Goji Berries and Ningxia Wolfberry
China's Health Food is Rich in Protein, Vitamins and Sensible Sugars
Goji grown in the Ningxia province of China are rich in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, protein and healthy sugars that may support liver and pancreas and fight cancer.
The wolfberry is one of China’s favorite plants. Unlike green tea and ginseng, two of China’s most popular healing plants, the wolfberry is renowned for its medicinal properties and is also recognized for its place in the sustenance of generations of Chinese laborers and farmers. Today, it has a growing place in the Chinese and international economy, as the wolfberry (Lycium barbarum), also known as goji in other parts of Asia, is increasingly in demand in health markets for its nutrient-rich sweetness and its reputed ability to help with such varied symptoms as diabetes, liver problems, fatigue and energy levels, clarity of thinking, fighting cancer and more.
What’s in a Wolfberry?
Good wolfberries are a powerhouse of nutrition. The tiny red berries contain 18 of the 20 protein-building amino acids. They are also rich in complex polysaccharides, unique low-glycemic long-chain sugars which are currently being researched for their healing properties.
When grown under ideal conditions, wolfberries are rich in disease-preventing polyphenols and flavonoids and are over 20% fiber. They contain more vitamin C than oranges, more beta-carotene than carrots, more calcium than broccoli and more antioxidants than any other food.
The Most Potent Antioxidant Known
The ORAC scale was developed by researchers at Tufts University and is widely used to determine the antioxidant capacity of foods and vitamins.
Depending on the species of goji berry and the growing conditions, wolfberries score anywhere from 20,200 ORAC per 100g (“Chinese wolfberries”) to 30,000 ORAC per 100g (organic Ningxia wolfberries - see below), far outranking popular antioxidants like pomegranate (3,037 ORAC per 100g), blueberries (2,400 ORAC per 100g), kale (1,770 ORAC per 100g) and other fruits and vegetables. Even vitamin E, considered a powerful antioxidant, ranks only 3,309 ORAC per 100g - barely more than a tenth the antioxidant power of the Ningxia wolfberry.
The Wolfberry in China
Wolfberries have been consumed in China for centuries, as a staple food of one of the longest-living populations in the world. The wolfberry is one of three “national treasures” of Chinese medicine: the other two are green tea and ginseng.
The best wolfberries are grown in Ningxia, where the mineral-rich Yellow River and alpine temperatures ensure an ideal growing environment for Lycium barbarum L or Lycium barbarum var. Ningxia. Known for its superior medicinal properties, the Ningxia wolfberry is the only wolfberry included in the contemporary Chinese medical text The Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China.
Statues have been erected throughout China of the “goji girl” to commemorate the vital contribution of wolfberry harvesters to Chinese medicine and to the Chinese economy.
Research on the Chinese Wolfberry
In vivo immunology studies have shown positive results from the use of wolfberry polysaccharides (complex sugars from the wolfberry fruit). So has research on strength training and stamina.
Wolfberry polysaccharides, especially from the whole fruit, have shown desirable results in cholesterol studies, as well as supporting the health of the liver and pancreas. The complex sugars from Lycium barbarum have been shown to shrink cancerous tumors in vitro.
Caveat Emptor
As with any other health food or supplement, there is a range of quality among the companies trying to capitalize on today’s market for wolfberries in North America. Very few are importing non-irradiated, additive-free, organic Ningxia wolfberries. The origin, growing conditions and processing of wolfberries has a significant impact on the quality and benefits derived from any product to be found on store shelves.
Related articles: Three Healing Plants of China, Antioxidants and Free Radicals
Reference: Lawrence, Schreuder and Young, Discovery of the Ultimate Superfood, 2005.
More detailed analysis of research on the Ningxia wolfberry is available by email.
