The Vitamins & Minerals In Goji Juice

Goji berries and its juice have become very popular, and expensive, because of the believed health benefits. These berries provide vitamins and minerals similar to other berries, with high offerings of vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants. Goji berries are grown in Asia, specifically in the area of China, where they are used as an herbal medicine, along with the leaves and bark of the plant.

History

Goji berries are called Gou Qi Zi in China and are part of their pharmacopeia. According to Drugs.com, goji berries have been in use for over 2,300 years to treat a variety of conditions, such as diabetes, hepatitis and infertility in males. They were, and still are, commonly used in the traditional medicine systems of China, Japan and Korea.

Description

Gogi, or wolfberry, is a perennial that is woody and deciduous. This plant, whose primary cultivation is in China, grows from 2.5 to 5 feet in height. Goji blooms with purple or lavender flowers that have five petals. The fruit are delicate berries with a vivid orange-red color. In the northern hemisphere, the berries are normally picked from July to October and then are air-dried, giving them the appearance similar to raisins.

Nutritional Data

Goji berries are similar to other berries, in that they provide antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, as well as cancer-fighting phenolics. According to the label on goji juice from the Byron Bay Wheatgrass Company, a 100 g serving of juice provides 10.6g or protein, 24mg of sodium, 112.5mg of calcium, 8.4mg or iron, 18.4g of vitamin C, 7.8mg of carotene and .15mg of thiamin. Labels from a variety of other manufactures are similar, though the vitamin C content is lower.

Health Benefits

Goji berry juice provides antioxidants, which are known to help prevent cancer. A study published in the April 2010, issue of "Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences," conducted by V.E. Reeve, M. Allanson, S.J. Arun, D. Domanski and N. Painter, showed that drinking goji juice can provide protection from skin damage due to exposure to UV rays. One of the traditional benefits of drinking goji juice was that it increased stamina and a person's well-being. A study conducted by H. Amagase and D.M. Nance and published in the May 14, 2008 issue of "Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine" proved that drinking goji juice daily improves neurologic/psychologic performance and gastrointestinal functions.

Cautions

Drinking goji berry juice is considered safe, as there are no reported incidents. Research on goji berries is in its infancy and there in no known interactions or adverse reactions from drinking the juice to date. As a precaution, you should speak to your physician before consuming this product if you have underlying medical concerns or are pregnant or lactating.