Wolfberries: potent superfood for your skin
If you’re a Chinese, chances are, you’ve eaten these one time or another because wolfberries, also known as ‘gou qi zi’ in Chinese or goji berries, are used widely in Chinese cooking. While wolfberry is a fruit, but it is often used like a herb in tonic soups, stew and tea. Some people even eat them like raisins. They may be small but wolfberries are packed with tremendous health benefits, including strengthening the eyes, liver and kidney and nourishing the blood. Additionally, they contain powerful antioxidants and hence, protect against premature aging, and is a great beauty food when consumed regularly.
Nourish the liver
My mom made me eat quite a lot of wolfberries when I was younger because she wanted me to have better vision. However, what’s more interesting to me was that I found out much later that they are able to nourish and strengthen our livers. Now, I’ve discussed how the liver can affect your skin such as giving it a better skin tone and so if wolfberries can nourish your liver, then it’s definitely great for our skin’s health.
Protects skin from UV radiation
Wolfberry today has reached the status of being a superfood and I was quite overwhelmed by their properties when I was doing research about it. According to what I found from the wiki, they are said to contain 18 types of amino acids; 21 trace minerals; 29 fatty acids, phytochemicals such as beta carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein, lycopene and cryptoxanthinp; vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin E and a great amount of vitamin C. And these are not all! What is important to note is that wolfberries are exceptionally rich in phytochemicals, which are able to protect our skin against the harmful effects of UV radiation. In addition, they can also protect our collagen and elastin fibres because they contain fatty acids.
Regular consumption for the beauty benefits
It seems that ingesting wolfberries will also help to treat menopausal symptoms, as well as help one lose weight. However, don’t ask me exactly how much you should consume. Some sources cite 20 grams, while others state 1/4 cup. I guess daily consumption of a handful would bring about visible benefits over a period of time.
Supplies from China
You can easily purchase wolfberries from supermarkets or medicinal halls, and they are really from China. I have not learnt about any adverse effects when these are taken regularly but personally, I don’t take wolfberries daily. I can possibly have them daily if I eat them like raisins but I find it strange to eat wet wolfberries because I must always wash them. But, I’m having them today in my soup!
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I like wet wolfberries, lol. I love mixing it with my teas, especially with rose tea. I think the only adverse effect it has is that it reacts badly to blood thinning meds. I read once about this old lady who died after allegedly taking too much wolfberries daily. But they found out that she was on blood-thinning medication so the wolfberries kind of thinned the blood too much.
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it’s been a while since i ate something with these, mom used to tell me that they are excellent for eyes ? but if they are imported from china, i have some doubts…you never know if they are REALLY wolfberries or look-alike.
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I love these! When I was younger, I used to eat them raw from the pack! It’s pretty hard to find them here in the UK unless I go to those Asian supermarkets. But I usually buy those ready-mix packs for making soup which contain gojiberries, pak kei, yuk chuk, etc, those other Chinese herbs, to make soup for my family.
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I used to hate them when I was young. However, as I grow older and I find that it does not taste as bad as I thought it was. I went to niu er previous talk and he highlight the health benefits of it so I have been eating and drinking them since them.
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Woah, I never knew wolfberries can kill…hmm…I wonder how much did she consume. Also, did she start taking wolfberries first or the med first…easier to pinpoint to something she bought on her own rather than from the doc. But it’s always good to eat everything in moderation, especially if one has a medical condition.
I have more confidence in these stuff…anyway, I don’t think it’s that easy to get from anywhere else other than China plus such fruits are grown in abundance there so chances of counterfeits are lower.
I think it’s easy to get them from Chinatown or Asian supermarket. Love these in soup!
They taste all right when cooked but I used to avoid swallowing them even when drinking the soup or eating porridge. Now, I’m ok too.
I’m going to have to look for these in a Chinese grocery. I never find goji or acai berries in my local stores. Luckily, I live near Chinatown. ?
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They should not cost a lot. Over here, a pack cost under US$5.
I purchase wolfberries online, mainly from iherb, and eat them raw from the pack. Actually, I don’t like much how they taste.
For beauty sake, I shall eat them everyday. I used to consume it everyday but I find it too heaty for my body.
I tried eating them raw and it’s not bad but I just feel they’re not clean and need to be washed first. After washing, I can’t eat them raw anymore…find it strange to do so.
Heaty? Hmm…never thought of them as so. I suppose eat them with moderation. LIke a handful. Also take note of what Ecobeauty mentioned about blood thinning med.
I’ve been eating them for a long time since I was a small kid – growing up in a family with a heritage of TCM herbalists meant that I’ve had these ‘tonics’ for food frequently! Gouqi is an interesting herb because it adapts to the areas of weakness and nourishes them indiscriminately. The best way is to eat t dry by chewing until it gets pulpy. Gouqizi is ‘heaty’ because it immediately increases blood circulation and iron levels. ?
Great article! I have been wondering about these and you have inspired me to try them. Although, I hope I won’t have too much trouble finding the dried version since I live out West. Just wondering, what is the overwhelming flavor of these–sweet, bitter, or savory? Just wondering so I will know what to mix with them in a DIY trail mix.
It’s sweet…can’t say they’re savory but they do taste a bit like raisins. The flavor is lost in the stew or soup when you cook them. You can probably throw a handful into salads.
Yup. I used to find is disgusting bec it is soggy and there is seeds inside. Now my taste seems to change a bit. So it taste quite alright for me too.
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I remember mixing boiling water over wolfberries and drinking this concoction a few times a day for a few months after my Lasik Operation a few years back.
Did it help you?
Your second photo is exactly how my mom would have wolfberries in the soup! In fact, that’s the main way I get to eat them. There are dried wolfberries which can be eaten without washing and boiling, but I never tried, because I’m afraid they might have dyes.
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You would know if they’re dyed from the color of the water after you soak them. I always soak them for a short while prior to cooking and the color of the water remains.
My mom uses them in soups and sometimes she would even add these to porridge. However, I bought some (it was acutally a bucket containing almost 500g…) from our local organic supermarket and I tried to eat them raw. Omg… the taste was really horrible. Basically I just swallowed them all the time telling myself it’s good for my health. lol I didn’t enjoy this so I never repurchased the bucket. #k8SjZc9DxkO#k8SjZc9Dxk;;
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Oh…could the organic ones taste different? I tried the normal supermarket stuff and they taste okay. Actually if not for the washing, eating this like a snack is nice…
I love Goji berries but if one eats 150gm in one sitting, is this damaging and/or going to increase body weight and/or fat??
Okay, I have no idea how much exactly is 150gm but I doubt it’ll add weight. However, if it’s a lot, I would advice you reduce and just take in moderation.
Omg I didn’t know how fresh this seedy fruit look on trees until today! Went to a Chinese herb shop to buy this morning. The entire sachet (just sgd 1.50) went into my boiling soup containing 12 pcs of pork ribs, cup of cherry tomatoes.
Wolfberries? Wow, that is a super food. I haven’t try that one but I will.
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