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Goji Berry, 60 Capsules, $7.95 Goji berry is a fruit popular in Tibet. It is also known in China as wolfberry (Lycium berry).

Goji Berry: Basic Information and Traditional Uses

Did you ever wonder why Asian people tend to live longer than the rest of the human kind? Their life-time is often 100 years and more. Moreover, it is not a legend, but a well-documented fact that the herbalist Li Qing Yuen lived to the age of 225. They say that the secret is in the daily intake of goji berries – a powerful anti-aging herb.

The Latin name for goji plant is Lycium Eleagnus Barbarum. It is a member of the genus of multiple species - more than 40 in Tibet alone! These plants grow in many areas of the Far East. The most miraculous, however, seems to be Lycium Eleagnus Barbarum, indigenous to the Himalayan Mountains, where the soils are fertile and virgin, and are not spoiled even if they are cultivated. Nowadays, however, the same sort of plant grows in Inner Mongolia, as well as in the Heavenly Mountains of western China, without losing its powerful effect.

Lycium Eleagnus Barbarum is an 8-10 feet tall shrub with long (up to 15 feet) vines. From summer to the first heavy frosts the bush is covered by purple and white (on the same plant) trumpet-shaped flowers, which turn into small (8-20mm in diameter) bright red berries. However, only a 2-years old plant begins to fruit, heavy yields being available on the 4th or 5th year. It is necessary to prune the vines to have more berries and to make the bush more beautiful.

Although goji plant can grow in almost any type of soil, it prefers well drained soils of moderate quality. Under the full sun its berries become sweeter and juicier. It is also possible to grow goji as a house plant, supplying its extensive root system with a big pot and pollinating the flowers by hand (touching them together).

A very specific feature of the berries is that they must not be touched until they are ripe enough to fall down from the branches. If they are touched they oxidize and turn black partially losing their healing powers.

The Himalayans use goji berries for many years and know well about their positive influence upon the human organism. The plant is highly prized by Tibetan healers, who treat kidney, liver, eye, and skin problems; diabetes, tuberculosis, anxiety, and insomnia; lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels with the help of these berries for centuries. All in all, goji fruits can effectively improve the state of health, strengthen the immune system, and increase the longevity and vitality as no other traditional remedy or pharmaceutical drugs known to the human kind.

The fresh or dried berries are praised most often, but other parts of the plant can also be used in medicine or as a vegetable (the young shoots and new leaves are usually cooked). The bitter root bark helps control coughs, lower fevers, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. It is also effective in reducing irritability and treating nosebleeds.

Though goji plant has been known to the Western world for quite a short time, many researches have already been done. All of them confirm the curing effect and healing power of the herb, which makes it more and more attractive to the modern science and medicine.

Nancy
My son bought a bag of goji berries at Harvest Health and ate approx. 8-10 of the berries and almost immediately had a very severe reaction in his digestive tract. As the day progressed he had severe nausea and began vomiting, repeatedly, and the only substance he vomited was the berries he had eaten earlier. I would like to know what could have caused such a reaction to something that is touted as such a wonderful nutrient???
Nancy in
Michigan
John
With all the contamination problems these days, sounds like they were contaminated
Dee
I would agree with John, since contamination is a strong issue at the present.
But I would also look at how long he was actually sick from this (entire time span) It also is not unusual to come down with a bug at the same time you try something new. Also, if his system wasn't used to the berries, as they are totally dehydrated, they would absorb fluid as they go through the digestive system, which may have caused a problem with his system. My family has been using goji berries for a few years now, and we have not seen any problems. Although he may not want to see another goji, at least for a while,
it may be beneficial for him to re-try them once the memory of this event fades.
But he may be wise to buy them from a store which sells them quickly, so that he's not getting a bag which has sat on the shelf for weeks or longer, and also make sure that the retailer is very reputable, and is offering high quality items.
Anonymous
Possibly he has sensitivity to nightshade plants since Lycium barbarum belongs to that family (Solanaceae). I have encountered people who have had varying negative reactions to the berries, although none that dramatic.
The Goji Warehouse
I might suggest that he try drinking Hmalayan Goji Berry Juice. TheGojiWarehouse.com
Mo Mo
Would you please let us know where you found the information about the Chinese herbist Li Qing Yuen lived to 225? What I saw on the list of Chinese herbists, none of them lived to 225. I would like to read more about this person. Thanks.

Mo Mo
Shirlie
since i started drink goji juice 1 - 3 oz per day i have had blisters on my tongue and extremely dry lips, that don\\\'t get any better with lip balm. When I stop drinking the goji the symptoms disappear. I have tried mixing my goji with fruit juice and this seems to help somewhat with the tongue blisters but not with the dry lips.
rina
i got flu for six months.I don't know how to solve it.
cat
You can look up Li Qing Yuen on wikipedia. His age may just well be a myth but there does seem to be some documentation supporting the fact that he did live to be over 150 years old, although the 225 may be a tall tale.
pete
it hurts when i swollow
pete
where is the love for the gogi berry?
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