Goji Juice

[Heaven]

I've bought fresh goji berries from a health food shop here so you can find them if you want! I think they were pretty expensive though.

[Neenee Jellybeanie]

my goji juice actually was 30 dollars for 16 serves lol.

[satya]

My mum takes the berries. She's had inflamatory breast cancer twice and read somewhere that they can help with cancer. I don't know if they've done her any good or if it was the conventional treatment that helped her but she's doing very well right now.

[dragonphoenix]

OK folks, here's the truth about Goji...

Yes it is a wonderfully healthy fruit - after all, what fruit isn't?! But too much of a good thing......

The health claims about Goji Berries (aka Gou Qi Zi in Mandarin, Wolfberry in the common parlance, due to its botanical name, Lycium) are based upon their use in Chinese Herbal/Dietary Medicine.

But here's the catch - we only use them in combination with other herbs. Herbal remedies in CM are poly-pharmaceutical, meaning that there are always combinations of herbs prescribed in what is generally referred to as a "formula" (not to be confused with the synthetic chemical breast-feeding alternative of the same name). So the incredible health benefits used as the marketing hype/spin are based upon their use in CM, which generally only work synergistically with other herbs in the formula. So what you find is that one of its specific health benefits comes out when combined with some other herbs, while other functions will occur when prescribed with a different combination of herbs.

having said that, the berries are good for you - but like I said, only in moderation.

And seriously, the best place to get them from is Chinese Grocers. I am constantly amazed at how much people are paying for them in Health Food stores and the like. Also, there is huge variation among different strains of the trees as to the medicinal/health properties of the berry (not to mention the conditions they are grown in). Brian May over at RMIT is doing some amazing research into strains of Goji that are high in active ingredients, for commercial cropping use here in Australia (to provide quality, organic, herbs for the local CM market).

generally speaking, a handful of dried Gou Qi Zi (kinda like when you eat sultanas or raisins) is good for your digestive system and for the eyes. But again I have to qualify - everything in moderation. 3-4 times weekly, best added into your porridge in the morning.

Hope this helps.....