Living Touch

What are Goji Berries

In English, goji is known as wolfberry, Chinese boxthorn, or matrimony vine; its latin name is lycium barbarum, and pharmacologically it is known as Lycii Fructus (lycium fruit). As in Chinese it is called gouqi or gouqizi, the name goji is probably a westernized version of this.

Goji berries belong to the nightshade family and grow all around the world but mainly in China and Mongolia. The red berries are preserved by being dried; they have a mild, lemonlike taste which is at the same time sweet and sour. Their texture and shape is similar to raisins.

In traditional Chinese medicine, goji berries have been playing an important role since ancient times. They are believed to protect the liver, boost the immune system, improve sexual function and fertility, improve eyesight and blood circulation, and guarantee longevity. They are eaten raw or consumed in liquid form such as juice, wine, or tea, or taken as liquid extracts or tinctures.

Goji berries are nutritionally rich, containing vitamins and essential minerals as well as antioxidants such as beta-carotene and zeaxanthin. Zeaxanthin is a phytochemical responsible for protecting the retina of the eye by acting as a pigment filter of ultraviolet light. It is known that people who regularly eat food containing zeaxanthin decrease the risk of developing vision loss and blindness in old age.

Health Food Market or Goji Hype

In the last few years dried goji berries have begun to overflow the health food market in the West, and goji juice is being praised to the skies regarding its health benefits. The health food market offers so called Tibetan or Himalayan goji berries, implying that the berries come from the Himalaya regions. This is highly improbable as Tibet’s climate conditions are unfavorable for fruit crops and it is more likely that these berries come from either Ningxia or Xinjiang, two regions in China which are both famous for cultivating goji berries. Marketers also keep the story afloat of a Chinese named Li Qing Yuen who supposedly lived to the age of 252 years by daily consuming goji berries.

While companies marketing the berry thus outdo themselves in advertizing the long list of health benefits of the goji berry, and while there are many published studies from China, only little of this has been confirmed by western science.

Scientific Studies

There are so far only two published studies on humans, one of which appeared in the Chinese Journal of Oncology in 1994. Seventy-nine patients with advanced cancer were given a goji extract in addition to their chemotherapy. Results showed that the patients responded better to treatment and that regression of the cancer was noticed. Several unanswered questions about this study remain, however, as there is only an abstract in English language available.

In several test tube studies, goji berries were found to have possible benefits against some forms of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and inflammatory processes, memory deficits, and vision degeneration, among others. However, as the goji berry is very tender and must be picked carefully and as many factors after harvesting can affect the fruit, some of the goji products sold in the West may not necessarily have these health benefits.

The Price of Goji Juice

Goji berries used in traditional Chinese medicine are not expensive at all, however goji juice sold in the West is very expensive, although juice which is prepared entirely from goji berries is very rare and any other berries or fruits may be blended into it. Therefore, its high price does hardly seem justified.

Interaction with Other Drugs

As many other natural health and food products, there is evidence that also goji berries may interact with anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin and that dangerous bleeding may result if the two are taken together.

Where to Buy Goji Products

Goji products are found in normal grocery markets, health food stores, at Chinese herbal shops and online stores.