| For centuries on end, herbalists in Tibet and Mongolia | | | | not a true goji berry. |
| have recommended small red berries called 'Goji' as a | | | | Goji berries grow on small green-leafed vines that |
| remedy for those suffering from a variety of | | | | yield a bright red fruit with a shape most resembling |
| problems. In fact, the people of Tibet and Mongolia | | | | a raisin. The berries are extremely delicate, and during |
| hold a two-week annual festival in honor of the goji | | | | harvest, they are shaken from the vine rather than |
| berry. Many of them have nicknamed the goji berry | | | | being picked. To avoid spoiling, they are slowly dried |
| "happy berry" because in common folklore "to eat | | | | in the shade. The texture of a goji berry is very |
| goji in the morning will lead to smiles all day". | | | | chewy, and its taste is often described as a cross |
| But respect for the goji berry isn't confined to the | | | | between a raisin and a cranberry. Several additional |
| foothills of Tibet and Mongolia. The goji berry has | | | | names are used to describe the goji berry, such as |
| been used for hundreds of years as a tonic in | | | | happy berry, gouqi, and gou qi zi. |
| Chinese medicine. During the Tang dynasty (A.D. | | | | What makes the goji berry so potent? |
| 772-842), poet Liu Yuxi wrote a poem celebrating | | | | Goji berries are believed to be a rich source of |
| the nourishment of "body and spirit" brought about | | | | vitamins and nutrients with each goji berry purported |
| by the goji berry. Without a doubt, the people of this | | | | to contain 18 different amino acids and vitamins B1, |
| region of the world love the goji berry. But the goji | | | | B2, B6, C, and E. It is believed that goji berries |
| berry's introduction to the Western world is still fairly | | | | contain more beta carotene than is found in carrots |
| recent, so the berry remains a relatively unknown | | | | of equal size. And the goji berry is touted as one of |
| fruit for a large fraction of the world's population. So | | | | the richest sources of vitamin C in the world, trailing |
| what is a goji berry? And why is it so loved? | | | | only the Australian billygoat plum and the South |
| What is a goji berry? | | | | American camu camu. Goji berries are also believed |
| The term goji berry technically refers to the Tibetan | | | | to contain zinc, iron, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, |
| goji berry, also known as Lycium Barbarum (its Latin | | | | and germanium in varying quantities. As a rich source |
| name). It is a member of a family of flowering plants | | | | of many of the vitamins and minerals essential to |
| known as the Solanaceae, a plant family which also | | | | nutrition, goji berries are filled with antioxidants. |
| includes within its ranks potatoes, tobacco, and | | | | The unique properties endemic to the Tibetan goji |
| tomatoes. Roughly eighty different varieties of lycium | | | | berry make it one of the more fascinating fruits on |
| berry exist, including the Chinese Wolfberry (often | | | | Earth. As consumption of the goji berry grows in |
| touted by Chinese healers as a cure for male sexual | | | | popularity in other parts of the world, our knowledge |
| dysfunction). However, the Chinese Wolfberry is only | | | | of the plant itself is certain to increase. Until then, do |
| considered a genetic cousin of Lycium Barbarum and | | | | yourself a favor and enjoy a delicious goji berry! |