The goji berries come from a vine-like plant that can sometimes reach 15 to 20 feet in height. This is usually found in the Ningxia

Province in China. Several people describe the goji berry plant as a mix between a grape vine, and a tomato creeper. Goji berry refers to the

Chinese name for the bright orange-red fruit of the thorny and woody plant (shrub) Lycium babarum. There are many varieties of Wolfberry in

China (commonly called Goji Berries), it is the Ningxia variety of Goji Berry. The majority of the commercially produced Goji berry comes from

the Xinjiang and Ningxia regions in China. It's a powerful superfood, containing more calcium than cauliflower, more protein than bee pollen

(it's 16% protein by weight, making it a high-protein fruit), more betacarotene than carrots, more vitamin C than oranges, 18 amino acids, 21

trace minerals, 6 essential fatty acids, and vitamins B1, B2, B6, C and E

The Ningxia Goji Berry stands out among the several varieties of wolfberry by containing the highest concentration of immune stimulating

polysaccharides. It's therefore no surprise that it's become a secret weapon used by Chinese Olympic swimmers. Nor is it surprising that

Chinese scientists found it decreased tumor size in mice by up to 58%. Its acid binding, and alkaline forming properties have made it a natural

liver protectant and it is a great attribute, because an acidic body is the foundation of disease. The Western diet is highly acidic

(containing an excess of acid foods like red meat, sugar, alcohol, and dairy), and disease can only live in an acidic body. Any food that is

alkaline and can help to bind acid in the body is going to move your body in the perfect direction - away from disease. Chinese scientists

began studying the Ningxia Goji Berry when they learnt that farmers who were eating it every day were living to 100 or more years of age

without any disease, and not requiring glasses. This contrasted with other locals in Ningxia Province whose average lifespan was 10 to 20 years

less, and who were victim to the general diseases. It's declared in the Chinese Physician's handbook (1593AD) that a Goji Berry elixir was

given to a man, and he lived for over a hundred years. This man could walk very fast, and his grey hair turned black again. Supplementing the

diet with zeaxanthins and lutein can remarkably reduce the progression of macular degeneration, because these compounds act as the eye's

natural sunscreen, screening out damaging blue light.

If you take 6 mg per day of lutein/zeaxanthin, it will reduce your risk of macular degeneration by 57%, and reduce your risk of

senile/metabolic cataracts by 20%. And if you take 10 mg per day it will lead to a 43% improvement in central vision. The problem is that the

average intake of lutein and zeaxanthin (combined) in our diet is approximately 3 mg per day. This is not enough and most supplements have a

lutein to zeaxanthin ratio of 20:1, whereas the ideal ratio is 1:2.5. This means that the proportion is wrong in our diets so we need more

Zeaxanthin than Lutein.

If you take 15g (3 teaspoons) of dried Goji Berry per day, you will triple the amount of zeaxanthin in your blood over 30 days. But Goji Berry

nutrients are even more accessible to your body when it comes in the form of a liquid Goji Juice.

The author has been practicing and researching nutrition and health related products for many years. Since goji berry juice has become more popular in the US in the recent years his research has been guide mostly

in that direction. This product and more can be found at http://www.gojiberries.us