The healing power of boxthorn or goji berry

Goat maple is the real name of what is sold as goji berry. Box maple is a nightshade plant. It was discovered by Tibetan monks in the Himalayas around 800 AD. The monks attribute many health aspects to the berry, many of which are not unjustified. From China it was transported to Europe where it was cultivated for its medicinal qualities. Soon the berry went wild. Even now you can encounter the boxthorn in Belgium or the Netherlands. It mainly grows along rivers and in the dunes. Also in the U.S. the plant has gone wild. The main uses in Chinese traditional medicine are for high blood pressure, to regulate blood sugar, for eye problems, and for immune system problems.

Use in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine the boxthorn berry or goji berry is used in many ways. The following conditions are treated with it: Dizziness, diabetes, anemia, cold, impotence, fatigue, premature aging, night sweats, weakness in the back and knees, ringing in the ears and visual impairment, tension and infertility. That is an impressive list that can be supplemented with high blood pressure and cancer. A number of activities are endorsed by contemporary scientific research. For example, the boxthorn berry is good for cataracts due to its zeaxanthin and lutein content, polysaccharide has an immune stimulating effect and has many antioxidants that can prevent a variety of ailments.

The Latin name of boxthorn is Lycium barbarum. The boxthorn was once widely cultivated in the Anatolian region of Lycia, which is why it is called lycium. In England the berry is mistakenly called wolfberry, probably because some scholars believed that lycium came from lycos, which means 'wolf'. The name 'goji' most likely comes from the Persian language, where the word gojeh means 'berry'. Boks comes from the Latin word boxwood, which is the name for a shrub with woody branches.

For medicinal purposes, herbal medicine uses only the berry of the boxthorn, best known as the goji berry. This berry contains at least six different polysaccharides. The carotenoids zeaxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene, lycopene and cryptoxanthin, phytosterols including betasitosterol, cerebrosides, linoleic acid, alpha linolenic acid, phenols, a large amount of vitamins and minerals including zinc and selenium.

The goji berry is rich in antioxidants. They are also found in other fruits and vegetables, but the goji berry contains just a little more. Relatively speaking, the goji berry contains 500 times as many Buckthorn Picker / Source: Paul144, Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

The Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides (LBP) have an anti-cancer effect. Do not believe the so-called nutritionists who claim that goji berries contain a lot of sugar and that it has bad sides. LBP, the natural sugary compounds of goji berries, are not fattening, taste sweet and have a scientific anti-tumor effect. For its LBP content, you can use the goji berry in adjuvant cancer therapy. Adjuvant here means: supplementary. Eating goji berries, along with other foods such as perilla oil and hemp oil, can support chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It increases the chance that regular cancer therapy will work. It is also an excellent means after chemotherapy and radiation to prevent further cancer formation. Note: the goji berry does not stand alone in this. In addition to consuming fruits with a high antioxidant value, it is primarily important to use essential basic omega 3 and 6 oils to cure and prevent cancer.

Zeaxanthin and lutein together with many other antioxidants ensure that cataracts can be prevented. The Chinese already knew: goji berries are good for your eyes. The retina is protected by these nutrients. In herbal medicine it is recommended to eat goji berries often to prevent:

If a man eats 50 grams of goji berries per day, his sperm quality will improve and his fertility will increase. It is a sexual tonic, a tonic. The male's testosterone level is increased by eating this berry regularly. This is especially important for men with relatively poor sperm and a desire to have children; the goji berry can give your body the boost it needs to produce enough sperm to make your wish come true.

Goji berry lowers blood sugar. Moreover, it is a delicious sweet berry. When you put 30 to 50 grams of goji berries in your muesli, you really don't need sugar; the breakfast is sweet enough. That is extra good news for type 2 diabetes patients. Those who suffer from this disease should from now on have to give up sugar. Goji berries are an excellent alternative to sugar. In addition, diabetics have a higher risk of glaucoma, and this is also prevented by this berry, as we saw earlier.