Benefits of Wolfberry

Health & Wellness
Written By shabnam ashtiani

Cold and flu season is amongst us! Why is it that we give the flu its own season? I personally prefer to refer to it as "germ season." With the holidays around the corner, change in weather and our schedules getting busy, sometimes we forget to take care of our selves. 
My focus around this time of the year is to make sure that we are keeping our bodies at optimal performace. Giving it that extra TLC and making sure that our immune system is fully supported so that when we do come near people who are sick, we can fight off whatever germs they have! 
I want to start a short series, where every week, I share with yall some of my favorite products (food, supplement, oils, etc) to help keep your body strong.

Wolfberry: 
In China, the wolfberry fruit is more often referred to as “goji” or lycii fruit. They are the bright red fruit of the Lycium barbarum plants. There are over eighty species of wolfberries worldwide that vary in antioxidant and nutritional value. Wolfberries support healthy immune system but they are filled with minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.  They provide a natural source of calcium and magnesium, Vitamin B, antioxidants and more. 
 

Antioxidants protect our bodies against free radicals. Free radicals are harmful molecules that can damage your cells. Goji berries have a high oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) score of 3,290 (quantity of antioxidants in certain foods).


What's special about the goji berries is that they contain specific antioxidants called Lycium barbarum polysaccharides, which are thought to provide a wide source of health benefits. In addition, goji berries provide 11 essential amino acids. 

As a rough guide, ¼ cup (85 grams) of dried goji berries has about:

  • Calories: 70

  • Sugar: 12 grams

  • Protein: 9 grams

  • Fiber: 6 grams

  • Fat: 0 grams

  • Vitamin A: 150 percent of the RDI

  • Copper: 84 percent of the RDI

  • Selenium: 75 percent of the RDI

  • Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 63 percent of the RDI

  • Iron: 42 percent of the RDI

  • Vitamin C: 27 percent of the RDI

  • Potassium: 21 percent of the RDI

  • Zinc: 15 percent of the RDI

  • Thiamine: 9 percent of the RDI

Antioxidants like those in goji berries may help fight aging by preventing free radicals from damaging collagen in the skin. Goji berry extract has been linked to anti-cancer activity in both animal and human studies. The potential tumor-inhibiting effects of goji berries are likely due to their ability to boost levels of antioxidants and reduce levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-5 and IL-8 in the blood. Consuming concentrated goji berry extract or juice has been linked to improved energy and feelings of overall well-being.

Ningxia Red:
NingXia Red wolfberry juice incorporates the benefits of Goji berry, yuzu juice, aronia berry and therapeutic essential oils into a powerful antioxidant and nutritionally balanced drink.  This superfruit beverage combines whole Ningxia wolfberry puree; a superfruit blend of blueberry, aronia, cherry, pomegranate, and plum juices; natural stevia extract; grape seed extract; pure vanilla extract; and Orange, Yuzu, Lemon, and Tangerine essential oils. Personally, I drink about 2 oz of this per day. If I feel like everyone around me is sick, then sometimes I up it to 4 oz/day. I also like to make a Ningxia bomb: Ningxia red, Ningxia zyng and Ningxia nitro! I mix all three in a cup and add ice and sip on it throughout the day! 

Supplement Facts:

Serving Size: 1 fl. oz (29.5ml)
Servings per container: about 25 
Calories: 15
Total Carbohydrates: 3 g
Dietary Fiber: <1 g
Sugars: 2g
Sodium: 1mg

Ingredients

Proprietary NingXia Red Blend: Ningxia wolfberry puree (Lycium barbarum), Blueberry juice concentrate (Vaccinium corymbosum), Plum juice concentrate (Prunus domestica), Cherry juice concentrate (Prunus avium), Aronia juice concentrate (Aronia melanocarpa), Pomegranate juice

concentrate (Punica granatum), Proprietary Essential Oil Blend: Grape seed extract (Vitis vinifera), Orange EO (Citrus sinensis), Yuzu EO (Citrus junos), Lemon EO (Citrus limon), Tangerine EO (Citrus reticulata)

Other ingredients: Tartaric acid, Natural blueberryavor, Pure vanilla extract, alic acid, Pectin, Sodium benzoate/natural stevia extract.

 

Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15053557
https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/280160/1
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17090411
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25552899
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20232121

shabnam ashtiani
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