What are Goji berries?

Recently, we have seen our markets, shops and supermarkets overflowed by a type of red seed that received the name of Goji berries. It was presented as a Chinese miracle, a sort an antioxidant product that might cure cancer, heart diseases and many other health disorders. But what are Goji berries?

Goji berries have been present in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years.  Goji is the fruit of the Lycium barbarum or either Lycium chinense, two  species of boxthorn in the nightshade family, Solanaceae.

Soon, this product started being sold loose in flea markets by the pound without any hygienic guarantee. A few weeks later, some consumers organizations denounced the issue in many media, including TV channels at peak hours, and the “flavor of the month” almost disappeared.

Later on, voices from some governments (one of them, the Spanish one) stated that no evidence was found that Goji berries were infected by bacteria or pesticides. However, the goji berries’ trade did not return to its original level.




The truth is that any food product, depending on how it comes to the consumer, can be either safe or poisonous.

Another question is if this product has the properties that it claims to have. Few surveys have been conducted about the human intake of Goji berries. And the number of people involved in the couple of cases known up to now has been very low, less than a hundred.

On top of that, some companies that sell bottled Goji berries juice have raised an alert over risk of contamination from bulk dry Goji berries, as they can be dirty, and are soft, moist and almost rotten. They warn us not to buy them without a certificate of analysis. Anyway, the high cost of this juice is not justified, being the Goji berries a cheap product.

Normally, the Goji berries are consumed fresh in India, China and Tibet. They are also known as wolfberries.

Considering all these facts, I think that developed countries can continue living healthy without Goji berries.

Courtesy of Rich Nature Nutraceutical Labs

The Spanish population is adopting new food habits and getting fat

The President of the Spanish Food Safety Agency (AESAN) announced recently the results of the first national survey of Spanish dietary intake. The Bamberg Foundation has collaborated in the development of surveys.

This study has revealed a number of issues:

• Only 43% of the surveyed population consumed vegetables daily and the average amount of fruit consumed corresponds to less than three pieces per day, which is the minimum recommended amount.
• Respondents consume more protein and fat than recommended and less carbohydrate than they should.
• 20% of the population has followed some type of diet recently. The figure is higher in women than in men.
• 46% of respondents do not play any sport.

The survey was conducted to 3,000 people aged between 18 and 64 years. Its key goals included, among others, to know the habits of the Spanish population and to obtain data to help understand and evaluate their nutritional status.




The main recommendations emerged from this National Survey is that the Spanish population should:

1) Increase consumption of whole cereals, vegetables, legumes, nuts and olive oil for a balanced diet.

2) Moderate consumption of sugars. High intakes may promote overweight, obesity and dental caries. This applies to high calories drinks. (Our opinion is that any type of soda should be avoided, even the light ones)

3) Moderate consumption of fatty meats, sausages and pastries, to reduce intake of saturated fats and reduce cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease.

4) Maintain an adequate hydration by consuming water, tea, fruit juices, soups, etc…

5) Increase daily practice of physical exercise and adjust food intake according to regular activity level.

6) Finally, follow the Mediterranean Diet, a rich, varied and healthy model, as well as a cultural heritage left to all the peoples of the World.

Last year, AESAN, The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition made a statement that refuted the claims made by the OCU (Spanish Consumers and Users Organization) about the toxicity of the goji berries. It further stated that, in these berries, heavy metals are within the limits allowed by European law and that the same applies to pesticides.