Master herbalist, registered pharmacist, and world-renowned nutritionist Dr. Earl Mindell knows a good thing when he sees it! Based on countless hours of scientific research, he's discovered the following 34 reasons to take goji on a daily basis!
1. Extend Your Life
Your body's ten trillion cells are under constant attack by free radicals. These harmful environmental agents can accelerate aging by destroying vital body cells faster than they can be replaced. Goji is known as the "longevity fruit." Its unique master molecule polysaccharides and powerful antioxidants defend against premature aging, fighting free-radical damage throughout the body.
2. Increase Your Energy and Strength
Ranked as one of Asia's premier adaptogens, goji increases exercise tolerance, stamina, and endurance. It helps to eliminate fatigue, especially when recovering from illness.
3. Look and Feel Younger
Goji stimulates the release by the pituitary gland of hGH human growth hormone), the youth hormone. The benefits of hGH are extensive and include reduction of body fat, better sleep, improved memory, accelerated healing, restored libido, and a more youthful appearance.
4. Lower Your Blood Pressure
Nearly one in four U.S. adults has high blood pressure (hypertension). Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure and/or kidney failure. This is why high blood pressure is often called the "silent killer." A 1998 research study showed that increased blood pressure could be prevented significantly by goji's master molecule polysaccharides.
5. Prevent Cancer
Goji is one of the only plant species on earth that contains the anti-cancer mineral germanium. Its antioxidants and unique polysaccharides can halt the genetic mutations that can lead to cancer. Some scientists believe that goji may be an especially good supplement to prevent liver cancer because it exerts liver protection and anti-cancer effects at the same time. This is important, as the liver is the body's primary detoxifying organ.
6. Maintain Healthy Cholesterol Levels
Goji contains beta-sitosterol, which has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. Its antioxidants keep cholesterol from oxidizing and forming arterial plaques. The flavonoids in goji help to keep your arteries open and functioning smoothly.
7. Balance Blood Sugar and Manage Diabetes
Goji has been used in China for the treatment of adult-onset diabetes for many years, and its polysaccharides have been shown to help balance blood sugar and insulin response. It also contains betaine, which can prevent fatty liver disease and vascular damage often seen in diabetics.
8. Enhance Libido and Sexual Function
The goji berry is revered as one of the premier sexual tonic herbs in all of Asian medicine, and is legendary for helping to spark the passions. In fact, an old Chinese proverb cautions men who are traveling far from their wives and families: "He who travels one thousand kilometers from home should not eat goji!" Modern scientific studies have shown that goji markedly increases testosterone in the blood, thereby increasing libido in both men and women.
9. Lose Weight
In an Asian anti-obesity study, patients were given goji each morning and each afternoon. Results were excellent with most patients losing significant weight. In another study, goji polysaccharides were shown to reduce body weight by enhancing the conversion of food into energy instead of fat.
10. Relieve Headaches and Dizziness
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, headache and dizziness are often said to be caused by deficiencies in kidney yin (vital essence) and yang (function). Goji is among the most frequently used herbs for restoring yin/yang balance.
11. Get Better Sleep
Goji has long been used throughout Asia in the natural treatment of insomnia. In several medical study groups with elderly people, nearly all patients taking goji reported better quality of sleep.
12. Improve Your Vision
Since ancient times, goji berries have been very popular in China for their vision improvement properties. Modern Chinese scientists have found that goji is able to reduce the time it takes for vision to adapt to darkness. It also improves vision under subdued light. Blind spots were reduced in patients taking goji. Its powerful antioxidant carotenoids may also protect against macular degeneration and cataracts.
13. Strengthen Your Heart
Goji contains cyperone, a sesquiterpene that benefits the heart and blood pressure. Its anthocyanins help to maintain the strength and integrity of coronary arteries.
14. Inhibit Lipid Peroxidation
Cholesterol and other blood lipids can become deadly when they react in the body to form lipid peroxides. The accumulation of sticky lipid peroxides in the blood can lead to cardiovascular disease, heart attack, atherosclerosis, and stroke. Goji increases levels of an important blood enzyme that inhibits the formation of dangerous lipid peroxides.
15. Resist Disease
The free radical superoxide has been implicated as having an important role in the onset and progression of human disease. Superoxide is neutralized in the body by the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), but you produce less SOD as you age. At any age, the stresses of everyday life can overwhelm your body's ability to produce sufficient SOD to ward off illness. Taking goji has been shown to result in a remarkable 40 percent increase of the important SOD enzyme.
16. Improve Immune Response
The immune system is your body's "armed forces." More than 40 years of research have revealed goji's ability to regulate immunity by commanding and controlling many of the body's important defense functions. Goji polysaccharides enhance and balance the activity of all classes of immune cells, including T-cells, cytotoxic T-cells, NK cells, lysozyme, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and the immunoglobulins IgG and IgA.
