Goji Berry Benefits: Top Superfruit Contender
Berries, such as the goji berry, are very popular worldwide because of their nutritional value and potential health benefits. Goji berries are very sweet and colourful making them quite attractive to consumers. The goji berry bearing plant is native to Asia, with its first reported benefits being in traditional Chinese medicine. There are various clinical studies that have analysed the potential health benefits of goji berries and they are well researched.
They contain key vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which are important for disease prevention. Goji berries are an example of an exotic berry superfruit because they are thought to contain a lot more nutrients, or have a high nutrient density, compared to many other fruits or vegetables.
The general nutrient profile of the goji berry is strong, containing high levels of bioactive phenolic compounds, vitamin C, proteins, healthy fatty acids and sugars. Because of the abundance of some of these nutrients, the antioxidant capacity of the goji berry is therefore very strong.
In this article, we will discuss some of the reported benefits of the goji berry and show how goji berries could have health benefits too.
Bioactive Nutrients Of The Goji Berry
The goji berry is thought to have health benefits including supporting the immune system, helping to maintain a healthy gut, protecting the brain from neurodegeneration and improved weight management.
Goji berries seem to be an excellent work out food supporting athletes with healthy vitamins and minerals for muscle recovery, such as vitamin C or potassium, while bioactive amino acids can support healthy metabolism. Antioxidants such as vitamin C are central to the potential health benefits of the goji berry.
Vitamin C
Most fruits contain vitamin C and there are various reasons for this. Some of this is because of animal selection of more nutritious foods that display very bright colourations. Also, many animals cannot produce vitamin C. That leads to the further continuation of foods that are more brightly coloured and higher in antioxidants such as vitamin C.
The goji berry is an extremely colourful fruit, so it is not surprising at all that it is high in vitamin C. It is most likely to have been selectively bred like that. Vitamin C is central to most of the antioxidant activity in the body and has an impressively low toxicity. On average, 100 grams of goji berries contain 48mg of vitamin C. Considering your RDA is about 90mg, if you are male, or 75mg, if you are female, you can obtain most of your daily vitamin C from one 100 gram serving.
This means that many potential benefits that result from higher vitamin C status, also can be applied to eating moderate amounts of goji berries. For example, vitamin C plays a role in wound healing, immune strengthening and cancer prevention.
As a high vitamin C food, goji berries can reduce the amount of free radicals in the body and therefore reduce inflammation or incidences of cancer. Free radical DNA damage can cause cells to malfunction and replicate uncontrollably, this is called cancer. Antioxidant rich foods like goji berries prevent these cancer causing events.
Goji berries may also promote a healthier immune system, improving white blood cell counts, through elevated vitamin C levels. Naturally goji berries may also have inflammation lowering and collagen promoting activities, which may also encourage more youthful looks with decelerated skin ageing.
Goji Berry Polyphenols And Bioactive Compounds
Polyphenols are plant phenolic compounds with a high antioxidant capacity. They are widely recognized as having potential health benefits, just like vitamin C is, but they aren’t absolutely essential for our survival.
The goji berry contains some specific antioxidant polyphenols which have potential health benefits. The main phenolic compounds in goji berries are chlorogenic acid, anthocyanins, rutin, p-coumaric acid, quercetin glycosides and kaempferols.
These phenolic compounds all contribute to the very high antioxidant capacity of goji berries. Antioxidants are essential to supporting optimal heath, preventing the development of cancers, improving immune system function, supporting organs with recovery and also detoxification of harmful toxins. Some goji berry antioxidants are able to bind to and then help to remove heavy metal toxins.
Goji berry has been suggested to have benefits such as promoting fertility, immunity and managing blood lipid levels. This is most likely because of their high antioxidant phenolics. Goji has been shown to elevate HDL levels and reduce fasting sugar levels. While goji berry phenolics may also help the immune system through antibacterial activities.
Anthocyanins from goji berries have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. Research suggests that strong antioxidants within goji berries, such as anthocyanins, may influence cell cycles to regulate number of healthy and malfunctioning cells. This may be an anti-cancer benefit of consuming goji berries. While some actives in goji berries help to prevent excessive neurological damage from excitotoxins, acting on a specific pathway to preserve neurones.
