6 Surprising Health Benefits of Goji Berries
You may know goji berries or wolfberries as a superfood and tried them already. Still, the health benefits they provide may surprise you.
There’s more to enjoy about goji berries than their taste and the color they can add to your food. Traditional Chinese Medicine acknowledged Goji berry benefits for hundreds of years.
In the last few decades, the Lycium barbarum and Lycium chinense plants which yield goji berries have been increasingly researched. Researchers have identified several health benefits that goji berries may provide.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of goji berries you should know about.
Goji Berries Health Benefits You May Not Know
Are goji berries good for the eyes? What about their effects on the immune system? And can they keep you looking younger for longer?
Goji berries are marketed as a superfood in many countries, but what does science have to say about them? Here are some remarkable goji berries nutrition benefits backed by science.
1. Goji Berries Help with Dry Eye
A 2018 study on animals indicates that goji berries as a food supplement have notable benefits in repairing damaged surface cells in the eyes and increasing tear volume. By doing so, they can help treat the symptoms of dry eye, a common condition that’s often the result of ocular tear film disruption.
Dry eye is often made worse by working on a computer, spending time in an air-conditioned room, and being exposed to artificial light. By eating goji berries, dry eyes become easier to manage and treat.
2. Goji Berries Help Support Healthy Vision
The retina and lens in your eyes are affected daily by exposure to UV light and oxidative stress. Free radicals are also a constant threat to healthy vision. These are unstable molecules that can easily react with other molecules in the body and damage cells in the eyes.
Goji berries are one of the richest sources of the antioxidant zeaxanthin, which is known to protect the lens and retina from all these sources of damage and prevent macular degeneration which can cause progressive vision impairment.
What’s more, according to this study, Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs), the main active components in goji berries, can protect your eyes against glaucoma. They do this by protecting the retina from the ganglion cells that cause the condition.
Glaucoma is one of the major causes of blindness. It typically affects older people, but it may have an earlier onset during adulthood.
3. Goji Berries Have Antiaging Effects
In addition to LBPs and zeaxanthin, goji berries also contain betaine, which can protect the skin from UVB radiation, a common free radical. UVB can cause skin aging, wrinkles, and damage the collagen, the protein that keeps the skin from sagging.
A 2017 study investigated all the above-mentioned components and named goji berries as a promising anti-ageing agent.
Goji berries also contain the phytochemical beta-carotene, which is associated with healthier skin. Beta-carotene can reduce skin irritation, lessen the impact of ageing, and boost overall skin health.
4. Goji Berries Can Improve Your Mood and Sleep
Goji berries’ colorful look and pleasant taste can make you feel better when you taste them. But there’s more to these little berries than their vibrant look.
According to a study in which participants drank goji berry juice for 14 days, these berries improved energy, focus, contentment, and sleep. Participants also reported feeling calmer after their goji berry juice diet.
More recent research carried out on animals found that goji berries improve behaviors related to anxiety and depression. These potent red berries, it seems, can help you fight the blues.
5. Goji Berries Balance Glucose Levels
Unsweetened goji berries have a lower sugar content compared to other dried fruits. At the same time, they increase good cholesterol levels (HDL) while stabilizing sugar levels in the blood.
Whether you are mindful of your sugar intake or are living with diabetes, goji berries are one of the fruits you can safely add to your diet. You can eat them in the morning, as a snack, as well as integrate them into dishes later in the day. For example, did you know that the Chinese add them to soups?
Another good reason to eat goji berries if you have type 2 diabetes is their protective effects on the eyes. Diabetic retinopathy is a frequent but preventable diabetic complication that can damage epithelial cells in the eyes. Research indicates that goji berries may help prevent the progression of this condition through their taurine content.
6. Goji Berries Boost Your Immunity
Goji berries are one of the richest dietary sources of vitamin A and C, both of which play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy immune system. They’re also packed with antioxidants, which are known to strengthen the immune system.
A strong immune system doesn’t only make you more resistant to the common cold but helps fight inflammation and may prevent certain forms of cancer. Your immune system is exposed to threats every day, so it’s important to support it even if you are not currently sick.
While other fruits like raisins may actually be bad for your health due to their high sugar content, goji berries are your aides in strengthening your immune system.
Discover SightC
Eating goji berries is one way to tap into their health benefits. Another, and often more practical, is taking a goji berries supplement.
SightC is a full-spectrum vision health supplement that combines the health benefits of goji berries with other superfoods like turmeric, hawthorn, Cherokee rose, dandelion, and dwarf lilyturf.
Packed with antioxidants, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, and other phytonutrients, SightC brings you the health benefits of goji berries in 1-2 capsules a day. SightC is plant-based, doesn’t contain genetically modified organisms, and doesn’t have any artificial flavors.
Learn more about SightC and how it can support healthy vision.