17. Manage and Fight Cancer
Patients receiving a cancer drug together with goji exhibited response rates up to 250 percent better than those obtained by the drug alone. These advanced cancer patients experienced amazing regressions of malignant melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, lung cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and malignant hydrothorax. Remission of cancers in patients treated with goji lasted significantly longer than those treated without goji.
18. Protect Your Precious DNA
DNA is the most important chemical in your body. It carries the blueprint for all the traits inherited from your ancestors, and also ensures that - as they need replacement - your ten trillion cells are faithfully reproduced as healthy, exact duplicates. Exposure to chemicals, pollutants, and free radicals can cause DNA damage and breakage, leading to genetic mutations, cancer, and even death. Goji's betaine and master molecule polysaccharides can restore and repair damaged DNA.
19. Inhibit Tumor Growth
Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a crucial cytokine (cell protein) that induces potent anti-tumor responses in a variety of cancers. Goji polysaccharides have been shown in Chinese studies to enhance the production of IL-2. In the U.S., IL-2 has been under study as an immune promoting factor since 1983, used for some cancers and for HIV infection. Goji also has the ability to cause the death of tumor cells by inducing apoptosis, a process in which cancer cells are broken down and recycled.
20. Reduce the Toxic Effects of Chemotherapy and Radiation
In one study, goji was shown to enhance the effects of radiation in combating lung cancer, allowing a lower dose to be used. Other research indicates that goji can protect against some of the noxious side effects of chemotherapy and radiation.
21. Build Strong Blood
Goji is a renowned blood builder and rejuvenator. In one study, the berry caused the blood of older people to revert to a markedly younger state. In another trial, vital red blood cells were protected against free-radical damage by goji's flavonoids. Goji has also been used in a number of recent clinical trials for treatment of bone marrow deficiency conditions (low production of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets).
22. Improve Your Lymphocyte Count
A lymphocyte is any of a group of white blood cells of crucial importance to the adaptive part of the body's immune system. The adaptive portion of the immune system mounts a tailor-made defense when dangerous invading organisms penetrate the body's general defenses. Goji increases lymphocyte count and helps to activate them when the body is under attack.
23. Fight Inflammation and Arthritis
Extensive scientific research over the past 20 years has shown that, in acute and chronic inflammation, the free radical superoxide is produced at a rate that overwhelms the capacity of the body's SOD enzyme defense system to remove them. Such an imbalance results in pain and damage to joints and tissues. Goji can restore the balance of the important anti-inflammatory SOD enzyme.
24. Support Your Liver
Goji contains a novel cerebroside that was shown to protect liver cells, even from highly toxic chlorinated hydrocarbons.
25. Treat Menopausal Symptoms
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, many menopause symptoms are ascribed to a deficiency of kidney yin. For ages, goji has been the yin tonic of choice to restore hormonal balance.
26. Prevent Morning Sickness
In China, goji in the form of a hot tea is commonly used by first trimester mothers to prevent morning sickness. Drinking this tea is a quick and effective remedy. It can be duplicated by combining two ounces of high-quality goji juice with hot water.
27. Improve Fertility
Goji has long been used by Asian physicians for the treatment of infertility in both men and women. In women, goji is said to have an unmatched ability to restore jing (reproductive essence). In men, goji polysaccharides have been found to extend the life of sperm cells, and also were shown to be potent inhibitors of stress-induced structural degradation and cell death in testicular cells.
28. Strengthen Your Muscles and Bones
Goji facilitates the secretion and release of hGH, which is responsible for many of the body's important maintenance, repair, and development functions. These include the production of lean muscle and the incorporation of calcium into bones and teeth.
29. Support Kidney Health
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the kidneys are the most important of all the vital organs, and they are believed to control the brain and other organs. Proper kidney function is considered to be essential to survival. Goji has a well-deserved reputation as a kidney supertonic, influencing both yin and yang.
30. Improve Your Memory
Goji is the premier "brain tonic" in Asia. It contains betaine, which is converted in the body into choline, a substance that enhances memory and recall ability.
31. Help Chronic Dry Cough
Goji is used by Chinese herbalists, either alone or combined with other herbs, for relieving coughs and wheezing.
32. Alleviate Anxiety and Stress
As an adaptogen, goji helps the body to adapt and to cope with stress. It provides the energy reserves to help you handle just about any difficulty.
33. Brighten Your Spirit
It is said that constant consumption of goji brings a cheerful attitude. In Asia, it is rightfully known as the "happy berry."
34. Improve Digestion
Goji has long been used in the treatment of atrophic gastritis, a weakening of digestion caused by reduced activity of stomach cells. Goji itself is easily digested, especially when taken in its highly bio-available juice form.