Gochi, or goji, juice comes from goji berries. Also known as the wolfberry, matrimony vine and boxthorn, the goji berry features bright red to red-orange coloring, a sweet smell and a slightly tart taste. Gochi juice has long been used to treat various health problems. Check with your doctor before consuming gochi juice.
Plant Characteristics
Goji berry plants, or Lycium barbarum, naturally occur in China, Mongolia and Tibet. Mature plants range from 3 to 10 feet in height and feature purple to lavender blooms. The berries generally ripen from July through October. Botanical.com explains that goji berries must be shaken off the vine instead of picked to prevent spoilage. Manufacturers then squeeze the berries to make gochi juice.
History
Drugs.com notes that goji berries were first mentioned in Chinese medical texts about 2,300 years ago, when gochi juice was used to increase stamina, enrich the yin element and nourish the blood. The Wellness Interactive website explains that goji berries are still honored in annual, two-week-long celebrations in Mongolia and Tibet. Ancient Tibetans once called goji fruits "happy berries," because they believed that eating the fruit or drinking gochi juice gave people an enhanced sense of well-being.
Benefits
According to Drugs.com, gochi juice is a rich source of various vitamins, including A, C, E and several of the B vitamins. Goji berries also contain numerous minerals, such as iron, zinc, copper and calcium. Wellness Interactive adds that goji berries and juice contain high levels of polysaccharides, flavanoids and carotenoids.
Uses
Drugs.com says that practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM, use gochi juice to help prevent various health conditions, including diabetes, male infertility, cancer and hepatitis. The Natural Health Research Institute reports that the antioxidants found in this juice might promote healthy cell growth and protect blood cells from damaging free radicals. Wellness Interactive explains that regularly drinking gochi juice might help those suffering from chronic fatigue. The polysaccharides might also help you to lower your cholesterol levels. More research is needed, however.
Cautions
The Natural Health Research Institute warns that drinking gochi juice might interfere with the effects of the blood-thinning medication called warfarin. Botanical.com cautions you not to drink this juice while suffering from a cold or the flu, because it could make your symptoms even worse. Although gochi juice does appear to have many health benefits, it also tends to be quite expensive. Talk with your health care provider before drinking gochi juice to treat specific health problems.
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