Goji berries are small red fruits rich in antioxidants as well as beneficial properties for your health. Adding this fruit to your diet is a good idea not only because of its flavor but also because it is good for your body.
The benefits of this berry are the reason they are usually sold dried or powdered. They are often also used in juice blends as well as several supplements.
Goji berries have been found in traditional medicine for as long as thousands of years. They are believed to reduce the signs of aging, strengthening lungs, kidneys, and liver as well as improving or maintaining ocular health. They are known best by their slightly sour and mostly sweet taste besides their obvious red color.
Adding the fruit to your diet may benefit one greatly since in just 5 tablespoons of the dried fruit pack there are 98 Calories, 0.1 grams of fat, 4 grams of protein, 3.6 grams of fiber, 21.6 grams of Carbs, 21.8 grams of Sugar, 11 percent of the daily value for iron, 15 percent of the daily value of vitamin C and 501 percent DV of Vitamin A.
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This means even a small serving of this small fruit can provide a bunch of benefits to a body. Consuming a little bit of this fruit will be able to provide several health benefits.
Iron is an essential component of the body responsible for the transport of oxygen as well as the making of red blood cells. While vitamin C and A carry out an important role in the immune system and also act as antioxidants in the body.
Therefore these compounds and antioxidants are able to reduce free radical molecules in the body and in doing so reduce cell damage in the body.
Research suggests increasing the consumption of antioxidants helps decrease inflammation as well as protect from chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
Goji berries can also be used to naturally strengthen the immune system. According to a thirty-day study of sixty elderly adults, the volunteers were recorded drinking 120 milliliters of juice extracted from the berries. Drinking this juice on a daily basis raised levels of immune system cells and also contributed to a general sense of well-being.
In another three-month-long study involving 150 adults, goji berry supplements helped improve the function of immunity in reference to a vaccine for influenza.
These findings are also supported by animal research on immune-health. Still, however further studies can help make a case for their usage even stronger.
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Goji Berries however may not be a good idea for pregnant women as they contain betaine which is a compound that may cause harm to a fetus. Further studies are still needed to claim it safe for pregnancy diets. The fruit may also interact with medications for blood pressure, blood thinners, and diabetes drugs, therefore it is advised to first check-in with your doctor before adding these berries to your diet if you have underlying conditions.