Deep in the valleys of the Himalayan mountains of Tibet and Mongolia, there grows a red berry no bigger than a small grape. This berry, popularized by marketing networks and appearances on television shows such as Oprah, has been revered for centuries as a healer, natural anti-aging supplement and just plain healthy food. But what is the truth behind this hyped up little berry? Are any of the outrageous claims made on the many websites on the Internet actually true?
Looking for Proof
It is no surprise that many people are skeptical about a berry claiming to have such dramatic health benefits. Noni juice, which came along only a few short years ago, helped to start a massive natural health trend, claiming to treat everything from cancer to arthritis. Unfortunately, the claims made by the main company selling the juice never panned out, and although noni juice is certainly healthy to drink, one would do much better to simply purchase a bottle of pomegranate juice at their local grocery store for much less, as the antioxidant levels in pomegranates far exceed the levels found in noni berries (if you are going for the anti-cancer benefits).
So, what about goji? The main claims about goji juice include the claims that it is a natural anti-aging supplement, contains many anti-cancer agents, is the most nutritionally dense food on the planet, contains higher antioxidant levels than pretty much any known food, and various other claims.
The Science
If we look at the Pub Med medical database published by the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, we can immediately see that there is a lot of scientific interest in goji juice and goji berries, particularly in Asia. Many traditional medicinal plants that have been used for centuries in Asia are now beginning to enter into the mainstream in the West after rigorous scientific scrutiny and indeed, many of our common drugs have been derived from such plants.
In terms of studies relating to the polysaccharides in goji berries, there are several. One study showed that seventy nine people in advanced stages of cancer who were treated with polysaccharides isolated from goji berries actually demonstrated a high rate of regression. When combined with a common cancer treatment drug patients showed a 40.9% regression rate, as compared to a 16.1% regression rate for patients treated only with the drug.
Another study showed that the blood pressure in hypertension rats could be lowered significantly by treatment with polysaccharide.
Another showed that polysaccharide isolated from the berries significantly inhibited the growth of tumors in mice and encouraged the production of beneficial antibody agents, noticeably improving their immune system.
Yet another study showed that a "purified component" of polysaccharide significantly enhanced muscle performance of mice, enabling muscles to recover more quickly after strenuous activity and perform better all around.
The Nutrition
In my research of goji berries, probably the most indisputably interesting thing about them is their nutritional value, including their extremely high levels of antioxidants. To give you an idea of just how high the antioxidant levels are, we can compare them to levels of antioxidants found in the most antioxidant-rich foods we are familiar with. The standard measure of antioxidant levels in food is known as the ORAC test. It is commonly given as a measure per 100 grams of food.
The foods we are aware of in the West that have the highest antioxidant levels include: black raspberries, with an ORAC score of 7,700, prunes, with a score of 5,770, bilberries, with a score of 4,460, and pomegranates, with a score of 3,307. Other foods high in antioxidants include raisins, at 2,830 and blueberries, at 2,400. Astonishingly, goji berries have a score of 25,300. This means that a person has to eat only 20 grams of the berries to get their daily recommended intake of antioxidants (it is best to get antioxidants from a variety of sources though, so it is extremely important to eat many different fruits and vegetables).
But antioxidants aren't the only thing the berries are high in. They are also high in iron, protein (they contain a complete protein), fiber, vitamin C (far more than oranges), vitamin E, essential fatty acids, beta carotene (more than carrots) and many other things. They also contain various anti-cancer agents including selenium, germanium, cyperone and physalin. The claim by many websites that the berries are the most nutritionally dense food on the planet is actually not so far out there, it seems.
The question remains, however, is it worth it to buy goji berries or goji juice? It is true that the berries contain unusually high levels of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial agents, but whether or not they are worth the money is up to you to decide. Whatever you decide, make sure you do your research and find the companies that not only have the best prices, but also use natural organic berries, as these are more likely to contain all of the benefits with none of the chemicals. Another important thing to consider is that goji juice does not contain certain things that the actual berries do (essential fatty acids for example), as some things are found only in the seeds, which are not included in the juice.
For more information on goji juice or goji berries, including comparisons between companies selling them, summaries and links to scientific studies, general information, and information on growing, buying and selling goji juice/berries, visit http://www.gojijuices.net This site does not sell goji juice or berries, and is strictly an informational website.
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