Goji berries

Nutritional values

Curiosity

History

Thanks to their nutritional properties, Goji berries are considered able to counteract the signs of cellular aging. Goji berries would also help to restore a healthy and shiny hair and stimulate the functioning of the immune system.

In the medical and nutritional fields there is a standard test to measure the antioxidant power of foods, called the ORAC test (OxygenRadicalsAbsorbanceCapacity), acronym of "Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity". Goji berries subjected to the ORAC test gave really interesting results: to meet the daily requirement of ORAC units it is sufficient to consume only 20 grams of Goji berries a day.

Lyciumbarbarum is a plant native to a vast area of the Asian continent and more precisely to Tibet, Mongolia and the Chinese provinces of Ningxia and Xinjiang. The world's largest producer of goji berries is China.
The Western term "goji" has only been in use since the 21st century and derives from the simplified pronunciation of the Chinese "gou-qi-zi", which indicates Lycium berries; “zi” in fact means “seed”, or more specifically “berry”.

The fruit, gou-qi-zi, is first mentioned in the 500 AD work of the scholar Tao Hong-jing, “Ming Yi Bei Lu”. The botanical name Lycium barbarum was assigned by the well-known Swedish scholar, Linnaeus, in 1753. It is probable that this name derives either from the ancient southern region of Anatolia, Lycia, or from the Latin "lychnus", which means light or lamp, presumably due the shape and color of the fruit. The genus Lycium includes more than 100 species of deciduous or evergreen shrubs native to tropical or temperate areas of East and Southeast Asia, Asia Minor, Europe, South Africa and North America. Fifteen years later, in 1768, Phillip Miller named and described Lycium chinense for the first time in his book "Dictionary of gardening, botany, and agriculture".

These two species are apparently indistinguishable from each other, both morphologically and histologically. Lycium barbarum, as attested by the "Royal Horticultural Society", is known in many countries with different names, which vary according to the language and vernacular of the places of cultivation. The most commonly used English name for goji berries is "wolfberry"; the reason is not certain, but probably because the term "Lycium" recalls "lycos", which in Greek means "wolf". Other common names in English are "matrimony wine" and "the Duke of Argyll's Tea Tree", because the plant was introduced to England for the first time in the 18th century by Archibald Campbell, botanist and third Duke of Argyll.

Then we have: “Kuko” (Japan), “Kei tse” (Cantonese), “gugija” (Korean), “cu khoi” (Vietnam), “ga gèe” (Thai), “gouqi” (China) and “dretsherma ” (Tibet). In most countries, however, although many parts of the plant are used and processed, the fruit is the best known organ and therefore separately referred to as Lycium, lycii fruit, gou qi zi and goji. In the ancient world, both Pliny and Dioscorides described the medicinal use of Lycium and the plant was also mentioned by other scholars, including Paracelsus and Galen.

The Lycium of the ancients was imported from India and was held in great consideration, so much so that the remains of vessels expressly made for the conservation of this berry were found; probably, however, the Lycium to which they referred does not correspond to the same species that we understand today.

Sources:

Newspaper, 2/2014

storage

You can store organic dried goji berries in cool, dry places away from heat and humidity. Here are 4 useful tips:

• The ideal condition for maintaining organic dried goji berries is in a refrigerated environment. Organic dried goji berries can also be stored without problems at room temperature during the winter season given the low temperatures. During the summer, on the other hand, it is advisable to keep it in the fridge or in the coolest possible places, as the increase in temperatures could favor the deterioration of the products.
• The ideal container in which to store organic dried goji berries is glass. In fact, thanks to its constitution it is impenetrable to chemical and gaseous agents, and having excellent thermal insulating capacity it maintains the initial temperature for a longer time compared to other materials. If the glass is colored, all the better: using colored glass prevents the entry of some wavelengths of light (including ultraviolet light) and therefore some nutritional and organoleptic characteristics remain unaltered.
• The type of closure of the container is also important: an airtight cap ensures that the food is protected from excessive contact with oxygen which can lead to lipid oxidation and which can be essential for aerobic bacteria.
• The environment should always be well ventilated: by ventilating the rooms, the internal humidity that escapes from the window is kept under control, guaranteeing the right balance, which helps to discourage the onset of mould.

Recommended doses

30 g provide:

• 23% of the reference nutritional value of Potassium;
• 17% of the nutritional reference value of Copper;
• 16% of the nutritional reference value of iron.

Individual needs vary according to age, gender, weight and physical activity. A varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are the basis of your well-being.

Property

100g of goji berries contain:

• Vitamin K (13 μg – 17% NRV)
• Riboflavin (0.29 mg – 21% NRV)
• Magnesium (86.0 mg – 23% NRV)
• Phosphorus (194 mg – 28% NRV)
• Vitamin E (4.3 mg – 36% NRV)
• Manganese (0.93 mg – 47% NRV)
• Iron (7.6 mg – 54% NRV)
• Copper (0.56 mg – 56% NRV)
• Potassium (1510 mg – 76% NRV)
• Protein (11g)
• Fiber (14g)