How to Grow the Goji Berry Fruit Tree: Healthy Goji Berries Plant

What is the Goji Berry?

Can you grow your own Goji Berry fruit tree easily?

Can you lose weight by eating Goji Berries.

I have answered all these questions below.

I will show you with photos how to grow the Goji Berry plant in your garden.

I will also explain the many health benefits and how to use these fruit berries in your daily recipes. You can benefit from all the health attributes of this wonderful berry.

Goji fruit berries have become very popular in the Western world in the past few years.

They have been sold in health shops for a long time now. But it is only recently that theyhave become easily available in most stores and supermarkets.

The big companies have a hand in marketing this amazing berry as they see the potential profits it can bring them.

They know how to take advantage of the growing interest we take in the health benefits of certain ingredients we use in our foods.

Chinese traditional medicine and the Goji Berry

Goji berries have been grown in China for thousands of years. The Chinese realized the medicinal properties of the berries very quickly and have used them to treat health problems for years.

These health benefits are only now in the past few years being accepted by people in the rest of the world.

In modern China research has been carried out by their scientists to explain how the Goji Berry benefits the health of the human body.

Research in China has proved the benefits of the Goji berry for the care of the eyes.

Damage to the retina by diseases such as cataracts, diabetes, and other age related causes of sight loss can be improved by eating these berries.

The nutrients contained in the Goji berry that has this health benefit are Zeaxanthin and Lutein.

Goji berries are nutritionally rich.

They contain a high concentrate of protein and vitamins B1, B2, B6, C and E. They also contain eighteen different kinds of amino acids.

In studies it has been found that Goji berries contain more vitamin C than oranges, more beta carotene than carrots.

They also have four times the amount of potassium than in a banana.and more iron than steak.

Where to buy Goji Berries

Goji berries are becoming more popular now as the health benefits are becoming well known. There was a time when you could only buy the dried fruit in health shops.

Now it is readily available in most stores and supermarkets. The berries are sold in packets as a dried fruit. These can be added as an ingredient to other foods.

There are also ready made products for sale which contain Goji berries such as wine, juice and smoothies.

I am sure as the fruit becomes even more popular other ready made products will appear on the shelves.

Eating Goji Berries

There are many ways the dried fruit can be eaten at home. It can be mixed raw with at breakfast time with cereals and porridge.

At lunch time it can be added to any salad or soup and sprinkled on sandwiches.

At dinner time it can be mixed with stews, salads and on hamburgers. The drinks such as juice, wine and milk shakes can be used anytime too.

How does the Goji berry help a person on a diet and wanting to achieve weight loss.

Weight loss claims

Scientific tests reveal that the berries contain Betaine. This is important for changing Homocysteine to Methionine in the liver. Methionine and Lysine are then responsible for the production of Carnitine.

So Goji Berries can help through its concentration of Betaine with weight loss. The berry also contains a high concentration of Vitamin C.

This also has the ability to create Carnitine in the body.

Another important vitamin that contributes to weight loss is Vitamin B1.

It converts carbohydrates into energy and it encourages a healthy thyroid function which creates a better body metabolism.

The Goji berry when included in the diet actually satisfies the appetite more quickly and gives the dieter a chance to lose weight without feeling hungry all the time.

Betaine is also useful in the body for nerves and stress and helps to enhance the memory.

Depression

The Goji berry contains Thiamin and this induces a sense of happiness by increasing the body’s energy level and feelings of optimism.

When eaten the berry creates a combination of therapeutic actions within the body. This is known as an adaptogen.

The effect is increased energy levels both mental and physical.

Lack of sleep

Thiamin combined with Magnesium which is also present in the Goji fruit enables people to fall asleep easier and improves their quality of that sleep.

Common Cold

Research has shown that zinc can shorten the length and severity of a cold. Goji berries have plenty of Vitamin C and Zinc.

They need twelve months of tender care and it is not always guaranteed that the plant will produce fruit.

Therefore the best way to get a Goji plant in your garden that gives you plenty of fruit is to buy a plant of at least two years old.

They are not that costly to purchase in garden centres and are even cheaper if you shop around and buy online.

Fruit will not appear until the Goji plant is three years old and then every year after that the fruit yield will increase.

They need plenty of direct sunlight to thrive so pick the spot where you intend to grow your Goji berries carefully.

Planting and looking after the Goji Berry plant

Make sure to dig a big enough hole so that manure and compost can be added to the bottom. Once planted the Goji plant would appreciate a good watering to establish the roots.

It requires very little water to survive but if you water it regularly it will reward you with extra fruit. It can grow almost anywhere and is very sturdy in most weather conditions.

It can withstand temperatures as low as -15 degrees Fahrenheit and as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It can grow very large and bushy if not pruned over the years.

Take care of the Goji Plant and it will take care of you too. Plant from around May and you will first see purple and white flowers.

These will ripen into berries from July to October.

They can be picked in the autumn.

The Goji fruit berries plant is very easy to grow in your garden

The rest of the world has now only in the last few years realized the health benefits of the Goji fruit berry.

The Chinese people realized the medicinal properties of the berries thousands of years ago. We are also benefiting from this knowledge now.

The Goji Berry can be bought as as a dried fruit and mixed into your food. The berries can aslo be bought as a drink.

Better still it is a hardy berry that can be planted in gardens all over the world. So If you have a large or even smaller garden it is easy to grow the Goji Berry plant.

I have given details above in this article my own experience of growing my own Goji Berry plants. As you can see from the photos and my step by step instruction it is easy and cheap to grow your own Berry plant.

Now that I have shown you the Goji berry and the many health benefits of these fruit berries why not introduce them to your daily diet.

There are plenty of ways to eat and enjoy them.

© Copyright 2012 L.M.Reid