Goji Berries

Move over Brocolli and Blueberries - Theres a new superfood in town! It comes in the form of little red berries (which can be grown in abundance at home) called Goji Berries. The fruit is small, about 2cm in diameter and has a mild, sweet liquorice taste. The berries are absolutely cram packed with goodness!

Goji Berries contain 19 Amino acids including all 8 essential ones, together they are the building blocks of a great source of protein. These can be used as a complete and natural protein supplement as they contain 11.7% protein and 328kcal per 100g!

The US Department of Agriculture says that the Goji Berry scored number 1 on the ORAC scale for having the most antioxidants recorded, the higher score on the ORAC scale, the more capable the food is of destroying ‘free radicals’ that can cause cancer and also speed up the ageing process. There is a tale of a chinese man who lived to the age of 250 years, allthough we havent looked into the credibility of this story

Vitamins found in Goji berries include B1 B2 B6 C and E. They contain a whopping 500 times more Vitamin C, by weight, than oranges!

There are 21 minerals found in these little wonder berries and they include Beta-Carotene and zeaxanthin (a better source than carrots and one of the highest sources of carotenoids known) - which helps improve vision, Zinc, Iron - 11mg per 100g, Copper, Calcium, Germanium, Selenium and Phosphorus. betasisterol, cyperone and solavetivone - anti fungal compounds, tetraterpenoids and betaine - which help digestion. Goji berries also contain polysaccharides (found in traditional immune toxic herbs such as Echinacae, Astragalus, and Medicinal Mushrooms) which support the immune system.

All of the above nutrients also play a part in helping strengthen the immune system, improving eyesight, protecting the liver, boosting sperm count and improving blood circulation.

Finally the berries are very high in essential healthy omega fatty acids which help the body by producing hormones, brain functioning and helping your nervous system.