Goji Berries -- A Nutritional Super-Antioxidant High Protein Berry

The goji berry can have up to 5x the antioxidant power of blueberries and even 6 grams of protein per serving!

by Catherine Ebeling - RN, BSN &

Mike Geary - Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist

co-authors of The Fat Burning Kitchen Program

Have you seen those things in the health food stores that look like shriveled up mini RED raisins? They are called “Goji Berries” and they are one of the highest antioxidant berries you can find on the planet. They are also called “Wolfberries” and come from Asia, in places like China, Mongolia and the Himalayas, where they have been consumed and used as a medicine for thousands of years.

Goji Berries have been an important part of Tibetan medicine and have been used for about two thousand years as a natural means of treating kidney and liver problems, and cleansing the blood.

They also have been used to help treat eye problems, skin problems, allergies, insomnia, chronic liver disease, diabetes and cancer. Goji berries are also a general strengthening tonic and are believed to be excellent for virility and sexual health as well.

Why are Goji berries so great? Some of the many nutrients these little powerhouse berries contain are:

• 18 amino acids, making these berries high in protein
• 6 important vitamins
• 5 different types of fatty acids; including two essential fatty acids — linoleic acid and alpha linolenic acid
• 5 powerful carotenoids — beta carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein, lycopene, and cryptoxanthin
• Important pigments (phenols) with high antioxidant properties
• 8 polysaccharides and 5 monosaccharides

Goji berries are one of the highest antioxidant 
foods on earth.

Goji berries contain high quantities of super antioxidants like beta carotene and zeaxanthin. Zeaxanthin does a lot of great things, but one of its big jobs is to protect your retinas in your eyes. You’ve heard of age-related mascular degeneration? It is the leading cause of vision loss in older people and easily preventable by diet alone.

Antioxidants slow down disease processes and the aging process by stopping the free radicals that are generated from the environment, poor food choices, smoking, stress, excessive exercise, too much sun exposure, and more. Free radicals injure cells and damage DNA, which can then cause the cell to grow abnormally, which leads to illness and disease.

Goji berries are rich in B vitamins, and also contain large quantities of vitamin E.

And, because Goji Berries contain 18 amino acids, they are also high in protein (at about 13%), so they make a pretty satisfying snack. They contain more beta carotene than carrots, more iron than spinach, and twenty-one important trace minerals. 

A serving of Goji berries can contain 7 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein!
I used to think that only dried goji berries were available in stores, but recently I found frozen goji berries at Whole Foods, and I personally like these a LOT better than the dried Goji berries. The dried goji berries have a stronger taste, and I tend to prefer the milder taste of the frozen berries, which are great added to yogurt (once thawed).
The frozen goji berries have 6 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber per serving, which is insane for a berry.
Goji berries are unique nutritional standouts, and they have specific medicinal qualities that are just now starting to be studied. Much is still unknown about the phytochemicals, polysaccharides, and complex nutritional compounds that they contain.

Some of the phytochemicals in Goji berries are:

Betaine, which is a digestive enzyme made by the liver. It helps make you calmer, enhances your memory, aids in muscle growth, and assists in breaking down fats stored in the liver, as well as preventing ‘fatty liver disease’.

Physalin is another compound that is known to strengthen the liver and help prevent hepatitis B and help fight off certain cancers like leukemia.

They contain a powerful anti-fungal and anti-bacterial compound called Solavetivone.

And the active ingredient that gives Goji berries their reputation for virility-enhancing is Beta Sitoserol, which is actually an excellent anti-inflammatory agent as well. Goji berries have had a long-standing reputation for treating sexual impotence and preventing prostate enlargement, as well as just being a generally good for virility.

A phytochemical called Cyperone is a type of sesquiterpene that benefits the heart and lowers blood pressure. This chemical has cancer-fighting properties as well and is especially good for helping prevent cervical cancer.

Can the mighty goji berry help anti-aging?

Goji berries have been called super berry because the are rated the highest for their anti-aging properties, and rated #1 on the ORAC scale which is the ‘Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity’, which measures the antioxidant level in foods. When compared to blueberries, goji berries showed an ORAC rating as much as 5-10x that of blueberries!

You can find Goji berries at some health food stores, but they are still not well known enough to find them in traditional grocery stores.   

Goji berries are most often sold in their dried form, so they look like little red raisins. Look for Goji berries without any added sugars or additives.

They have a delicious chewy slightly tart taste that you will find delicious. Toss them in cereal, salads, on toast with peanut butter or just eat them out of hand. They are delicious and fantastic for you!  The frozen goji berries that I found at Whole Foods are amazing in yogurt or on salads.

I personally think that there are more benefits to eating whole goji berries (either dried or frozen) compared to taking a supplement or any of the juices with goji that are claimed to be "exotic miracles". 

