Goji Berries

The Goji Berry is the most recognizable name for this fruit from China. In India, they are known as Wolfberries and have been used medicinally for 6,000 years in Chinese, Tibetan, and Ayurvedic Medicine.

Goji berries are native to Central Asia, specifically the Himalayan Mountains, where they grow in a few specific regions. They are typically eaten raw or made into juice, wine, or tea. Goji berries are also commonly eaten as a snack or added to recipes, and they are made into powders, capsules, tablets, teas, and tinctures for medicinal purposes.

These berries fall into the nightshade family, with over 2,800 species found in foods, herbs, shrubs, and trees. Many have heard of nightshades, foods that can be problematic for some due to specific alkaloids that can affect nerve-muscle and joint function and digestion. Although nightshade foods (potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, tamarinds, pepinos, pimentos, paprika, cayenne, and tabasco sauce) are the first considered, they are best known as drugs, including mandrake, tobacco, and belladonna, and are even found in one of Ayurveda's favorite herbs, Ashwagandha.

Goji berries are considered a superfood (a nutrient-rich food beneficial for health and well-being) because of their antioxidant and adaptogenic (helping the body adapt to its needs, bringing balance to physical, mental, and emotional stress) properties. They improve circulation and cell growth, are a natural detoxificant for the kidneys and liver, have low glucose levels, improve vision, and help to fight cancer and other infectious diseases. Additionally, their use increases fertility in women and improves sexual function in men; overall, it increases energy, improves mental focus and acuity, and enhances calmness and sleep.

Ayurvedic Energetics

Elements: Air & Earth

Sweet, sour, and warming

Doshic Balance: Vata, Pitta, & Kapha equally

Bio-medical actions: Nutritive, adaptogenic, antioxidant, blood tonic, livotonic, and rebuilds fluids.

Suggest dosage: 6-18g