Wolfberry: The World’s Most Nutritious Food?
Dr. Paul Gross
For a berry with such an intimidating name, the wolfberry
certainly has a lot going for it. Wolfberry comes from the
Mandarin name Gou qi zi (“goo-chee-zee”), a red berry from the
Solanaceae nightshade family that includes tomato, eggplant,
chili pepper, and potato.
In popular English, gou qi zi (literally ‘wolf’+ ‘energy’+
‘berry’) has become “goji.” For at least 2000 years, the
wolfberry has grown wild in China and been used in common
recipes and traditional Chinese medicine. Eighteenth century
Chinese farmers nicknamed gou qi zi “wolfberry” when they saw
wolves feasting among the berry-laden vines during late summer
at prime harvest time. Smart mammals!
The Chinese revere the wolfberry as a national treasure
regarded as among the most nutrient-dense of the nation’s
plants. This premise has stimulated scientific investigation
about its potential health benefits and systematic cultivation,
commercialization, and now increasing export to first-world
countries mainly in Europe and the US.
Wolfberry a significant source of macronutrients
The wolfberry contains significant amounts of our body’s daily
macronutrient needs, including carbohydrates, proteins, fat and
dietary fiber. The content of a wolfberry consists of 68%
carbohydrates, 12% proteins, and 10% each of fiber and fat,
giving a total caloric value of 370 per 100-gram serving.
Soybean, another ancient Chinese plant often touted as one of
the world’s most complete foods, is comparable across
macronutrients. Although wolfberries and soybeans are similar
in macronutrient content, wolfberries provide a significantly
higher source of calories as energy from carbohydrates
(soybeans = 173 calories). Blueberries, by contrast, do not
have as much macronutrient or caloric value.
The wolfberry seeds are equally beneficial, and contain
polyunsaturated fats like linoleic (omega-6) and linolenic
(omega-3) acids.
The wolfberry’s big story on micronutrients
Wolfberry’s diverse and high concentration of micronutrients
has earned it accolades as an exceptional health food. At least
11 essential minerals, 22 trace minerals, 7 vitamins and 18
amino acids define its extraordinary micronutrient richness,
with examples below:
1.Calcium: The primary constituent of teeth and bones, calcium
also has a diverse role in soft tissues where it is involved in
cardiac, neuromuscular, enzymatic, hormonal, and transport
mechanisms across cell membranes. Wolfberries and soybeans
contain 112 mg and 102 mg of calcium per 100 grams serving,
respectively, providing about 8-10% of our required daily
intake.
2.Potassium: An essential electrolyte and enzyme cofactor,
dietary potassium can lower high blood pressure. By giving us
about 24% our daily needs, (1132 mg/100 grams), wolfberries are
an excellent source of potassium, providing more than twice the
amount than soybeans.
3.Iron: An oxygen carrier in hemoglobin, iron also is a
cofactor for enzymes involved in numerous metabolic reactions.
When intake is deficient, low iron levels cause iron deficiency
anemia, a condition that affects millions of children worldwide.
Wolfberry’s exceptional iron content is twice that provided by
soybeans, often regarded as the best plant source of iron.
4.Zinc: Essential for making proteins, DNA and the functions of
more than 100 enzymes, zinc is involved in critical cell
activities such as membrane transport, repair and growth,
especially in infants. The zinc found in wolfberries (2 mg/100
grams) has a high content (double the amount of soybeans), that
meet 20% of our daily requirements.
5.Selenium: Sometimes called the “antioxidant mineral”,
selenium is often included in supplements. Selenium has
unusually high concentration in wolfberries (50 micrograms/100
grams), almost enough for our daily dietary intake, and much
more than blueberries and soybeans, which contain 8 micrograms
or less per 100 grams.
6.Riboflavin (vitamin B2): An essential vitamin supporting
energy metabolism, riboflavin is needed for synthesizing other
vitamins and enzymes. A daily wolfberry serving (1.3
micrograms) provides the complete daily requirement for our
bodies, whereas soybeans and blueberries contain only trace
levels of this important mineral.
