Are wondering what the health benefits of goji berries are? Some actually claim that they are a fountain of youth. These wolfberries (as others say) are rich in vitamins and minerals beneficial to improving our health. However, is it really true? You will find the answer here in this article!
What is a Goji Berry?
Wolfberry, or Goji Berry, is a type of berry that is bright orange-red in color. Taken from a bush native to China, Asian countries believe that goji berries help you live longer.
Years ago, people tried to use goji berries to cure common health conditions such as age-related eye illnesses, fever, high blood pressure and diabetes.
You can eat goji berries in many different ways: raw, dried like in raisins or cooked. Furthermore, this amazing fruit is also available in the form of herbal teas, wines, juices and medicines.
Nutritional Facts of Goji Berries
Goji Berries are rich in vitamins and minerals like:
-Antioxidants
-Zinc
-Vitamin A
-Iron
-Fiber
-Vitamin C
Furthermore, this special type of berry also contains all 8 essential amino acids. Just a single 4 oz. serving of goji berries gives you about 10% of your daily value protein needs. This is a very surprising amount of protein for a fruit! Additionally, they are full of complex carbohydrates. This means your blood sugar will increase slowly, reducing the risk of a sugar crash.
Important Things to Know Before Adding Goji Berries into Your Diet
It is important that you talk to your doctor before eating goji berries. Some product manufacturers may say that their goji berries have fewer side effects than medications, but goji berries can also interact with any current medications you take.
The following are some important things you should know before eating goji berries (knowing this will help you get the most health benefits from your snack):
-Don’t eat goji berries if you are allergic to them.
-Don’t eat goji berries if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
-Don’t eat goji berries if you have extremely high or extremely low blood pressure.
-Don’t eat goji berries if you are using warfarin or any blood thinners.
-Don’t eat goji berries if you have low blood sugar.
Goji berries also bring about 340% of your daily intake of vitamin A, so you may want to limit how many goji berries you eat to avoid vitamin A toxicity.
Health Benefits of Goji Berries
Here are some of the best health benefits of goji berries:
Maintains blood sugar levels. If you have a sweet tooth, goji berries might be your next favorite fruit. Aside from being delicious, the fruit can help improve sugar tolerance, recover and improve insulin-producing cells, potentially lower your blood sugar level and reduce insulin resistance.
However, you should first seek a doctor’s opinion before you start adding goji berries into your diet, especially if you already have low blood sugar.
Boosts the immune system and protects against the flu. One of the best health benefits of goji berries is that it helps increase and support the immune system and protects the body from the flu.
Potential aid for weight loss. Goji berries are rich in healthy energy, even in small servings. You can make them a light snack, which will prevent you from overindulging at mealtime. Furthermore, the berry has only 23 calories, so you’ll never get fat from it!
Helps increase testosterone levels. Goji berries are proven to help with sexual fertility. One study suggests that goji berries can be an effective alternative to Viagra or any other treatment for erectile dysfunction.
Rich in antioxidants essential for the skin and eyes. Studies show that the antioxidant properties of goji berries are very high –particularly zeaxanthin, which helps protect the cells from breaking down when exposed to elements such as radiation and smoke.
How to Use Goji Berries
Most goji berries that are sold are dried and prepackaged, but you can also find them fresh. You can use goji berries like fresh berries or raisins, mixing them in your breakfast yogurt or cereal.
You can also drink it as a juice or tea. Its flavor complements that of lean turkey of pork, adding a savory sweetness into any hearty dishes. Additionally, its vitamin C content may help better absorb the iron found in meat.
Doctors recommend consuming two or more portions of the fruit every day in order to experience the optimum health benefits of goji berries.
Conclusion
Goji berries aren’t just the sweet and delicious snack we see in the supermarket. This amazing fruit also has extraordinary benefits, effectively helping cure some diseases and illnesses. However, getting a proper doctor’s guidance is a must before adding it to your diet.
