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Goji Berries Are Unfairly Praised as a Superfood

Fresh they look like larger rosehips, dried like red raisins: the goji berries or wolfberries. Used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries as a fountain of youth and a miracle weapon against all sorts of diseases, they first conquered Hollywood and now Europe.

Goji berries are said to be a true superfood, full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other active ingredients. What is true and what are just advertising promises? Doesn’t a plant that can be as effective as the goji berry also have serious side effects? And what about the eco-balance of the fruit from the Far East?

The goji berry plant

The goji berry plant is a deciduous shrub that belongs to the nightshade family. The two to four meter high goji berry bush probably originally comes from China, from where the name also comes: “goji” means “happiness”. In Germany, the shrub is known as common buckthorn (Lycium barbarum) or wolfberry, occasionally also devil’s twine or witch’s twine.

Although not native to us, the goji berry plant is often planted as an ornamental plant or to strengthen embankments. So if you want to harvest your own lucky berries, you can plant the hardy and relatively frugal goji berries in your garden. You can either buy the corresponding plants in specialist shops or grow them yourself from cuttings. With regard to the location, it should be noted that the common boxthorn likes it sunny and does not tolerate waterlogging. Goji berries can also be grown in containers. You don’t have to care for the goji berries, water them moderately (the soil shouldn’t be wet) and fertilize with compost in the spring.

The flowering period of the goji berry bush is from June to August, the bright red fruits can be harvested from August to October. However, care should be taken when harvesting: the curved branches have long, slender thorns. The taste of fresh goji berries ranges from sweet to sour, dried berries are generally sweeter and can therefore also be eaten neat.

Buy goji berries: only organic

With increasing popularity, goji berries can be bought almost anywhere. In supermarkets, drugstores, natural food or organic shops, in numerous online shops, many pharmacies and of course in Asian shops. But the lucky berries are quite expensive: 100 grams of dried goji berries cost between 2 and 4 euros, organic quality sometimes more. Even more expensive is the berry extract used for tea and juice. Chocolate, jam and skin care products with the lucky berries are now also available in stores.

The high price is partly due to the manual harvest, but also to the hype surrounding the supposed miracle berry. Most of the goji berries sold here come from China – and that makes it problematic. Because China doesn’t take it very seriously with the regulations on pesticides and other environmental toxins. Goji berries from conventional cultivation are therefore highly contaminated with pollutants. According to a Greenpeace study from 2013, this also applies to organic products. A Chinese organic seal does not reliably say how the plants are grown. The EU organic seal or labels such as Demeter, which have even stricter guidelines, are better.

In addition, you should always look at the country of origin. Cultivation areas in the Middle East or South America often have problems with high levels of pesticides. And pesticides in particular seem to accumulate heavily in the goji berries. The magazine Öko-Test also found a relatively high pesticide content in conventionally grown wolfberries in a recent study. Goji berries from organic cultivation attracted positive attention, receiving the test result “very good”. If you want to be absolutely sure that your goji berries are organic, it is best to simply plant your own bush.

Ingredients and nutritional values ​​of goji berries

The nutritional values ​​of goji berries are difficult to determine. In studies, the measured proportions of sugar, vitamins and minerals fluctuated, sometimes greatly. On the one hand, this is due to the examination of the dried fruit, because the drying process can influence the nutrient content. On the other hand, the different soils from which the shrub can draw different amounts of nutrients. Nevertheless, it can be said that at least organically grown goji berries have many healthy ingredients.

The USDA, the American food authority, gives a calculated average as a guideline in its nutritional value database. Goji berries are particularly rich in vitamin C with 48 mg per 100 g of dried berries. There are also 190 mg of calcium, significantly more than in milk, and 6.8 mg of iron. However, the dried sweet berries also have 319 kcal – a real calorie bomb. Goji berries are therefore not suitable for losing weight, even if they contain many important amino acids and secondary plant substances.

Tasty recipes

Dried goji berries look similar to raisins, so it makes sense to use them the same way. For example, the wolfberries can be baked into cakes or stollen. Or try a sweet cookie recipe with goji berries. The dried lucky berries are also well suited as ingredients in muesli or in desserts, for example in a light quark dish.

But it doesn’t always have to be sweet: The fresh goji berries go well with game, poultry and meat due to their acidity. They can either be processed into a tasty sauce, or they are simply stewed in the juice and provide variety for the Sunday roast. Spicy dishes for vegetarian or vegan cuisine can also be conjured up with the red berries. How about a stuffed pumpkin, for example?

Possible effect of goji berries

In traditional Chinese medicine, goji berries are used to treat high blood pressure, diabetes, states of exhaustion, impotence, to support the immune system and other ailments. The antioxidants, the concentration of which is said to be particularly high in the lucky berries, are also said to help with Alzheimer’s, against glaucoma and even with the prevention and healing of cancer. However, these effects have not yet been proven.

There is a study from 2008 that examined the general effects of goji berry juice and came to a positive result. But their sample was too small and the duration too short to provide more than an indication of possible effects. Further investigations took place either in the laboratory or on animals and therefore cannot be extrapolated to humans. The European food authority ESFA therefore classified the effectiveness of goji berries as “not proven”.

Dangerous Side Effects of Goji Berries

If the lucky berry is only partially healthy, is it at least harmless? Not exactly. Due to its property as a nightshade plant and the secondary plant substances, the plant has some side effects that are not risk-free. The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices warns that goji berries can actually be dangerous for people who take anticoagulants. The berries increase the blood-thinning effect of the medication, which can lead to sudden bleeding. Pregnant women should therefore also avoid the wolfberry to be on the safe side, although there is no reliable data on this so far.