Carotenoids And Vitamin A
Goji berries are revered for their very high total antioxidant content, they suggested to be one of the most health protective fruits available. The total beta-carotene or vitamin A content of goji berries is thought to be around 26,800 IU per 100 grams of goji berries. This is a very significant amount of vitamin A, well above your RDA, which contributes to optimal eye health.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoid pigments found in high quantities in goji berries. Reports suggest the zeaxanthin content of goji berries is between 25mg and 200mg per 100 grams, which make it one of the richest sources of carotenoids on the planet. Carotenoids are very similar to vitamin A and contribute to the total vitamin A content of goji berries. They are pro-vitamin A compounds.
These antioxidant compounds are thought to influence diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Goji berries are rich in zeaxanthin and other antioxidants, which studies suggest may reduce risks of developing this disease. Eating goji berries regularly was shown to increase overall zeaxanthin levels and antioxidant levels significantly. Regular consumption of goji berries also resulted in improvements in skin carotenoids. This influence on eye and skin pigmentation is a potential health benefit of regular goji berry consumption.
Dietary Fibre
Goji berries are rich in complex sugars or polysaccharides. Plant cell walls contain some of these sugars and they are a favourite food source for many different bacterial species. They are often interchangeable with dietary fibre, because most of these complex sugars can not be digested by humans but can be digested by gut bacteria.
Goji berries are no different containing healthy levels of glucan, xylan and arabinogalactan-proteins. These complex sugars are just individual sugars, like glucose, that have been forced together. Partly because of their effects on gut microbes, Goji berry polysaccharides, or complex sugars, form an important part of the total goji berry bioactive compounds. Goji berries have 13 grams of dietary fibre, or complex sugars, per 100 grams of goji berry. Various studies with the goji berry and their polysaccharides suggest that they have health promoting benefits.
For example, the goji berry may have benefits as a gut bacteria supporting food because of the high complex sugar or dietary fibre content. Goji berry polysaccharides can be considered as anti-inflammatory to the gut, preventing harmful pathogenic bacteria from growing with a prebiotic boost for beneficial gut bacteria. Other goji compounds also improve gut biodiversity, including anthocyanins and can also promote intestinal healing. This helps to improve nutrient intake. Beneficial microbes reduce intestinal inflammatory responses through reducing immune system activation to pathogens. Our gut microbes can support our health through reducing inflammatory responses and supporting our brain health.
Studies also show that regular consumption of goji berry complex polysaccharides may have potential benefits such as reducing inflammatory signals in the brain and body. While goji berry polysaccharides have also been shown to help with weight loss and reducing insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is an important factor in the development of diabetes.
Protein Content Of The Goji Berry
The goji berry has benefits as a source of amino acids that can support healthy protein production in the body. The total protein content of goji berries is 14.3 grams per 100 grams of goji berries.
14 grams of protein is a really significant serving. This can certainly help to support with muscle gain at the gym. Especially considering the synergistic effect that antioxidants will have on muscle recovery too. Goji berries actually have an excellent reputation for reducing muscle atrophy and promoting improvement in muscle strength.
Some of the main amino acids found within goji berries include proline and serine. 100 grams of goji berries contain 1 gram of proline and 0.5 grams of serine. Goji berries also contain moderate levels of arginine, 0.72 grams, while containing 1.71 grams of aspartic acid per 100 grams of goji berries.
Proline
The high proline content of goji berries may have benefits to optimal collagen production, being a limiting factor in collagen synthesis. Collagen has benefits to improved wound healing and recovery from inflammatory damage, as well as potential antiaging effects on the skin. Collagen is well known for its ability to promote more youthful looking skin. The high antioxidant content, particularly vitamin C, may also contribute to more youthful looking skin.
Serine
Serine has a key role in protein synthesis and neurotransmission, contributing to optimal brain health. Deficiencies can cause disorders in brain cell signalling.
Arginine
Arginine is needed for nitric oxide production. This is key to how blood vessels dilate or expand slightly under stress. Improving arginine levels is thought to positively contribute to cardiovascular health.
Aspartic Acid
Aspartic acid is thought to have an important function within the brain. It is important for healthy cell growth and is also important for DNA synthesis.
Bioactive non-essential Amino Acids In Goji Berries
Goji berries also contain some non-essential amino acids such as aminobutyric acid, hydroxyproline, and citrulline. These are bioactive amino acids made within the goji berry fruit with some interesting metabolic effects and potential health benefits.
