Goji Berries:

The History and Breakdown of Goji Berries

Goji berries (or wolf berries in the parlance of our times) have enjoyed a privileged place in oriental culture, having been used in traditional Asian medicine for thousands of years. But for many in the modern western world, however, the goji berry has remained a high priced health food store "secret."

Early healers
Some of the first healers to recognize the power of the goji berry were the Himalayans, who utilized the berries of the goji vine which flourished in the valleys of the Himalayas for thousands of years. These healers shared their knowledge of the goji berry and its powerhouse nutritional properties with the herbalists of Tibet, China, and India, who in turn took goji berries back home with them where they continued to spread the word about their nutritional power.

There are many varieties of goji berry, grown in many parts of the world, and as the popularity of the berry continues to grow, more and more varieties will likely appear as the vine is cultured for mass profit. But the most powerful and nutrient rich goji berries still come from the vines of Himalayan mountain valleys.

What's in the goji berry
The goji berry contains four individual polysaccarides, also known as phytonutrient compounds. These phytonutrient compounds direct and carry instructions used by the cells of the body to communicate with one another. These polysaccharides are often referred to by scientists as master molecules, due to their ability to control multiple functions of the body and its immune system.

The goji berries grown in the Himalayan valley exhibit a well balanced level of these various polysaccharides, having a greater nutrient density than berries grown elsewhere in the world.

There are many ways that the goji berry can be used in a healthy diet, including as supplements, juices, and the berries themselves. There are a lot of places to buy goji berries and goji juice as well, from traditional supermarkets to specialty and whole foods retailers.

If you would like to order some high quality goji berries, check out Dr. Ben Kim's site for his Authentic Tibetan goji berries:

Traditionally dried goji berries have a pleasant chewy texture, and taste like a cross between sweet cherries and plums. You can enjoy them straight out of the bag like we usually do, or you can add them to cold and hot cereals, smoothies, trail mixes, grain dishes, stews, and baked goods.

You can even add a handful of goji berries to a bottle of water and enjoy your water with a hint of goji sweetness; by the time you finish your water, you'll have soft and plump berries to gobble down.

For more information on these delicious and nutritious berries, visit Dr. Ben Kim's site.