Lycium Barbarum is actually the scientific name that is given to the Goji berry. L. Barbarum is found in a few places around the world, but mostly in the Himalayas. Although it is really only the official Goji fruit, marketers have been borrowing the Goji name to market both Lycium Barbarum and Lycium Chinense for many years. Also, locals in China, call the Lycium Chinense plant, commonly titled as Wolfberry Goji. However, the Barbarum and the Chinense varieties of the Goji are completely different in both appearance and makeup, but they are closely related.
You can instantly tell the Lycium Barbarum from other varieties of Goji because the Barbarum is the shrub form of the plant. This plant can reach a height and width of about 2 and a half meters and produces quite a bit of fruit. This type of Goji is very resilient and can grow anywhere, having survived extreme weather conditions and poor soil for thousands of years in the areas that it is native to. All this plant needs to be able to survive is to be exposed to sunlight, be trimmed once a year or so and for the soil to have the ability to drain.
The Lycium Chinense is the other variety of Goji that is often confused with the Barbarum plant. However, it is quite easy to tell the difference. While the Lycium Barbarum is a shrub, the Lycium Chinense is a vine plant, which gets up to six meters high. Also, this variety of Goji produces fruit in the Spring and the Winter seasons, as opposed to Lycium Barbarum, which only produces fruit during the summer months. However, the berries that are produced are quite similar to Barbarum, but may taste different depending upon which area they are coming from.
Where Lycium Barbarum is Found
Most people think that China is the home of the Lycium Barbarum plant, but in fact, this is again a case of mistaken identity. Goji berries that are grown in China and other areas nearby are the Lycium Chinense variety of the Goji. Also, the Goji berries that are grown in the Himalayas and in Australia are Lycium Chinense.
The Lycium Barbarum is found mostly in Tibet. Healers in this area have been using this species of Goji for thousands of years, and have found that the Lycium Barbarum, much like its cousin, promotes health and longevity and helps to boost the immune system and help to promote heart, kidney and liver health and treat vision problems and lowered libido. Sometimes this variety of Goji is called Tibetan berries, but they are also called Wolfberries, as are Lycium Chinense and Barbarum from pretty much any region.
Lycium Barbarum Products
Lycium Barbarum is available in a huge variety of products that you can find in nutrition stores and on health food websites. Probably the two most common forms of the Goji are dried Goji berries, either eaten by themselves much like raisins are, or in foods like trail mix or cereal, and Goji juice, which is one of the favorite ways to get the healing power of Lycium Barbarum. However, Goji is also used in health bars, smoothies, nutritional supplements and in some parts of the country is even sold in alcohol and coffee products. In Tibet, they often use Lycium Barbarum in baked goods and use the leaves of the plant for making teas when the berries are not in bloom.
Benefits of Lycium Barbarum
There are many health benefits of the Lycium Barbarum plant. Goji helps with weight loss because it help you to convert all of the food that you eat into energy instead of storing the excess as fat. Also, one of the main benefits is that it helps to stop aging and promote youthfulness. It does this two ways. First, Goji promotes excretion of the Human Growth Hormone and second, it fights free radicals which cause aging. Also, Goji has benefits related to vision, helps to treat and prevent some types of cancer and promotes a healthy liver, heart and kidneys as well as increasing sexual desire and giving the person taking it energy and vitality.
Side Effects of Lycium Barbarum
There have as yet been no reported side effects from using Lycium Barbarum or its cousin, Lycium Chinense. Some people report gas, but this is quite common when you eat berries. However, those with an allergy to fruits like blueberries may want to use caution and consult with their physician before they take the Lycium Barbarum berry.