Goji Juice And Other Goji Products

Goji berries are the fruit of two plants which belong to the Lycium genus, namely Lycium barbarum and Lycium chinense. They can both natively be found in southeastern Europe and in Asia. The Goji plant has spearhead-like leaves which have an average length of 7 centimeters. When it blooms (June to September), it has beautiful purple flowers from which, some months later (August to October), the red ellipsoid-shaped berry emerges.

Cultivation of this plant is pretty heavy in China, as it is a fruit which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. You will probably very often come across the names "Himalayan Goji" and "Tibetan Goji". These are purely marketing terms and have no real relationship to the plant's geographic origin, as most cultivation is not done in Tibet but in other areas of China.

The Goji berry has become very popular lately due to its claimed health benefits, which have been, and still are, an object of great controversy. Some of these benefits seem to have been clinically confirmed while others are still under research. I will not become involved in this controversy since this is beyond the scope of this hub, which simply aims to present some Goji berry products.

In contrast to health benefits, there has been no controversy around the nutrients contained in Goji berries. They contain 6 vitamins, numerous trace minerals, all 8 essential amino acids and many more micronutrients. Goji juice retains these nutrients and the great taste of the berries while being more convenient to consume and more refreshing. A great variety of Goji juices have hit the market, ranging from blends (i.e. containing other juices as well) to 100% Goji berry juice and even organic (certified, mostly) juices. I found a brief overview of some of the available products here. They are a rather expensive commodity, so you should probably think twice before buying this juice if you don't have much money to spare as other, more conventional fruits, can offer you many of the nutrients contained in Goji juice at a much lower price.

Goji berries are usually found dried, in relatively small 8 to 16 ounce packages. Their taste is bittersweet and their texture strongly resembles that of raisins. Goji berry extracts have also been combined with green tea to create an antioxidant bomb. They can also be found in natural, non-toxic skin products which promise great anti-aging results. You can plant your own Goji berry plant in your backyard, since seeds can be found. They are cheap, too. This last one's kind of a bonus: I recently spotted chocolate cookies withGoji berries inside them, they seem to be a very healthy and tasty snack.

As you can see, these berries come in many forms and can easily be integrated into your diet or personal care routine. I would appreciate it if you could take a second and answer the poll below.