GOJI BERRIES

GOJI BERRIES (Complimentary from my Dad)

Chinese wolfberries or boxthom fruit (dried Goji berries) and is more comonly known as "Gou Ji" in Mandarin and "Kei Chi" in Cantonese. Goji berries are small bright red fleshly berries that grows in the remote areas of Tibet and Mongolia and most popular Chinese herbs. It is sold in dried form in all Asian grocery as well as medical stores. They are sweet and are found in many Chinese herbal soups, sweet teas and tonic drinks. Goji berries have been traditionally regarded as a longevity, strength-building and sexual potency fruits of the highest order in the traditional practices of Chinese medicine. 

They have been eaten by locals for almost 2,000 years. Historically it is found through the ancient Himalayans, who were the one to first encounter the miracle fruit. For thousands of years, Goji berries gave Himalayans health and energy. Then once the Chinese and Indians passed through Tibet, the Himalayans decided to share their secret fruits. The foreigners welcomed the new knowledge as they began incorporating the goji berries into their own herbal solutions. 

As it became popular in other parts of Asia, legends of its powers began to spread. One of these legends tells the story of a well that was built next to a Buddhist temple during the Tang Dynasty(around 800 AD). Goji vines grown around it, so it was common for the berries to fall into the water. Over the time people noticed that those who prayed and drank from the well at the particular temple not only looked younger but they also were much healthier even at the age of eighty they had no white hair and had lost no teeth. The secret wasn't in the prayer, at least not in a direct sense. What made them so healthy were the goji berries they had consumed while drinking the water from the well. A poem was written about this well, which became a small part in Chinese medical history :-

The Well of Youthful Living

A cool well beside the monk's house,
a clear spring feeds the well and the water has great powers,
emerald green leaves grow on the wall,
the deep red berries shine like copper,
the flourishing branch like a walking stick,
the old root in a dog's shape signals good fortune,
the goji nourishes body and spirit,drink of the well and enjoy a long life

- Tang Dynasty poet Liu YuXi (772 - 842 AD)

It is natural supplement for improving eyesight especially poor eyesight is caused by malnutrition, vessel expansion and inflammation. Consuming goji berries may help the experience of eye strain from staring at computer screens and documents for long periods of time. Besides that, it is also very beneficial for the liver as a healthy liver manifests in better looking eyes and vision. Traditional Chinese medicine taught that any sickness in the liver can be observed from the eyes. For example, people suffering from hepatitis or jaundice have very yellowish eyes. It can be eaten and they can be quite sweet too. 

My mum loved to put lots of goji berries in her herbal soup for us. Other then that, it can be boil just with water and add a few pieces of red dates. Up till now, my kitchen cabinet is always fill with goji berries. Without goji berries in the soup is like cooking without oil to me.