GABA or Aminobutyric acid
While GABA is thought to not have such strong effects in natural foods, it does have some health effects in accumulated quantities. Aminobutyric acid or GABA is an ancient compound that is a human neurotransmitter. Some researchers suggest that when consumed in large amounts, it may influence the brain providing neuroprotective and anti-depressive effects.
Hydroxyproline
Like proline, hydroxyproline is also an essential amino acid for collagen production. Collagen helps to maintain optimal skin health. It can improve the appearance of skin so that it looks more youthful. This amino acid may also have mild antioxidant effects.
Citrulline
Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid but seems to have effects on the cardiovascular system. It is documented to have improvements in blood flow. This has potential benefits such as improving exercise performance, assisting with the prevention of erectile disfunction and also some cardiovascular diseases. Citrulline may improve muscle protein synthesis and may also increase arginine levels which may improve overall metabolic functioning.
Healthy Fatty Acids
Some fruits contain healthy fatty acids. The goji berry contains moderate levels of linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acids which do have some benefits at the quantities found. These fatty acids make up around 95% of the total fatty acids within goji berry.
A healthy supply of fatty acids helps to maintain optimal brain health and skin health. This is because fatty acids form core parts of brain and skin cells.
Eating goji berries regularly improved brain function, enhanced learning and memory recall. Some of these benefits from goji berries may be because of the healthy fatty acid content.
Goji Berry Minerals
The mineral content of the goji berry has astounding potential benefits for our health, let alone considering all the other nutrients too. It is really easy to see how this is a really popular superfruit.
The goji berry contains moderate amounts of minerals such as potassium, sodium, calcium, copper, manganese, iron, and zinc. These are all key minerals required for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Some of these are important electrolytes that help to support normal musculoskeletal and nervous system functioning. There is 190mg of calcium and 298mg of sodium in 100 grams of goji berries, which contribute to normal electrolyte levels in the body. These minerals are used in most cells of the body, which is why they are so important for combating fatigue and helping your muscles recover after intensive exercise.
Manganese and zinc are implicated in many metabolic reactions that are essential to maintaining optimal health. While zinc is a really powerful antioxidant, playing a similar role to vitamin C in many ways.
There is an impressive iron content in this fruit. This may be because of unique traits of the goji berry plant. There is 6.8mg of highly bioavailable and natural plant iron within 100 grams of goji berries. Interestingly, vitamin C also supports improved uptake of iron. These essential nutrients may work synergistically here to support optimal red blood cell counts and to improve the functions of many body tissues that need a healthy blood circulation. This would include the brain and muscle tissues. Also considering the iron RDA, 8mg for males and 18mg for females, this is a substantial amount of iron. This is another potential benefit of goji berries to go with the massive list of others we’ve identified here.
Summary
The goji berry is providing to be very popular because of its impressive nutritional value and sweet taste. Goji berry has been extensively research for its health promoting effects.
Goji berries have a collection of bioactive nutrients including vitamin C, zeaxanthin, polyphenols, potassium and specific amino acids. The nutrient profile of goji berries makes them an excellent food to support recovery post exercise. Particularly electrolytes, amino acids and antioxidants that are vital for proper recovery. Goji has been shown to encourage muscle maintenance, partly because of compounds like citrulline.
The vitamin C content of goji berries provides you with a significant amount of your entire RDA. Vitamin C plays a role in wound healing, immune strengthening and cancer prevention. Additional antioxidant support from goji berries comes from phenolic compounds, some of which help to detoxify heavy metals and support optimal organ functioning. Goji berries may also influence fertility and improve memory, while anthocyanins may help to regulate normal cell cycles and protect nerves from excitatory damage.
The antioxidant power of goji doesn’t stop there. Zeaxanthin is a carotenoid pigment, found in high quantities within goji berries, that can help to reduce risk of macular degeneration.
Healthy dietary fibre from goji berries, as well as antioxidants, encourage a more optimal gut environment with a high diversity of gut bacteria. Gut friendly polysaccharides include glucan, xylan and arabinogalactan-proteins. They may reduce overall inflammation levels throughout the body. Goji amino acids may encourage more youthful looking skin, through collagen production, while promoting DNA synthesis and optimal cardiovascular health.
The goji berry certainly has many potential health benefits because of the spectrum of bioactive compounds and nutrients within its fruit.
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