Most of the "miracle juices" that you see out there touting that they contain goji only contain a very small amount of goji juice and are usually loaded with other high sugar worthless juices like apple juice. These juices are just too calorie dense!  Forget about them.

Stick with whole goji berries instead.  Since it's unlikely that you'll eat goji berries every single day, I personally also take a daily supplement (one of the few supplements I actually believe in) that contains a goji berry (wolfberry) extract, which you can find here:

Check it out here 

It's my favorite antioxidant supplement because it also contains a synergistic blend of powerful antioxidants such as coffee berry, biovin grape (same antioxidants as red wine), acai berry, green tea, and pomegranate all-in-one.

Enjoy!

Read More

My "Superhuman Smoothie" Recipe -- for extreme health

Beware:  "Your Body May Become TOO sexy if you drink something THIS good for you"

by Mike Geary - Certified Personal TrainerPersonal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author of best-seller: The Truth About 6-Pack Abs

I've made this smoothie for some friends recently, and they joked that this was some sort of "superhuman smoothie" because it was so healthy, they hadn't even heard of half of the ingredients before.  They also said that it was not only incredibly delicious, but gave them insane amounts of energy.
I will warn you right off the bat... this could probably qualify as one of the healthiest smoothies on the planet, but based on the types of "exotic" ingredients, it's definitely not cheap.  But if you're willing to investinvest in the highest quality food ingredients for your own "extreme health", this smoothie can be part of your arsenal!

I'm also fully aware that some people in some areas of the country (or the world) may not have access to a health foodhealth food store that has all of these ingredients.  However, if you live near any major urban area in any modernized country, or even if you're in a rural area but have access to a great health food store, you can find almost every ingredient.
I also firmly believe that the combination of SuperFood ingredients in this smoothie can really go a long way towards strengthening your immune system, giving you loads of energy, and also helping to burn body fat, build lean muscle, and control your appetite and cravings. There's even some ingredients that can help boost libido, lower blood pressure, and more!
That's why I said this smoothie was only if you wanted EXTREME HEALTH!
And if you remember one of my concepts I always preach is obtaining the highest micro-nutrient density possible per unit of calories... this smoothie would rank at the top in that category!  It's also insanely high in antioxidants.
The "Superhuman Smoothie" Recipe for Extreme Health
Depending on your body size, the quantities in this recipe may actually be enough for 2 servings.  In a blender, mix together:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (very low in sugar if you get the unsweetened variety)
• 1 cup coconut milk drink (if you can't find the "coconut milk drink", you can use 1/3 cup canned coconut milk with 2/3 cup water, since canned coconut milk is much thicker and creamier than "coconut milk drink")
• 1 packet unsweetened frozen acai puree (you can find unsweetened acai frozen puree at many health food stores)
• A couple handfuls of frozen goji berriesgoji berries or other mixed berries (I've found frozen
• goji berriesgoji berries at Whole Foods stores... don't use dried goji berries as they'll make big chunks in your smoothie.  The frozen goji berries taste better too.  You can read more about the superfood status of goji berries here)
• A small handful of frozen spinach
• 1 packet of stevia (a natural non-caloric sweetener I like to use since I'm strictly against the use of artificial sweeteners)
• 2 teaspoons of chia seedschia seeds (one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat...loaded with rare antioxidants, soluble fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and super high in omega-3's) 
• 2 teaspoons of hemp seeds (significant amounts of zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and other minerals, as well as a high quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids)
• 1 scoop of Boku SuperFoods powder (this stuff has to be the most amazing SuperFood mixture I've found yet!)
• 1 teaspoon of spirulina powder  (good source of unique antioxidants, tons of B-vitamins, carotenoids, protein, and strengthens the immune system)
• 2 teaspoons of raw cacao nibs (one of the highest antioxidant foods available; can help reduce blood pressure and improve overall cardiovascular function)
• 1 teaspoon of raw organic cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon of raw Maca powder (nutrient-rich, made from a south american root; purported to help increase libido; adaptogen that can help the body deal with stress)
• 1 scoop of chocolate Raw Grass-fed whey protein (this is one of the only truly RAW and grass-fed whey proteins I've found)
• 1 tablespoon of raw almond butter

Blend all the ingredients until thick and smooth.  I add the powdered ingredients after the blender is already running so that they mix easier.
This smoothie is so powerfully healthy for your body, you'll notice a consistent "super-energy" throughout the day without spikes and crashes if you start each day with one of these.  Also, if you consciously think about how nutritious this smoothie is, your body will actually get even better results, because of the power of the mind (placebo effect).
If you liked this today's article please feel free to share this with your friends and family.

For more nutritional recipes, you can find them in  Fat Burning Kitchen

Read More