Goji Berries

[unhappyfarang]

Being a health food nut I am very interested in any new products that come along. At the moment Goji Berries seem to be the new superfood in town. (here in the uk). They are also heavily marketed with some wild claims about the benefits of consuming them. One day I read an article about how good they are for you, then another day I read an article saying that they're not so good. They're pretty expensive too.

Anybody here able to enlighten me?

[rak sa_ngop]

I sprinkle a few dry berries in my morning cereal. You can buy them in Chinatown BKK for about 250 baht a kilo (sealed packets of 500gms). Quite a bit cheaper then silly UK prices.

[Ulysses G.]

From all the reading I have done, I think that they are all hype. I did drink the fresh juice for a few months, but noticed no health changes or benefits. Most likely, they are a waste of money!

Edited July 20, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[Beardog]

Although they probably do have benifitial values, I think it is the flavor of the month by all the multi marketing companies. They are reaping huge profits on this miracle berry- so I got to wonder if it is that real or is it more hype. The Japanese are some of the most healthiest people on the planet(short of Nagasaki & Hiroshima) & they have not been using the Goji berries as bible material...........things that make you go Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[rken]

I don't know about the health benefits but there good.

[Sheryl]

Excessive hype and exaggerated claims to be sure, but they are quite nutritious, as are other berries. They have long been used in traditional Asian medicines (Chinese, Tibetan, Korea) Tibetan medicine, I believe as sort of a general "tonic", which makes sense given their high nutrient value.

The leaves and bark have also been used in traditional medicine as a treatment for some diseases and there is some preliminary evidence to suggest that the bark does in fact have some bacteriocidal properties, but this is the bark, not the berries themselves.

A lot of claims have been made about possible beneficial effects of the berries beyond just their nutrient content due to their high antioxidant content and there has been some research done which looks potentially promising but is not yet conclusive. The possible benefits being explored do not, of course, remotely live up to the exaggerated claims being made commercially.

In short, these and other berries are tasty and nutritous, they may have some other benefits as well but too soon to say. By all means eat them if you like them, they'll contribute to good nutritional status, but don't expect miracles from doing so.

[BSJ]

Just don't pay too much for them! Not related: One flim flam man tried to sell me Mona Vie for Au$42 a bottle. After I finished laughing I told him to truck off! What a moron.

Edited July 29, 2008 by BSJ

[Ulysses G.]

In short, these and other berries are tasty and nutritous, they may have some other benefits as well but too soon to say. By all means eat them if you like them, they'll contribute to good nutritional status, but don't expect miracles from doing so.

Excellent advice!