by Fabiana Santana for Everydayminerals.com
There seems to be a new miracle food revealed every day – drink this and get thin instantly, eat these and never grow old! It’s hard to decipher a super food from a super marketing campaign. But some foods do walk the walk. Take the goji berry. Ever since claims of its cellulite combating ability surfaced in Dr. Murad’s The Cellulite Solution, gojis have been on the “it” list. And you know what, it belongs there. This tiny little berry actually packs quite the healthy punch.
Goji berries are grown on a shrub in subtropic regions in China,
Mongolia, and the Himalayas in Tibet. There are varieties that are
home-grown right here in the states, but for optimal health
benefits, it is best to source out the original berries indigenous
to the aforementioned regions. There is the amazing tale of
Li Qing Yuen – a man who ate goji berries and drank goji juice
every day of his life – all 252 years of it. The story has never
been proven factual, but the amazing healthfulness of gojis
has.
Gojis are red berries usually found dried. They are rich in
beta-carotene and free radical fighting antioxidants. They
boost immune function in the body and increase alkalinity, creating
balance and aiding in liver function. Gojis contain nineteen
different amino acids, making them a complete protein source, and
mature berries can contain up to 11mgs of blood-bulling iron per
100 grams. And its all those antioxidants that actually help
fend off cellulite – they help to flush out waste and toxins from
the body, two of the causes that help bring on that dimpled-looking
skin.
The berries are tart and delicious on their own, but can be easily
added to bread and muffin mixes, smoothies and even rehydrated and
the soaked goji water used for tea or broths. And no need to hop
the next plane to Tibet. Gojis are easily found in natural and
health food stores.
