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Goji Berries & Juice

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Here in the UK, goji berries seem to be the current big thing in health foods. You can buy goji in a number of forms from dried berries through to juices and tinctures, even organic products. Some products are made from the whole berry, for example Total Goji 100 from Genesis Today.

All manner of extended health benefits are claimed for them. But exactly what are goji berries? And do they work?

What Is A Goji Berry?

The term goji berry refers to the Chinese wolfberry Lycium barbarum or Lycium chinense. The barbarum variety is usually associated with Tibet and the Himalayan regions. The plants are a vine like evergreen shrub which grow several feet high. The have light purple flowers and bright red berries.

The most commonly used wolfberry is the Tibetan variety, Lycium barbarum. Although the Tibetan berry appears to be the most popular in the West at the moment, there is much competition amongst the goji growing regions as to which produce the best fruit.

Health Uses

The wolfberry has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for many centuries. It is believed to have many important benefits including general strengthening of the immune system and longer life. It has only more recently come to the attention of Western culture where today you can buy it in natural, dried and juice forms from specialist health food shops as well as from online stores.

Claimed or implied benefits of goji berries, in either drink or dried form, cover the full spectrum of health issues. The most commonly reported effects seem to be generally improved health and vitality rather than any specific result.

The claims are very impressive: but does goji work?