Goji shrub is also called: Berber dereza, ordinary dereza, Chinese dereza, wolf berries, barbarian dereza
In China, goji is called ningxia gouqi, which in translation means ninxian dereza. There is even a legend according to which, the berry was named after Gou Zi, a resident of the province of Ningxia.
Saving lives
The Chinese legend has been passed on from mouth to mouth: its events unfolded as early as the 5th century BC. Gou Zi married a beautiful girl, but he was forced to go to war to protect his native land. In those times, famine reigned in the provinces, people were dying from it.
Returning from the war, Gou Zi found his wife and mother not only alive but also healthy as if they had not been affected by their hunger at all. This fact made the man unspeakably happy, and he asked them how they managed to survive. His wife told him about being saved by red berries, which she collected daily from thorny bushes, and which she ate herself and fed his mother. These berries turned out to be goji berries. Later, others found out about him and started to call the berries Gou Zi. And because of Europeans, its name began to sound like “goji”.
In a mountain area
In natural conditions, the plant can be found on the territory of the Himalayas, Tibet, Russia, and China. In ancient China, goji berries, like many other plants, were actively used to treat diseases of the liver, kidneys, spine, and joints, as a tonifying and restorative agent.
In Europe and in America, goji berries began to gain popularity only in the 21st century. They were presented in different ways: as a means for losing weight, preventing cancer, even as a universal panacea for all diseases. The secrets of famous Chinese centenarians were associated with them.
An amazing fruit
The berries themselves are long oval and of a bright scarlet color. They somewhat remotely resemble barberry. In their raw form, the berries are not consumed due to the high content of substances that can cause poisoning. After drying, the components lose their dangerous properties.
Goji berries cannot be called a low-calorie product. Their nutritional value varies from 300 to 350 kcal. In addition to proteins, fats and carbohydrates, the berries contain a large number of trace elements. The biggest amount being iron, calcium and sodium.