The Goji Story

Deep in the valleys of the Himalayan mountains of Tibet and Mongolia, there grows a red berry about the size of a small grape. This berry, known locally as the goji berry, is celebrated by the locals in two-week-long festivals every year. Revered for thousands of years as a great healer, natural anti-aging supplement and nutritional staple, the goji berry, along with its juice, is just now sweeping its way into Western consciousness.

So the story goes. But what exactly is the deal with goji juice and goji berries? Are they worth your time and money? Read on for the low down on this hyped up little berry.

The Species Debate

Goji berries are a part of a larger family of berries known as Lycium (their Latin name), but some say the local growers in Tibet and Mongolia make a clear distinction between their goji berries (Lycium eleganus barbarum) and other berries in the same family - for example, Lycium chinense. Altough many botanists do not differentiate between Lycium barbarum, Lycium chinense and Lycium europeaum, my research indicates that they are in fact distinct. Certain sources claiming that L. barbarum is superior in nutritional content and healing properties may in fact be doing so as a marketing ploy, however. One plant database noted that most people who claim they are growing L. chinense are actually selling L. barbarum. Currently the Wikipedia entry for wolfberry notes that the difference between the two varieties is that the L. chinense variety is a shorter bush. Another source described the L. chinense variety as having a more tart taste.

The truth is, many of the common goji berries sold on the market may very well differ in genetic makeup, but a more thorough investigation is needed to conclude as to whether one is more nutritious than the others. In fact, the methods used for growing the berries may have just as much to do with their nutritional content. For example, organic fruits and vegetables have been proven to contain significantly higher levels of nutrients and antioxidants.

In conclusion, despite the conflicting information available on the Internet about L. barbarum and L. chinense, primarily, it is known that there are many plants in the Lycium family, some of which contain delicious and quite possibly universally nutritious berries (though you would have to do an analysis to find out).

Buying Goji Juice or Berries

Goji berries and goji juice can now be purchased from a variety of companies, some of which claim to source the berry from its native region of Tibet and Mongolia. One company, The Tibetan Goji Berry Company, claims that it is the only company selling authentic goji berries, and claims that all other berries are totally different, and mostly the L. chinense variety. However, Wikipedia, for one, notes that the L. chinense variety of the berry is grown primarily in southern China, and the L. barbarum variety is grown widely in northern China. Whatever the case, most of the berries you get on the market today are grown in China. Although, I have found one grower in the United States so far, but there are probably more. Many of these berries are also supposedly organically grown (though organic standards in China may be different than North America), but whether or not they are grown in fair trade circumstances (where the workers are paid fair wages) is unknown. Some of the more popular sellers acquire their berries from China, and although some companies claim to get all of their berries from Tibet or Mongolia and tout this as a selling point, it is hard to verify whether all of their berries do come from there, and if in fact it makes any difference.

The Benefits of Goji

In its native region, the goji berry is considered fundamental to a long and happy life. If not for the fact that many of the people in these regions where goji berries are eaten frequently are largely free of arthritis, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and many other ailments common to the West, this claim may be easy to dismiss. To be sure, many other factors may contribute to the fact that people in these areas frequently live to be over 100 years of age, but recent studies concerning goji berries may help shed light on just how much of this can be attributed to the berries.

Traditionally, in Asian medicine goji berries and goji juice have been used to nurture and strengthen the heart and the immune system, treat insomnia, boost energy, enhance sexual function, improve functioning of the liver, increase visual and auditory receptivity, decrease forgetfulness, lethargy and anxiety and treat chi deficiencies, among other things.

Recently goji berries have been the subject of various scientific studies around the world, including in countries such as Mongolia, Japan, China, Switzerland and the United States. Results of these studies have been published in a number of scientific journals and medical databases. An especially intriguing find regarding Lyceum barbarum is the unique polysaccharides that have been isolated from the berries and used in several experiments. These molecules have been shown to significantly improve resistance to cancer and to have particularly promising anti-aging properties. For more information on these studies, visit the Science of Goji section of this site.

Despite being hailed as a natural healer and anti-aging supplement, the goji berry is also incredibly nutritionally dense and rather delicious. It is eaten commonly both fresh or dried alone, in cooking, cereal, trail mixes, and smoothies. Some people describe its taste as sweet with a slight tartness – somewhat like a cranberry except sweeter. The berries are high in iron, protein, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin E and many other things. It is worth learning about this in more detail in our Nutrition Information section.

So, the question is, is it worth it to buy goji berries or goji juice? There is no doubt that the berries contain extremely high levels of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial things, but whether or not they are the miracle fruit that many websites say they are is up to you to decide. Explore this website a little further, look at the studies, and decide for yourself.