The Goji berry (common willow) or Lycium barbarum belongs to the group of plants with the general collective name "wolfberry". By the way, not all plants in this group have a toxic effect on humans: their individual species, such as goji, have unique healing properties. The Goji berry is a perennial deciduous shrub (family Solanaceae) with lilac, purple or brown flowers and thin thorns.
When ripe, the berries acquire an oblong oval shape and an intense red color. Asia is considered the birthplace of goji berries, that is, the fertile lands of the Himalayan mountain valleys and Tibet. Today, the berry extends into the territory of almost every continent on Earth: Eurasia, America, North Africa and even Australia. But it should be noted that the goji berries from the fertile lands of the Ningxia Plateau (China) have the most beneficial properties.
In this area, the earth receives a natural fertilizer rich in minerals, the loess, which is brought from the mountains by the waters of the Yellow River. Throughout the history of the human use of goji, the berry was titled with several epithets, such as: "berry of love", "source of longevity", "berry of happiness", "red diamond", "berry of paradise" "," fruit of the desired longevity "," Tibetan barberry ". And also, they assigned several popular names - "dereza b谩rbara", dormoros, field jasmine, deribas, pryatnik and others.
There is a myth about why goodling in Asia is called goji berry. The story happened during the war in the Ningxia province of ancient China in the family of the peasant Gou Tzu. When the head of the family was summoned for a long war with the invaders, his wife and mother Gou Zi were left without food, and hunger and death broke out. They survived only because Qi (a peasant's wife) picked berries in thorny bushes that grew on the southern slope of Mount Aromatnaya, and used them for cooking.
The "berries of longevity" (also called goji) include: vitamins C (ascorbic acid) and B, zinc, phosphorus, iron, copper, selenium, germanium, calcium, beta-carotene, thiocyanates, antioxidants, amino acids, subsaccharides, glycosinolates, flavonoids and Steroid saponins, thiamine, zeaxanthin, riboflavin.
Since ancient times, the goji berry in Chinese medicine has been used to increase libido in women and men, as well as to elevate mood and improve well-being in stressful situations. It is believed that this plant contributes to the fight against cancer cells, improves immunity and prolongs life. In addition, goji berries contribute to the treatment of diseases of the kidneys, liver, eyes, reproductive system, reduce blood sugar levels and relieve prolonged insomnia.
They also prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease and diabetes, restore hormonal balance, urinary functions, improve the nervous system, tone, eliminate the negative effects of menopause and increase melatonin levels, strengthen the lungs, avoid the liver fat and improve the hematopoietic system. With the help of goji, you can get rid of headaches and dizziness. A set of useful substances of this plant also helps the human body to produce an antioxidant superoxide dismutase with a weak hypotensive effect, which contributes to the effect of drugs in the human body.
You can add the list of beneficial properties of goji berries and the oppression of candidiasis, pathogenic Escherichia coli and inflammatory processes. After studying the Goji berries in known research centers and identifying a unique combination of vitamins, macro and microelements in their composition, the celebrities of the world (for example, Steven Spielberg, Oprah Unfri) began to publicize it and use it in the production of your branded products. Levels of resistance.
A well-publicized means to lose weight, the goji berry became after many nutritionists unanimously declared, "the goji berry contributes to weight loss without active efforts." They point out that the plant improves metabolism and blood circulation, decreases the level of harmful cholesterol and accelerates the breakdown of fat cells. In addition to the berries in modern medicine uses leaves, bark and roots of shrubs.
Due to the fact that the Goji berry accelerates cell division in the human body (including the skin), it is used in cosmetology to achieve a rejuvenating effect. Namely, add to the composition of creams, lotions and other products for skin care.
Thanks to the pleasant bittersweet taste, the berry has become a very popular ingredient in several soups, which are on the menu of well-known respectable restaurants. You can add tea, fruit salads, rice dishes, muesli and yogurt. There is a legend that even Chinese emperors served dishes at the table, which included goji berries.
It is not recommended to use goji berries in the diet or to use medicines based on them in case of individual intolerance to this plant. In addition, it is contraindicated during pregnancy, during breastfeeding and in children up to three years. And besides, you can not use more than 25 grams of berries per day, this can cause the opposite effect to the therapeutic effect.