And there is something else that makes goji berries dangerous: their allergy potential. It’s not about the berry itself, but about the numerous cross-allergies, for example with tomatoes, peaches, nuts or tobacco. An American study from 2012 provides evidence of strong allergenic side effects of wolfberries. The German nutritionist Udo Pollmer even declares the goji berry to be life-threatening and demands that it only be sold in pharmacies. However, that seems too radical to us. Almost all plants have side effects or allergies.

The better alternatives to goji berries

Negative ecological balance, possibly contaminated with pesticides, high in calories, possible trigger of allergies and unproven effects: Goji berries are definitely not a superfood.

But there are alternatives. Almost all local berries such as raspberries, currants or strawberries also contain many vitamins, minerals and secondary plant substances. For example, 100 g of strawberries contain 57 mg of vitamin C, more than goji berries. And with just 33 kcal per 100 g, the energy-nutrient ratio is definitely in favor of the strawberries. In addition, you can buy them regionally and from guaranteed organic cultivation in the respective season or even grow them yourself on the balcony or in the garden. The same applies to other local fruits and vegetables: peppers, kohlrabi, apples – the list can be extended as desired. Nothing exotic, but definitely healthier for you and the environment.

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Healthier Than You Think: 10 Foods That Unfairly Have a Bad Reputation

There are some foods that are unfairly given a bad rap by many people. Here we explain which products you are sure to have made a mistake about.

1. Potatoes

The potato. We eat them as an accompaniment to all dishes, but they are not really considered healthy. They are often labeled as fattening foods, but they are even suitable for losing weight. The potatoes have an incredibly high satiety index and are a valuable source of nutrients. The potato contains hardly any fat, but plenty of starch, fiber and, for these proportions, a lot of protein. The vegetables also contain a lot of potassium, B vitamins, phytochemicals, iron, magnesium and phosphorus.

Tip: Of course, this only applies to cooked, unprocessed potatoes. A portion of boiled potatoes with quark keeps you full for an incredibly long time and is often eaten by athletes to provide energy.

2. Eggs

There is a lot of power in eggs. They contain a lot of protein, which athletes in particular take advantage of. They also contain various vitamins, such as vitamins B, A, D and K. The key point with eggs is the natural protein that our body can fully utilize. In combination with the amino acids, the interaction is optimal, and they also fill you up for a long time.

Eggs were notorious for a long time because of their high cholesterol level, but this is only a concern for people who already have high levels in this area anyway. For healthy people this is not relevant.

3. Coffee

A morning without coffee is unthinkable for many people. It helps us to start the day fit or to get us out of the midday slump. Three to four cups of coffee are considered normal daily consumption. The drink is said to promote our performance and reduce the risk of diabetes. In addition, coffee stimulates intestinal activity, thus promoting the intestinal flora and reducing the risk of colon cancer. Even the liver function is said to be significantly improved by the caffeine drink.

4. Chocolate

It is already known to have a high magnesium content. So it is good for nerves and muscles. It helps with stress and tastes great too. Cocoa even contains iron and zinc. But the digestion also benefits from the sweets, because in moderation they have an anti-inflammatory effect and boost the metabolism. The higher the cocoa content, the healthier the chocolate. Instead of a chocolate biscuit, simply snack on a bit of dark chocolate.

5. Peanut Butter

More than just fat – the peanut butter. It sounds incredibly unhealthy at first. The newfangled, delicious, sweet spread from the USA. Unfortunately, the unhealthy stereotype also applies to some varieties, but as soon as you reach for a product that consists only of peanuts and a little salt, you are supplying your body with vitamin E, fiber and proteins. Vitamin E, for example, helps to preserve cognitive abilities, especially in older people.

6. Popcorn

Of course, this doesn’t mean the sweetened, caramel-covered XXL popcorn bucket from the cinema, but popcorn is actually not as unhealthy as many people think. However, there are also salty or natural variants. Because popcorn contains medium- and long-chain carbohydrates, which provide energy over a long period of time. The popped corn contains fiber and the volume of the grains ensures a long saturation phase, which is why it is sometimes even used to lose weight – this certainly sounds utopian to some, but many athletes use popcorn as a source of energy.

7. Corn

Even in its pure form, corn is a great food. It is often avoided due to its starch content, but it is actually packed with proteins, fiber and B vitamins. For example, corn is ideal for very thin or weak people, because the starch it contains in large quantities helps to build up weight and body mass.

8. Burritos

The Mexican dish has long since arrived in Germany and is eaten here at least as much as in its home country. However, they are not exactly considered “healthy”. But it depends on the filling, because if you adjust it, the burrito is anything but unhealthy. For example, choose brown rice, chicken, beans and avocado and this meal will give you everything you need for the day. This dish is full of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals and trace elements. However, you have to do without sour cream and cheese for the healthy version.

9. Bananas

Although the banana is a fruit, it is often considered unhealthy because of its high carbohydrate and sugar content. But due to its vitamin C, B6 and potassium content, it is actually very healthy. By the way, if it is a small fruit, it does not contain more calories than an apple.

10. Butter

She doesn’t have to let herself be taken away from bread. Butter contains saturated fatty acids, but also polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as the healthy omega-3 fatty acids. As many people think, saturated fat has not been shown to be bad for heart or cholesterol.

Thanks to vitamins A, D, E, omega-3 fatty acids and linoleic acid, the butter is anything but unhealthy. The butter is just right for people with stomach problems because it is easy to digest. Due to the milk fat it contains, the food also has a positive effect on the risk of heart attack.

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