Super Foods Part 1. THE BERRY KINGDOM

I expect that most people eat berries because they like the flavor of the berries, giving little or no thought to their nutritional value. As we will see shortly, not all berries are created equal. Some, like the strawberry, have very little dietary value while others, like the Goji berry, are packed vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and almost everything else that is good for you. In the second part of this book we will explore the nutritional benefits of leafy green vegetables, which, while not as tasty as berries, are also packed with nutritional value. Finally, in part three, we will explore the nutritional benefits of the fruits we eat. I know you will benefit from this ride through the world of foods we consume on a daily basis. Let’s begin our journey with the most nutritious berry of them all, the Goji berry.

1. The Magical Goji Berry

Of all the super foods, the Goji berry, also known as the wolfberry, has the longest and most renowned history. The health benefits of the Goji berry were first recognized by a doctor who was studying an ancient society in the remote mountains of the Himalayas. He found that many members of this social order lived for a hundred years or more without the usual signs of aging such as graying hair, loss of teeth and diminished eye sight.

Eventually, he recognized that most of these individuals lived near water wells which were over grown with Goji berry plants. He concluded that, as the berries ripened, they fell into the water where their ingredients dissolved in the liquid and subsequently consumed by the villagers who relied on the well for their daily water supply.

History also suggests that Professor Li Qing Yuen, the oldest person to have lived in recorded history, attributed his longevity to having consumed Goji berries every day of his life. Professor Yuen was born in 1678 and died in 1930, having lived 252 years. Yuen didn't live as long as Methuselah, but much longer than any other modern man. Li Qing Yuen twice received longevity awards from the Chinese government.

Whether this historical data is fact or fiction is open to debate; however, it is clear that the people residing in many of these ancient civilizations lived longer and healthier lives than those of us who live in the modern world. As we will see, modern research suggests that the healthful nutrients in the Goji berry play a role in their good health of people who lived in the remote areas of Tibet and China.

Today, in our modern world, many people who eat Goji berries daily have noticed improved eye sight, restoration of hair color, mood enhancement, improved energy levels, better sleeping habits, stronger immune function and more zest for life. Most importantly, Goji berries have a ROAC (Radical Oxygen Absorbance Capacity) of 25,300, one of the highest of any fruit, berry or vegetable. Here are some of the scientific facts that support the belief that Goji berries are the number one super food.

Protein: Goji berries are one of a handful of plant based foods that provide all of the building blocks for the essential proteins that the body cannot produce for itself. Meats contain these essential amino acids but the vast majority of vegetables do not.

 Eye health:  Goji berries are rich in zeaxanthin, the pigment that gives the berry its reddish color. People who consume Goji berries have a lower incidence of age related macular degeneration and other eye problems. Interestingly, the leaves of Goji berries, from which Goji berry green leaf tea is made, have all of the healthful ingredients present in the berry itself, except for zeaxanthin.  Thus, the leaves of the Goji berry are nearly as healthful as the berry itself.

Longevity and anti-aging properties: The Chinese have long associated the Goji berry with longevity. Modern research reveals that certain oils in the Goji berry, called sesquiterpinoids, increase the production of human growth hormone, the only compound that has been proven to produce an anti-aging effect in humans. As we age our production of growth hormone decreases, by consuming Goji berries one can compensate, at least in part, for the age induced decrease in this important anti-aging hormone.

Heart disease: The consumption of goji berries increases the level of the superoxide dismutase in the body. This enzyme prevents the oxidation of cholesterol. In its oxidized form cholesterol contributes to heart disease; thus, by eating Goji berries, or by drinking Goji berry green leaf tea, we  can lower our risk of heart disease.

Immune system: Goji berries contain three compounds that boost the immune system. The polysaccharides in the berries improve the overall function of the immune system while beta carotene stimulates the thymus gland. Germanium, and the other antioxidants, neutralize the free radicals in the body which cause mutations in our DNA and decrease the chance of developing cancer. DNA mutations also cause the cell damage associated with premature aging.

