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Superfruits - Goji Berries

What are the health benefits of goji berries?

The scientific community has been investigating the health benefits of goji berries, as the popularity of these tiny fruits has grown. Their purported benefits range from anti-aging effects to glucose regulation and immune function support.

Goji berries are also known as  Lycium barbarum. The goji berry is native to Asia, and people in Asia have been using this brightly colored fruit for more than 2,000 years as a medicinal herb and food supplement.

What the science says about goji berries

Here are seven possible benefits of the goji berry with the scientific evidence supporting them:

1. Protects the eyes

G oji berries may help reduce the risk of glaucoma.

Goji berries are believed to protect against age-related eye diseases.

Goji berries can help vision because they contain high levels of healthy  antioxidants , especially zeaxanthin.

The same antioxidants can also stop damage from:

•  UV light

•  free radicals

•  oxidative  stress .

2. Provides immune system support

Goji berries contain healthy antioxidants. 

Antioxidants  are known for their immune-boosting qualities and their ability to fight harmful free radicals and  inflammation .

Goji berries contain large amounts of  vitamins  A and C, similarly to other berries, including  blueberries  and raspberries. Vitamins A and C are vital for building immunity and preventing illnesses, ranging from the common cold to  cancer .

3. Protects against cancer

High levels of antioxidants, including vitamin C, zeaxanthin, and carotenoids, are responsible for fighting cancer cells. Antioxidants slow  tumor  growth, reduce inflammation, and help to remove harmful substances from the body.

4. Promotes healthy skin

Goji berries contain  beta-carotene , which is an essential plant phytochemical. Beta-carotene is known for its ability to promote healthy skin.

Beta-carotene is an ingredient used in skin creams to:

•  improve skin health

•  reduce skin irritation

•  manage the effects of the sun

•  manage the impact of aging

5. Stabilizes blood sugar

Goji berries may be helpful in controlling the release of sugar into the blood. 

6. Improves depression, anxiety, and sleep

7. Prevents liver damage

•  yogurt

•  salads

•  baked goods

•  desserts

•  sweet sauces

It is also easy for people to carry some with them when they go out and  eat them by the handful  as a snack.

Goji berries are available fresh or dried and in trail mixes, superfood mixes, or as a juice.

Goji berries are often expensive. However, the health benefits may be worth the cost. Prices will also depend on whether the product is organic, natural, or processed.

Sourced:

7 goji berry benefits backed by science (medicalnewstoday.com)

Health benefits of the Goji Berry Leaves

Goji leaves  are herbs that are traditionally used in tea and cuisine and has been recognized as a health food.

It has also been found that the extracts of  Goji leaves  possess multiple pharmacological effects, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-diabetic effects.

Why are Goji leaves so good?

First of all, it is much more than just a type of vegetable because it is much more nutritious than the ordinary vegetables such as cauliflower etc. As goji leaves come from goji trees, so naturally goji leaves inherit a lot of medicinal benefits from these trees. For every 100g fresh goji leaves, it contains 8 gram sugar, calcium 15.6 mg, phosphor 67 mg, iron 3.4 mg, beta-carotene 0.23 mg, Vitamin B12 3 mg, nicotinic acid 1.7 mg, and Vitamin C 3mg. More importantly the leaves contains lycine, sitosterol, linolic acid, and several animo acids.

Goji Leaves for making salad (vitame.co.uk)

How to grow Goji Berries

Site Preparation for the Goji Berry Plant

Goji can be grown in anything from a one-gallon container to open fields. A critical factor in goji berry plant propagation is soil pH. It MUST be 6.8 or higher but they are drought-tolerant when established.

Do not add nitrogen to the soil. Wolfberries do not like rich soil. As nitrogen levels increase, leaf production increases and fruit production decreases, and if the nitrogen levels get too high, the plants die. This principle is especially important for newly planted bare roots.

Once established, the goji berry plant is very drought resistant, but newly planted starts need to be kept moist. Older plants send down a taproot that can access water deep in the ground; so if the soil looks dry on the surface, this may not mean that the plants need water.

For field or garden planting, place plants every two feet in the row and make rows at least six feet apart. Originally we trained vines on wires as in grape production. The vines of a goji berry plant will get 13 to 15 feet long if not pruned. We found that pruning to promote fruit production on trellises resulted in a tangled mass of vines, making fruit picking difficult. The trellis approach also produced more second-year growth, and that is where most thorns form.

Sourced: The Goji Berry Plant: Grow the Alpha Superfood in Your Garden - Countryside (iamcountryside.com)

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