7.Vitamin C: A universal antioxidant vitamin protecting other
antioxidant molecules from free radical damage, the vitamin C
content in wolfberries (20 mg/100 grams) is comparable to an
equal weighting of fresh oranges, blueberries or soybeans.
Phytochemicals
Wolfberries contain dozens of phytochemicals whose
health-enhancing properties are under scientific study. Three
phytochemicals of particular interest include:
Beta-carotene: A carotenoid pigment in orange-red foods like
wolfberries, pumpkins, carrots and salmon, beta-carotene is
important for synthesis of vitamin A, a fat-soluble nutrient
and antioxidant essential for normal growth, vision, cell
structure, bones and teeth and healthy skin. Wolfberry’s
beta-carotene content per unit weight (7 mg/100 grams) is among
the highest for edible plants.
Zeaxanthin: Wolfberries are an extraordinary source for this
carotenoid that plays an important role as a retinal pigment
filter and antioxidant. Wolfberries contain 162 mg/100 grams.
Polysaccharides: Long-chain sugar molecules characteristic of
many herbal medicines like mushrooms and roots, polysaccharides
are a signature constituent of wolfberries, making up 31% of
pulp weight in premium quality wolfberries. Polysaccharides are
a primary source of fermentable fiber in our body’s intestinal
system. During colonic metabolism, fermentable or “soluble
fibers” yield short-chain fatty acids which are known to:
1.Improve the health of the colon epithelial lining
2.Enhance mineral uptake
3.Stabilize blood glucose levels
4.Lower pH and reduce colon cancer risk
5.Stimulate immune functions
Polysaccharides are also known to help in antioxidant activity
and defending against threatening oxidants.
Functional Food and Beverage Applications
Wolfberries, which are prized for their color and nut-like
taste, are cultivated for a variety of food and beverage
applications within China. In addition, an increasingly amount
is also used for export as dried berries, juice and powders of
pulp. Not surprising, a major effort is underway in Ningxia,
China to process wolfberries for “functional” wine.
Despite no “hard” evidence from clinical research, the myths of
wolfberry’s traditional health benefits endure, including
positive effects related to:
•Longevity
•Aphrodisia
•Analgesia
•Antiviral conditions
•Immune-stimulating properties
•Muscular strength
•Energy
•Vision health
In laboratory and preliminary human research to date,
wolfberries have shown potential benefits against:
•Cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases
•Some forms of cancer
•Diabetes
•Premature aging
•Memory deficits
•Vision degeneration
•Lung disorders
•Other diseases of oxidative stress
Summary
Although not adequately demonstrated yet in published research,
a synergy of antioxidant carotenoids (primarily beta-carotene
and zeaxanthin) with polysaccharides suggest that wolfberries
are an exceptionally rich antioxidant food source.
Micronutrient density, combined with key health phytochemicals
like carotenoids and polysaccharides, give wolfberries their
remarkable nutritional qualities. All things considered, it’s
no wonder this berry is vying for honors as the most nutritious
plant food on Earth.
Expand your health horizons, try wolfberries!
Reading
Wolfberry data from independent contract laboratories, courtesy
of Rich Nature Nutraceutical Labs, Seattle; blueberries and
soybeans, World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com
Gross PM, Zhang X, Zhang R. Wolfberry: Nature’s Bounty of
Nutrition and Health, Booksurge Publishing, North Charleston,
2006, ISBN 1-4196-2048-7
Copyright 2006 Berry Health Inc.
About The Author: Dr. Paul Gross is a scientist and expert on
cardiovascular and brain physiology. A published researcher,
Gross recently completed a book on the Chinese wolfberry and
has begun another on antioxidant berries. Gross is founder of
Berry Health Inc, a developer of nutritional, berry-based
supplements. For more information, visit
http://www.berrywiseonline.com
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