Benefits of Goji Juice Blog

The Anti-Cancer Properties of Selenium

Selenium is a trace mineral found in foods such as Brazil nuts, walnuts and, you guessed it, goji berries. The mineral acts as an antioxidant, helping to neutralize free radials that damage cells and cause cancer.

Research has now shown that low levels of selenium in the blood may also mean an increased risk of prostate cancer for men. In a 2001 study, for example, researchers tested selenium levels in blood samples of 52 men with prostate cancer. The men had provided blood samples before and after they were diagnosed with prostate cancer. This group of men was compared with 96 other men who were healthy, and who had had their selenium blood levels tested periodically.

It was found that the risk of prostate cancer was significantly higher in the men who had the lowest selenium levels in their blood. Low selenium was in fact determined to lead to a four to five times increase in the risk of getting prostate cancer.

This study is only one of the many studies that prove selenium has anti-cancer properties in general. And the good thing about getting a dose of selenium in goji berries is that it has been found that the mineral has a synergistic effect when used with vitamin E, which goji berries also contain.

I am beginning to get more and more amazed at just how useful these goji berries are. If not for the fact that there are so many species of berries in the world, it would be hard to believe that nature actually created such a magnificently useful berry with such an amazing arsenal of healing and natural anti-aging properties.

Germanium: Another Important Compound in Goji Juice

One of the compounds found in goji berries that is highly active in the fight against cancer and other ailments in the human body is germanium. This naturally occurring element has been found to have unique properties. Its atoms are somewhat odd, in that out of its 32 electrons, any one of the four in the outer shell tend to leap out of its orbit when approached by atoms of other substances.

Cancer cells, of course, are quite different from the healthy cells in a human body. The electrical potential at the cell wall is unusually high compared to a healthy cell. This is one of the reasons why cancer cells multiply so fast. When germanium is ingested, as in the case of eating goji berries or drinking goji juice, or injected, the compound deprives cancer cells of its electrons. This, apparently, reduces the cancer’s electrical potential. This is known as a dehydrogenation reaction and it seems that it has the potential to slow or stop the activities of cancer cells.

Germanium has also been found to help stave off the effects of radiation treatment. Some sources go as far as to say that radiation sickness can actually be prevented when germanium is taken in sufficient amounts (too much germanium, like most things, is not good for someone, however). Gamma rays (used in radiation treatment) emit electrons that destroy cancer cells, but unfortunately, they also destroy red and white blood cells. This sometimes even leads to patients dying. Recent studies have found that the atoms of germanium fasten securely to red blood cells and protect them from oncoming electrons, causing them to bypass the cell via repulsion.

It must be cautioned that germanium is not a cure-all compound, and that intake of too much germanium has been found to have very negative results. Inorganic germanium has been shown in studies to be poisonous in large doses, and there is evidence that organic germanium, taken in supplement form (it would be near impossible to overdose by eating any food) can also cause severe problems. So, although germanium can be very beneficial if consumed in moderation in foods such as goji berries, my research indicates that most doctors would agree that it is not necessary to take actual supplements, unless advised by a doctor in conjunction with cancer therapy or some such thing.

That being said, I also feel it is important to note that there is no danger of overdosing on anything by consuming goji berries, or any other edible berry. Of course, you don’t want to eat too much of anything – the middle path is always the best path to take – but they are just a berry, albeit one with unusually high levels of nutrients and beneficial compounds.

Living Up to the Functional Food Hype: Goji Juice, Acai Berry, Sea Buckthorn

One of the first things that attracted me to goji juice, and goji berries specifically, was their amazingly high level of antioxidants. Antioxidants are defined as "compounds that protect against cell damage inflicted by molecules called oxygen-free radicals, which are a major cause of disease and aging."

The standard test for measuring the level of antioxidants in a food is called the ORAC test - standard ever since the US Department of Agriculture adopted it as its measure of antioxidants. ORAC tests generally measure foods in terms of units per 100 grams.

Now, there have been a lot of "super foods" that have been claimed to have high levels of antioxidants, as well as whatever other magical benefits these foods have been claimed to have. Noni juice comes to mind. The main company selling noni juice apparently reached sales of over $2 billion last year. Unfortunately, it seems that products like this have desensitized people to claims of outstanding health benefits of certain foods. The first wave of these "functional food" products, which involved noni juice, was fueled by quite a lot by hype. There wasn't yet a lot of scientific research backing a lot of the things that were on the market. To give you an idea of the antioxidant power of noni, for example, its ORAC rating is 1,506. High, but not unheard of high. Black raspberries have a rating of 7,700, prunes have a rating of 5,770, pomegranates have a rating of 3,307, and raisins have a rating of 2,830. These are the highest ORAC ratings for the foods we commonly consume in North America and Europe. Goji berries have an ORAC rating of 25,300 (another test showed a rating of 30,500, so it seems to depend on the species/cultivar/growing conditions). Goji juice itself may have a higher ORAC rating than even the berries if it is concentrated.

So, after the market for health foods really took off, people in Asia and other parts of the world saw the opportunity to promote some foods that actually ARE of tremendous nutritional value compared to the fruits we traditionally eat in the West. Then came the goji berry, and the acai berry, and now, the sea buckthorn berry (sea berry) is beginning to grow in popularity. These fruits are actually backed by extensive scientific research. Some of the compounds in goji berries, for instance, drew a lot of attention from the scientific community because they are known anti-cancer agents. Acai berry also garnered some serious scientific scrutiny, as did sea buckthorn. The later has been quite popular in parts of Europe and Asia for sometime, and unlike the goji berry and the acai berry, which require somewhat warmer climates (especially the acai), it can be grown anywhere in North America.

But anyway, my point is this: if you have been generally put off by the hype of the functional food industry that has failed to deliver on its outrageous claims in the past, you might want to check into some of these new foods with more seriousness. Just research the polysaccharides found in goji berries a little. Go to the PubMed medical database and type in lycium barbarum and you’ll be surprised at what you see.

Goji Juice: Sorting the Truth From the Myth

Recently, I have taken an interest in a small red berry that is native to Asia and has been used in traditional Asian medicine for thousands of years. Now, I'm not one to just develop an interest in any old thing. The reason for my interest in this berry stems from the fact that recent scientific studies have shown some truly remarkable results in terms of its anti-aging and anti-cancer properties.

The berry, known as the goji berry or the wolfberry, contains not only ridiculously high levels of antioxidants (more than any foods we eat in the West, including those thought to be high in antioxidants), but it also contains unique polysaccharides. These are complex forms of carbohydrates, and the ones found in goji berries have been shown in studies to have amazing anti-cancer and natural anti-aging properties. These facts, combined with the fact that the berries are incredibly nutritionally dense and packed full of other anti-aging agents, has drawn a lot of attention to the goji berry in science and in the media (it has been featured on Oprah) and a market has begun to flourish for the berries. However, after extensive research online, I have noticed that much of the information on the Internet is complete hype and that many companies are making some pretty outrageous claims. It is thus hard to sort out the truth from the lies, and so, I have created this blog, along with a website at www.gojijuices.net, to sort the real information (credible scientific studies) from pure myth and hype.

I am convinced that the goji berry is a truly remarkable natural anti-aging supplement, and just plain good for you. I have bought a 4-month supply of the berries in fact, and am enjoying the extra energy boost this has provided for me and my partner. And so, I hope to bring more awareness of this amazing fruit to the world, for as it becomes more popular, its price will go down and more people will be able to enjoy its benefits.