Goji berries are considered one of nature's superfoods. This Asian fruit carries a wide number of health benefits. Available in two main varieties, Chinese and Himalayan, goji berries are also called wolf berries and contain a spectrum of vitamins, amino acids and other nutrients linked to health and well-being. Goji berries are available as whole fruit or in juice form.
Antioxidant Properties
Oxidative stress, caused by chemicals called free radicals, is one of the reasons your body ages and degenerates, according to "Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future" by David Wolfe. Goji juice is one of the most powerful antioxidant nutrients currently available and is believed to slow the rate of cellular degeneration by reducing oxidative stress and neutralizing free radicals. Reducing free radical activity in your body will, says Wolfe, minimize the occurrence of numerous age-related conditions such as memory loss, arthritis and macular degeneration and may reduce the incidence of some cancers.
Increased Immune System Function
Your immune system consists of your lymphatic nodes, lymph fluids, white blood cells and various other organs which work together to keep your body free from infection and disease by attacking germs. Goji juice promotes immune system health so your body is far better at fighting off infection, according to "Goji Berry: The Amazing Health Benefits of Gou Qi Zi, the Chinese, Fruits of Paradise" by Candace Hoffmann. If your immune system is functioning optimally, you should be ill much less frequently. This is particularly beneficial to older people who are more at risk during cold and flu season and also more prone to infection.
Anti-Inflammatory Action
The juice of goji berries has strong anti-inflamatory properties. Many medical conditions such as arthritis, coronary heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, enlarged prostate and some skin conditions like eczema are often attributed to generalized inflammation. Reducing systemic inflammation by avoiding chemical and emotional stressors is considered a key factor in elevating non-specific joint and organ pain.
Weight Management
When you eat carbohydrate foods such as bread or potatoes, you break the carbs down into glucose, which ends up in your blood. Your body produces the hormone insulin to "ferry" the glucose out of your blood and into your cells for use as energy. If glucose is taken up into your cells, very little is left over to be converted into fat.
Goji berry juice is believed to increase insulin sensitivity, which results in a more efficient uptake of glucose into your body's cells and reduces the likelihood of carbohydrates being stored as fat. Increased insulin sensitivity is an important factor in weight management, according to nutritionist and author Jeff Csatari.
References
- "Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future"; David Wolfe; 2009
- "Goji Berry: The Amazing Health Benefits of Gou Qi Zi, the Chinese, Fruits of Paradise"; Candace Hoffmann; 2007
- "Goji: The Himalyan Health Secret"; Earl Mindell and Rick Handel; 2003
- "The Belly Off! Diet: Attack the Fat That Matters Most"; Jeff Csatari and Men's Health Editors; 2009
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