 The antioxidants in Goji berries include vitamin c, zinc and copper, which protect DNA from the harmful effects of free-radicals. In fact, Goji berries contain more antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetable. This is one of the primary reasons Goji berries are classified as a Super Food.

Auto immune disorders: One in five of us suffer from an auto immune disorder in which our immune system attacks our own healthy cells rather than the bacteria and viruses that invade our bodies. The polysaccharides contained in Goji berries provide specialized sugars that help our immune system distinguish between normal and abnormal invading cells.

Finally, goji berries are rich in minerals. Some, called trace elements (copper, zinc, magnesium, phosphorous, germanium and selenium) are needed only in tiny amounts; others like iron and calcium are needed in larger amounts. Goji berries and their leaves supply all of the essential minerals necessary for good health.

Availability So why do you have to buy dried Goji berries, which are mostly produced in China under very questionable agricultural conditions? The answer is quite simple, fresh Goji berries are extremely perishable and begin to deteriorate the minute they are removed from the vine. Basically, they turn to mush a few hours after they are picked. I am presently experimenting with ways to preserve Goji berries so that they can be marketed fresh.

Fortunately, as mentioned above, except for zeaxanthin, the compound that gives the Goji berry its reddish color and is important in the prevention and treatment of eye disease, all of the beneficial compounds of the berry also are found in Goji berry green leaf tea.

Possible harmful effects People taking blood thinners like warfarin should not consume Goji berries, otherwise they are safe for anyone to eat.

This chart summarizes some of the most significant nutritional data on Goji berries. These figures are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrient	Serving size 1 ounce % daily value	Serving size 1/4 cup % daily value
Vit. A (antioxidant)	50%	180%
Vit. C	9%	30%
Calcium	3%
Iron	14%	15%
Riboflavin	21%
Selenium	25%
Copper	28%
Protein	6%
Fiber	19%

Possibly the most significant information provided on this chart is the exceptionally high content of vitamin A in Goji berries. Vitamin A is essential for good eye sight and is one of the bodies most powerful antioxidants.

In the next chapter I will discuss the nutritional value of blueberries. Goji berries and blueberries both derive health benefits from their high levels of antioxidants which protect the body from the free radicals that damage your cells and play a major role in the development of heart disease, accelerate the signs of aging and increase the chances of developing cancer. Goji berries contain ten times more antioxidants than blueberries.

The propagation of Goji Berries. Goji berries are relatively easy to grow in temperate climates such as we have in California. The Goji berry can be grown from seeds or cuttings. Perhaps the easiest way to grow a Goji berry plant is to transplant one of the suckers that invariably come up around the mother plant.

Cultivating the Goji Berry plant. Goji berry plants can be grown in almost any soil but do better in well-drained soil rich in organic material. Goji berry plants should be grown on a trellis. I employ a three wire trellis, the first wire being about 18 inches from the ground. The second two 16 gage zinc coated wires are positioned 16 and 32 inches above the initial wire. The plants are spaced about six feet apart in rows that are six to eight feet apart.

As the plants develop they are tied to the wires with  garden twine. It is important to limit the number of branches that are allowed to develop from each vine, two to four at the most. The remaining shoots should be cut off at ground level. The tiny purple flowers and subsequent berries develop from new shoots each year, not old growth, so the plants should be pruned accordingly each fall. The berries will be few in number and small the first year but you can expect a decent crop the second year and each year thereafter. A Goji plant will thrive and produce fruit for many years. Unfortunately, not all Goji berry plants are equally productive. Therefore, the best way to propagate Goji berry plants is to take cuttings from plants that are producing large amounts of fruit.

The biggest problem you will encounter raising Goji berries is the damage to the crop caused by birds. My entire berry patch is  covered with plastic netting, top and sides, to keep the birds from getting to the crop. If you are only growing a few plants a half inch netting may be placed over each plant. You also can review the pertinent data on the internet to learn how others have tried to keep the birds from eating their ripe Goji berries.

Goji berry plants are relatively resistant to disease except for powdery mildew which must be controlled by frequent spraying with an appropriate fungicide like liquid sulfur.