in 1994. They found that when added to the diet of 79 subjects that they responded better to cancer treatment. [3]

In the Journal Annals of Pharmacotherapy it is noted that a 61 year old woman had increased bleeding. She was consuming 3 – 4 cups of gogi tea daily. Once they took her off her blood levels returned to normal. [4]

This is exactly why I always say everything in Moderation. Even healthy food can be toxic or damaging in high doses – your body wants balance and applying the principle of moderation to all aspects of your life will bring you close to that balance.

I enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables in season. As wolfberries are not grown locally and are difficult to grow in most western territories I most likely won’t be eating a large amount of these. I do however drink it in juice and from time to time in a raw energy bar.

Did you know that the same benefits of the gogi are in blueberries? It is the color of the berry that gives it all the yummy healthy benefits. If you have local blueberries try some of those fresh. We just received our Local farm Co-op box and the organic blueberries were so very delicious.

Remember when following a raw vegan diet for yourself or for your children it is best to eat fresh, eat local and only when necessary use supplements. Eating exotic foods can bring variety to your diet and even some great healthy benefits at certain times in your life but Moderation is key in all things.

Source Credits:

[1] Wikipedia-Wolfberry

[2] Tibetan Gogi Myth by Michael Seegers

[3] [4] What Are Gogi Berries? by Cathy Wong

The Great Goji Juice Controversy by Mike Kinnaird

Disclosure:

This article is intended for educational purposes and NOT as medical advice. Do your research, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always veer toward safety and remember in everything MODERATION.

About the Author:

Sara Duggan is an avid blogger of all things crochet. She is known as Momwithahook on Squidoo where she shares her patterns, book reviews, and other crafty knowledge. Visit her at sign up for her monthly newsletter and ask her how you can build your own Squidoo page for your small business.