Goji Berries

The interesting thing about having been manufacturing herbal extracts for over 10 years is that I am privy to what the trends have been through out the years.  We press hundreds of different types of herbs so when I see a new one come in it intrigues me.  It sparks my interest even more when I see this new herb start coming in more frequently.  I can't help but ask myself, what's the deal?  For years I have frequently seen such berries like schizandra and chaste tree but lately I cannot help but notice these cute little red squishy things called "goji".  I was at a health food store on the weekend and I noticed that you can actually buy these berries straight up in a pretty packaged bag and eat them like raisins.  They were labeled as a super food and I thought, damn, we must have some healthy birds in our backyard because we toss out the berries when we are done the extracting process.  Believe me, our back and front yard is a haven for the birds where they can get such wonderful treats like star anise or orange peel to name a mere few.  This week I read up on the goji berries and learned of the legend:  "Li Ching Yuen was born in China in Szechuan, expert herbalist, I spend time in the mountains of Tibet. He was born in 1677 died in 1928, to 251 years... It was found that Li Ching Yuen took over his whole life a goji berry soup every morning, along with ginseng root also take regularly."

I also read somewhere this week, that in Tibet where Goji Berries grow in abundance people were living a much longer and healthier life because these berries were falling into the stream where the people would get their water from.  The berries naturally infused itself into the water supply and is credited for the longevity of the community.   

"The Ningxia Hui region of Northern China, where goji berries are grown and eaten on a daily basis, has 16 times as many centenarians -- people 100 years old or older -- as the rest of the country. As residents of the region age, they are much more active, healthy and vibrant than their peers in Western cultures. The small, red goji berry, traditionally regarded as the "longevity fruit," is a key ingredient in their healthy diet as it was in the diet of master Li Ching-Yuen, who allegedly lived longer than 250 years.  The reason is the rich antioxidant content of the berries."
http://www.gojiberrymagic.com/elonyei.html

Here is the breakdown of what these berries are good for:

• Increasing the energy level
• Improving the feeling of general well-being
• Strengthening the immune system
• Protecting and fighting against many types of cancer
• Preventing heart disease
• Lowering cholesterol
• Maintaining healthy blood pressure levels
• Balancing blood sugar levels
• Improving eyesight
• Improving liver and kidney functions
• Strengthening skin, bones and tendons
• Strengthening the nervous system
• Preventing morning sickness during pregnancy
• Conquering cellulite
• Helping in weight loss
• Boosting the libido
• Enhancing fertility
• Delaying ageing

I am getting a pound of these berries this weekend and I will start consuming 20-40 berries a day.  Within two months I will report on the changes, if any, to my quality of life.

Namaste