The Himalayas are the highest mountain range on Earth. Covered in snow and ice at its higher elevations, its lower elevations draped with gorgeous, unspoiled rainforests and lush valleys. It’s here that the Himalayan goji plant (Lycium barbarum L.) grows. The ecosystems of the Himalayas are incredibly rich and diverse, unspoiled and containing abundant life-giving minerals, that the goji plants concentrate in their nutrient-dense berries — causing such a stir in the natural health community.

At the higher elevations all plants naturally concentrate more nutrients to better absorb the energy from the powerful rays of the sun. When you eat the goji berry or drink the juice, that energy is transferred to your body. Goji is considered to be one of the world’s most nutritionally dense foods.

Goji contains these unique properties and phytonutrient compounds:

1. Polysaccharides that are of great importance to the smooth functioning of virtually every cell in the body. They are the carriers of the instructions that cells use to communicate with one another.

2. Nineteen amino acids, including all eight essential amino acids (such as isoleucine and tryptophan) which are indispensable to the function of the human body. Fifty percent of Kycium’s amino acids are free amino acids, and are extremely bioabsorbable.

3. More protein than whole wheat. A total of 13 percent protein.

4. B-complex vitamins, needed for the transformation of food into energy.

5. A broad spectrum of antioxidant nutrients. This includes flavonoids, zeaxanthin (an eye protectant) and beta-carotene (in higher concentrations than in carrots. Lycium has the

highest content of beta-carotene among all foods on earth).

6. A higher concentration of vitamin C than oranges (according to herbalist Ingrid Naiman, 500 times more per ounce).

7. Contains substantial amounts of vitamin E.

8. Beta-sitosterol, a substance that decreases inflammation and has been successfully used to alleviate sexual impotence. It has also been found to alleviate the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, prostate enlargement). This might explain why goji juice has been reported to help improve urine flow and help BPH patients sleep longer without having to get up to urinate.

9. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) for the production of hormones, regulation of inflammation, and for proper nervous system function.

10. A sesquiterpene called cyperone, which has been found to benefit heart health, lower blood pressure, alleviate menstrual discomfort, and also a promising natural therapy for cervical cancer.

11. A powerful anti-fungal and anti-bacterial compound called solavetivone.

12. A natural compound called physalin that increases natural killer cell activity in both normal and tumor-bearing mice. It has been shown to be active against leukemia and to have broad-spectrum anti-cancer effects. Physalin is also being tested as a therapy for hepatitis B.

13. Betaine, which is used by the liver to produce choline, a substance that, when taken in supplemental form, calms nervousness, enhances memory, promotes muscle growth, and protects the liver against fatty accumulation. Along with other B vitamins, betaine helps to reduce levels of the (harmful to the heart when in excess) amino acid, homocysteine.

14. Twenty-one trace minerals, including germanium (vitamin O), an anti-cancer mineral very rarely found in foods. Germanium can help to eliminate or neutralize toxic substances, including heavy metals and free radicals, both of which are strongly implicated in causing age-related and chronic diseases. It has been studied for its radioprotective (radiation protection) and immunoenhancement (immune system building) properties, and even shows promise as an anti-arthritic supplement.

Several studies have been performed to evaluate the effects of germanium on the development of artery plaque (atherosclerosis) that lead to heart attack and stroke. Germanium has been found to prevent liver injury inflicted by excess oxidation.

Everyday exposure to toxins and poor diet can lead to the overproduction of free radicals in the liver. In one study, cancer patients on chemotherapy were given goji berries as part of their everyday diet. The berries’ selenium and germanium content significantly reduced chemotherapy induced free radical damage to their livers.

Goji Reasearch

1. In vitro studies show that goji berries kill many kinds of cancer cells, probably by inhibiting their ability to divide and produce more cancer cells.

2. One study found that cancer patients who ate goji berries had 58 percent slowing of tumor growth compared to controls.

3. A study from the Hubei Medical University in China showed that a purified component of goji polysaccharides dramatically enhanced the ability of mice to swim for long periods and to increase the amount of exercise they could do.

4. Molecules from goji berries were found to inhibit the oxidation of “bad” LDL cholesterol in a study by another group of Chinese researchers. LDL oxidation is believed to be one of the primary factors in artery damage that leads to heart disease.