Himalayan Goji - Ah... What Is It Exactly?

Himalayan Goji is the plant known by the scientific name Lycium barbarum L. But the Himalayas is just one of the places where Lycium is grown.

Some also claim that it is of the species "Lycium eleagnus barbarum, " – a scientific name that does NOT exist in Botany!

Lycium eleagnus barbarum is nothing but a name concocted for marketing purposes. So is "Lycium eleagnus pungens". These berries are both Lycium barbarum.

"Lycium eleagnus" CANNOT EXIST since Lycium is from the Solanaceae or nightshade family, while Elaeagnus is from the oleaster family.

Moreover, special harvesting processes, such as shaking the berries off the vine (because touching them would make them lose their power), smacks of superstition and is unsupported by science.

Where Does Himalayan Goji Come From?

At least one wholesaler has admitted to selling Goji sourced from Ningxia province of China to a retailer who labels them "Himalayan" or "Tibetan" for resale to unsuspecting customers.

This is not to say that genuine Himalayan Goji is unavailable, only that it is probably more difficult to source and may be impractical in terms of generating profit. And a higher tag price does not necessarily mean that the Lycium berries are genuinely Himalayan.

Furthermore, no scientific study exists that backs claims that Lycium berries from the Himalayas have special properties not found in berries from other areas in China or even North America.

So even if it is labeled "Himalayan", expect it to have been harvested from any of the following areas:

• Mongolia
• Gansu Province, China
• Ningxia Province, China
• Sichuan Province, China
• Xinjiang Province, China

No matter the false claims as to its power and origins, herbal medicine practitioners in Tibet, China, as well as India have really used Lycium berries for thousands of years to...

• improve vision;
• boost the immune system;
• enhance circulation;
• strengthen joints;
• promote liver health;
• enhance fertility; and
• promote long life.

Although research on Lycium berries is still regarded as being in its early stages, many of these claims have been proven. For example, that Lycium berries are rich in the carotenoid Zeaxanthin, and is indeed the richest fruit source for it, is fact.

Zeaxanthin works as an antioxidant that protects the retina. Clinical studies have shown that eating food rich in Zeaxanthin may decrease the likelihood of developing the macular degeneration that comes with age, which is the top cause of blindness in individuals over age 65.

Also, claims that the so-called Himalayan Goji is good for relieving joint pains and boosting the body's immune response, for instance, are scientifically explained by the presence of polysaccharides, among other minerals, which are known for their anti-inflammatory immunomodulating properties.

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