Goji berries: benefits and harms, chemical composition, contraindications, how to brew fruits, role in losing weight

The content of the article

1 Features of the fruit
2 Legends
3 Composition
4 The properties
5 Role in weight loss
6 Contraindications

Superfoods - a concept that is so firmly rooted in everyday life that it is already used without quotes. It brings together a group of exotic products, concentrating, according to experts, a huge number of useful properties. This is a kind of "pill of nature." One of them was the "Tibetan barberry." The influential and strict doctor Mehmet Oz sings the praises of him. French dietitian Pierre Ducane advises taking goji berries for weight loss. By virtue of these fruits, even such a skeptic as Elena Malysheva believed.

Features of the fruit

The fruits are picked from the bush. In the post-Soviet space, it is known as the ordinary dereza. It can reach up to 4 m in height. During the flowering period, it produces flowers of lilac, purple or brown shades. Since the fruits have an oval oblong shape, red with a coral color, in appearance they are similar tobarberry.

The fruits are home to Asian lands, namely, the valleys of mountain systems such as the Himalayas and Tibet. Today they are grown not only in Asia, but also in Europe, Australia and even in African countries. But the most quality and healthy are the berries collected in the Ningxia region, which is in China.

Legends

There is a story about why goji berries got that name. He talks about the Chinese peasant Gou Zi. The man had to go to war. His mother and wife remained in the house. The women did not have food. They still managed to save a life. The peasant's wife gathered fruits from bushes that grew near the house for food. It was they who saved the family from starvation.

One of the legends tells that during the reign of the Tang Dynasty in one of the Buddhist temples, members of the community had excellent health. At 80, there was not a single gray hair on their heads, and their skin was radiant. As it turned out, they drank water from a well near which bushes with goji fruits grew.

The following legend tells of a caravan that followed the Silk Road. The caravan, making a stop, saw a quarrel between a woman and an old man. Travelers had to intervene. They began to find out the cause of the quarrel, and it turned out that a young woman beat an elderly man for refusing to drink an infusion of healing berries. But most of all, the caravaners were amazed at the words of a woman who claimed to be reasoning with her great-grandson. Her age was 300 years.

Composition

Alternative medicine experts Earl Mendell and Rick Handel claim that goji berries contain more than 30 nutrients and 19 amino acids. They emphasize that in many products of plant origin there is no such variety of components.

The calorie content of the fruit is 253 kcal per 100 g. The latest research allows you to approximately determine the composition of the "Tibetan barberry".

Vitamins. Fruits contain high doses of vitamins C, A and E. Ascorbic acid helps fight infections and viruses, strengthens the immune system.
Minerals. The composition of the fruits is 21 minerals. These are iron, zinc, calcium, selenium, potassium, copper, chromium and others. They are indispensable for the growth and development of muscle tissue, bones.
Amino acids. Fruits contain 18 amino acids, eight of which are irreplaceable. They contribute to the normalization of metabolism.They are necessary for the proper development of the body.
Carotenoids. Act as antioxidants. There are about five, including beta-carotene. They help reduce the risk of mutations that can trigger cancer.
Polysaccharides. Only out of eight. They are one of the main sources of energy. Thanks to them, using goji berries, you can establish the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
Monosaccharides. Six monosaccharides play the role of the main "feeding" for the brain. Based on the reviews of specialists, they help with strong mental and physical stress, restoring the balance of the body.
Fatty acid. They regulate the nervous system, charge the body with energy.

Research results show that goji fruits are 500 times higher in vitamin C than in oranges. Berries contain more carotene than carrots, and more iron (15 times) than spinach.

The properties

Fruits increase libido, potency. Chinese scientists from Wuhan University have determined that they are able to regulate the synthesis of sex hormones. Other useful properties of "red diamond" are listed.

Rejuvenation. Fruits are beneficial for the skin, as they contribute to the reduction of wrinkles, provide uniform color.
Liver cleansing. Normalize the process of excretion of bile.
Treatment for Nervous Disorders. Berries replace chemical antidepressants. Their intake helps to restore sleep patterns.
Vision improvement. University of Michigan experts have found that the zeaxanthin that protects the retina from age-related diseases.
UV protection. Australian scientists recommend the use of goji fruits to protect the skin from the negative effects of sunlight, to prevent early aging.

Goji berries have a list of indications for use that can be compared in size with a weighty encyclopedia. They are used to treat hair and skin, normalize weight, prevent the unpleasant effects of menopause, and lower blood sugar.

Role in weight loss

Producers and sellers focus on the fact that "Tibetan barberry" is a universal product. In the US and Canada, large-scale advertising campaigns are carried out that promote fruit juice. According to marketers, the product promotes the production of growth hormone. The body uses this hormone to burn fat.

Pierre Ducane argues that eating berries as part of a diet will increase the effect of weight loss. They contain a small amount of carbohydrates. The product is low in calories. Australian print media wrote that goji berries are good for women who suffer from cellulite.

There are no strict instructions for the use of fruits. Some sources argue that the daily dose should be 20-30 g, while others allow up to 50 g. There are different ways to use the fruit.

Infusion. Superfood has a specific sour-salty taste, so the infusion is especially popular - you can add sugar to it. 100 g of dried berries are taken and poured with hot water (0.5 l). After half an hour you can drink a drink. You can brew in smaller proportions, starting with a tablespoon.
Porridge. Taken cereals, rice or other cereals. "Tibetan barberry" is added immediately before eating.
Tea. Different varieties of green tea are taken and brewed with chopped fruits. You can add honey to the drink.

"Tibetan barberry" is added to soups, pilaf, smoothies, ice cream. It is consumed fresh and dried.

Contraindications

Since the product is still under study, the question of its safety is also open. It is definitely not recommended to be taken in the following cases.

Pregnancy. Fruits can thin the blood and cause bleeding.
Diabetes. Berries are incompatible with a number of antidiabetic drugs - they can enhance their effect and cause a number of side effects.
Lactation. In large quantities, the product causes diarrhea, bloating. Bowel problems may occur in the baby.
Oncology. As in the case of diabetes, the fruits enhance the side effects provoked by drugs.

Goji berries should not be taken for people with high or low blood pressure. Fruits not only thin the blood, but also constrict the blood vessels.

When buying goji berries, you should be vigilant. Under the guise of superfood, barberry or privet (wolfberry) fruits can be sold.