Benefits of Goji Berries And How To Add them In Diet
Goji berries are small red fruits. Its scientific name is Lycium barbarum, and it comes from Tibet. Its use in traditional medicine in countries such as China, Korea, Vietnam, and even Japan dates back at least a millennium and a half. Benefits of Goji berries include medicinal, nutritional, and health. The berries have been exported to the West for a couple of decades, being used for their commercialization but above all to elaborate derived products, such as nutritional supplements and alternative medicines.
Goji Berries Properties
There are many principles of these fruits. One of the outstanding properties of Goji berries is that it is a powerful antioxidant because some of the nutrients such as lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin, vitamin C, and magnesium stand out for it.
In addition to vitamin C, an essential antioxidant and an enormous source of reinforcement of the immune system, it contains B vitamins, such as B1 (thiamine) and vitamin B2 (riboflavin or B2). Both are very important for the body since they participate in the formation and maintenance of the nervous system, and are necessary for the metabolism of nutrients.
Benefits Of Goji Berries
Among the benefits of Goji berries, it should be noted that they are used for various things, such as:
- Strengthen the immune system
- Protect eye health
- Healthy skin
- Strong hair
- Lower cholesterol
- Slow aging
- Protect cells
- Improve the respiratory system
- Take care of the heart
Goji Berries are also used as a supplement to lose weight. This is because they are low in sugars. But at the same time, although they have more calories than other fruits, they stimulate the burning of fats and help with the metabolism of glucose in the body, which is why it has become a complement for many people following a diet to lose weight.
Adding Goji Berries To Diet
Before seeing how to take them, it must be borne in mind that most nutritionists who recommend their consumption remember that 20 or 30 grams of these fruits are enough to obtain benefits from Goji berries’ properties.
However, when it comes to capsule format, its quantity ranges from 1 to 3 maximum of those consumed daily.
The berries can be taken alone, soaked to make them softer (since they are usually sold dried), they can be prepared as an infusion or added in smoothies and desserts.
Contradictions
Like many of the fruits that are beneficial to health, Goji berries have contraindications that must be taken into account, due to the dangers they can carry.
One of them is that if you are under any pharmacological treatment with anticoagulants, there is a risk of interaction, so we advise asking your doctor before starting to consume these berries, whether for nutritional, medicinal, or gastronomic purposes.
People with allergies to pollen and nuts may also be allergic to these fruits. Therefore, at the slightest symptom, stop consuming them, and always seek advice from a doctor or nutritionist about the risks affecting your health. The essential thing is that Goji berries are loaded with heavy and harmful metals such as cadmium, copper, lead, and pesticides.
