| Recent years have seen a big buzz word around | | | | carrots, and much More iron than spinach. |
| the healthy food market: Tibetan or Himalayan | | | | Following are the short summary of its |
| Goji Berries. One can easily see a red berry | | | | benefits: anti-cancer, anti-aging, weight |
| tree with snow mountain background in the | | | | loss, boost libido, enhancing immune system |
| goji berry website or in the packaging label. | | | | etc. |
| The author has done a lot of research in this | | | | |
| area, and would like to unveil the "Emperor's | | | | For some strange reasons goji berries are |
| New Clothes" for Tibetan Goji Berries. | | | | mostly marketed in Europe and USA as Tibetan |
| | | | Goji Berries or Himalayan Goji Berries. If |
| Let's first look at what goji berries are, | | | | you tell Chinese people that you want Tibetan |
| then we combine "Tibetan" or "Himalayan" word | | | | Goji Berries, however, they will be |
| with it. Goji berries are also known as | | | | completely confused, as they all know goji |
| Lycium barbarum, or wolfberries. There is | | | | berries are not from Tibet or Himalaya, |
| also a misspelling "gogi berries". It is a | | | | instead, they come from northwest part of |
| dark-red coloured sweet-taste dried fruit, | | | | China: Ningxia province. In fact there are |
| and has similar size of raisin. It is even | | | | also growth of goji berries in Julu Hebei |
| hailed by some newspapers as super fruit just | | | | province as well. But It doesn't mean that |
| because of its various benefits. First of all | | | | there is no presence of goji berries in |
| they are from China, and have been grown and | | | | Tibet, but means that there is no commercial |
| consumed in China for many thousand years. | | | | farming activity of this fruit in Tibet. The |
| Chinese doctors believe it is very effective | | | | possible reason for marketing it as Tibetan |
| on kidney and liver disease, therefore they | | | | Goji Berries is that fruit coming from |
| very often prescribe it to treat liver and/or | | | | mountain area usually has more |
| kidney problem. They also use it to treat eye | | | | polysaccharides content. Even Eearl Mindell |
| diseases because according to Chinese medical | | | | admits in his website that goji berries are |
| theory eyesight is governed by liver and | | | | not from Tibet. Therefore we have to take |
| kidney. Furthermore, as Chinese medical | | | | this new clothes "Tibetan" or "Himalayan" off |
| theory also believes that sexual capability | | | | now. It is an excellent healthy food, but it |
| is dictated by the strength of kidney, it is | | | | doesn't come from Tibet or Himalyan area. |
| also widely used by Chinese doctors to treat | | | | |
| sexual impotency etc. Therefore if a Chinese | | | | In the market you will also come across the |
| man would like to take some medicine or tonic | | | | word organic goji berries. Please be careful |
| stuff to make his sexual capability better, | | | | with your purchase of organic goji berries. |
| such medicine or tonic stuff usually contains | | | | The commercial growth of organic goji berries |
| goji berries. But the Chinese usage of goji | | | | is not an easy process. It requires at least |
| berries is more than that, they also consume | | | | 3 years to get the land ready, along with |
| it in day-to-day lives, for example, to use | | | | other measures. So far the annual yield of |
| it with chrysanthemum for herbal tea, to add | | | | organic goji berries in China is still not |
| it to soup etc. | | | | significant by comparison with normal goji |
| | | | berries, simply because there are not many |
| According to my research I believe Eearl | | | | lands ready for it. Therefore there is a big |
| Mindell could be the first person who first | | | | difference in terms of pricing. So when you |
| introduced goji berries into USA. Later this | | | | see somebody sell organic goji berries in |
| fruit also gained popularity in the UK and | | | | eBay at dirty cheap price, would you trust |
| rest of Europe. Why is it getting popular in | | | | them? In addition, please do not forget to |
| Western countries? Traditional Chinese | | | | ask for a certificate of organic goji berries |
| medical theory is not based on molecular | | | | which you would like to purchase. |
| biology, but based on Yin, Yang, and Qi. When | | | | |
| Western people discovered this fruit, they | | | | I would suggest to buy small packs of goji |
| analysed its biological content, and | | | | berries, as once opened, it will suck the |
| explained why it is beneficial from the | | | | moisture, and become soft. A daily |
| perspective of western medicine. It has been | | | | consumption of 30 grams is recommended, |
| found that goji berries contain 21 trace | | | | though it doesn't matter if you want to eat |
| minerals, 18 amino acids, Vitamins B1, B2, B6 | | | | more because essentially it is fruit. |
| and Vitamin E, much more much more vitamin C | | | | |
| than kiwi fruit, much more antioxidants than | | | | Enjoy your goji berries. |
| any other fruit, much more beta carotene than | | | | |