The goji berry is native to the Himalayas, China, Korea and Japan, along with other locations in Asia. This fruit has recently gained attention as a new "super food" because of its chemical properties. It contains more nutrients than some similar fruits, and it appears to have antioxidant qualities. The University of Michigan states that animal research suggests that these tart berries may provide antioxidants that protect cells, lower your cholesterol and improve your eyesight, but the lack of human studies leaves these claims supported only by traditional medicine and anecdotal evidence.
Antioxidant
Like many popular berries, goji berries have antioxidant properties. This makes the juice beneficial for fighting off the diseases and conditions that accompany aging. The main antioxidant components in goji juice are vitamin A, E and C, according to the University of Texas. The abundance of antioxidants in the pulp from the fruit helps your body fight free radicals, unstable cells that can contribute to the onset of certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease and damage to healthy brain cells. The 2010 USDA list of antioxidant-rich foods rates goji berries with a total Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity value of 3,290, roughly equal to cherries and approximately one-third the value of blueberries. The USDA chart shows that the antioxidant value of several other common berries and black raspberry juice, with a value of 10,680, exceeds that of goji berries.
Lower Cholesterol
The Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute notes that goji berries contain betasitosterol, a chemical component that can block the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract, resulting in decreased "bad" LDL cholesterol while increasing your "good" HDL cholesterol. The University of Michigan states that consumption of large amounts of polysaccharides--which are among the active components in goji berries--resulted in lower cholesterol in lab animals, but human studies have not confirmed these results.
Eyesight
The University of Miami’s survey of alternative medicine reports that traditional Chinese medicine has used goji berries and their juice to improve eyesight for more than 2,000 years. One promising study on lab animals focused on the use of goji berries to alleviate symptoms of glaucoma, according to University of Miami. The study rats that consumed a standardized dose of goji juice had significant reductions in ocular pressure and a decreased incidence of the loss of retinal ganglion cells. The University of Michigan states that goji berries contain zeaxanthin, a carotenoid that appears to protect the retina of the eye. The use of goji juice as an alternative treatment for glaucoma requires human research to validate this potential benefit.
References
- USDA: Database for the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods, Release 2
- University of Michigan: Goji Berry
- Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Lycium
- University of Texas: Herbal Safety, Goji Berries
- Journal of Ocular Biology, Diseases, and Informatics, September, 2009: Introduction: Complementary Medicine in Ophthalmology
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