Anticancer Foods: Goji Berries Uses & Benefits

Tea with fresh goji berries and ginger

Have you ever thought about what keeps your immune system strong and prevents life-threatening diseases like cancer?  Many believe that food like Goji Berries can help. They are a great source of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, Vitamin A, selenium potassium, and fiber. Consequently, Goji berries are linked to healthy skin and stable blood sugar levels. Not to mention their association with improving longevity and heart health.

What Are Gogi Berries?

Goji Berries, also known as wolfberries, are tiny red fruits having antioxidant and medicinal properties. . Goji berries often impart vibrant red hue color to food.  Besides making meals delicious they also give dishes and beverages an attractive and unique color. Goji berries can easily be found in whole dried and powdered forms.

The Uses of Goji Berries

Goji Berries are native to China. In Asia, they considered nature’s longevity pill.  People have been using this for 2000 years in Asia as medicine and as a supplement. Goji berries are common in health food stores and online.

In many parts of Asia and Europe, people often use goji berries both in dry and fresh forms. They add fresh Goji berries to various foods like smoothies, oatmeal, salads, baked items, and yogurt. Some call it a superfood, and people often enjoy a handful of goji berries as a snack.

Promoters have introduced Goji berries to the rest of the world by sharing their potential health benefits – based on research and clinical investigations.

What Are The Health Benefits of Gogi Berries?

Research on Goji berries has demonstrated many health benefits like protecting the eyes, supporting kidney health, and making skin attractive. Research on animal studies has shown that Goji berries also promote liver health and help in preventing alcohol-induced fatty liver disease. At the same time, research on human liver cancer cells suggests that Goji berries effectively may inhibit tumor growth. Another research done in 2016 showed that Goji berries help with anxiety, depression, and related disorders.

The antioxidant Zeaxanthin in Goji Berries is linked to improved vision. The American Academy of Optometry’s journal optometry and vision science by using Goji berries juice for 90 days and enhancement in Zeaxanthin levels, thus protecting vision health. A study held in the United States on humans using goji berries juice states that Goji berries are effective for optimum digestion and provide energy to the body. One study on mice suggested that when they drink 5% goji berries juice. They acquire antioxidant qualities quickly, protecting against UV light damage and other skin diseases. Moreover, the potential role of using antioxidants for preventing cancer and reducing oxidative stress in the body can be a focused point here.

What Makes Gogi Berries An Anti-cancer Food?

Some experts consider Goji Berries effective against cancer and boost immune response. The reason for this is that it contains antioxidant properties. There are also reports that you can take Ethanol extract from Goji berries, and its effect on T47D human breast cancer cells. Moreover, western Blot Analysis indicated a rise in pro-apoptotic proteins and a fall in anti-apoptotic proteins in an expression of cells that were treated with the extract. Thus, you can consider Goji berries as products having multiple anti-cancer properties.

Moreover, it also lacks toxicity against normal cells of the body. Ultimately, effective in the treatment of breast cancer treatment. However, various animal studies continue to prove their beneficial effects in preventing alcohol-induced fatty liver disease using goji berries.

Considerable evidence suggests that Goji berries can be treated as a pill in treating various disorders. No, doubt its use is good for the body. Meanwhile, its side effects should be a focal point because every nutrient intake is good for health but only in a prescribed and tolerable range. Balanced and optimal health can be enjoyed by taking this fact into account.

 

References

  1. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/goji-berry#basics
  2. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322693#_noHeaderPrefixedContent
  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26525080/#:~:text=Western%20blot%20analysis%20demonstrated%20an,berries%20in%20breast%20cancer%20treatment.

Chef Shedric

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