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In the past decade or so, the Wolfberry has become one of the star children of the berry
family. It is widely sought after for its well marketed health benefits, especially
its anti-aging properties. Although the name 'Wolfberry' may not ring any bells, you probably
know the fruit by its commercial name: the Goji Berry.
ORIGIN
Before becoming popular in Europe and North America, the wolfberry saw traditional use
in both East Asian cuisine and medicine. It is a fruit native to southeastern Europe and
Asia. They are used to give soups flavor and are added to numerous meat and vegetable dishes.
As a medicine, it was commonly used to treat Yin deficiency in ancient China. Goji berry
benefits were also known about in Vietnam, Korea, and Japan.
ANTIOXIDANT
Another one of the Goji berry benefits is its role as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are
useful in lowering the risk for heart disease, as well as preventing many age related diseases
such as Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. This is because they minimize
damage from free radicals that injure cells and damage DNA.
In one study of mice fed with high fat diets, Goji berry intake showed decreased levels
of LDL, triglycerides, and total cholesterol.
Goji berry benefits also show protective effects on the oxidative stress and DNA damages in
a source of Vitamin A.
Vitamin A helps to boost immune function, protect vision, and prevent the risk for heart
disease. It has been shown to improve vision by enabling your eyes to better adjust to
light changes and keeping your eyes moist. Vitmain A also plays an essential role in
the proper muscle growth in children and teens.
In vitro studies have shown that extracts of the goji fruit have been able to destroy
cancer cells. Other than the antioxidants found in the goji, another goji berry benefit
is its rich source of Germanium, which is known to have anti-cancer properties. Organic
Germanium interacts with the body by triggering the immune system to produce natural killer
(NK) cells that act to fight cancer cells. Germanium also creates an oxygen-rich condition
in the body which cancer cells find hard to thrive in.