The Goji Berry – Natural Aphrodisiac Dessert?

Goji Berries look like pointy red raisins. This aphrodisiac food is packed with enough health benefits and good taste that they are worth eating even if you don’t feel an immediate aphrodisiac buzz.

Which are its benefits?

This is a well regarded aphrodisiac food in China, where it is referred to as the ‘happy berry.’ Goji is considered a yin tonic, and it is said to strengthen the liver and the kidney/adrenal system (said to be the source of sexual energy in Chinese medicine). And there is some scientific evidence to back these ideas up.

In one study on lab animals, Goji improved the sexual function and reproductive ability of male rats that were half-castrated. (PMID: 16563441) The study concluded “The present findings support the folk reputation of L. barbarum fruits as an aphrodisiac and fertility-facilitating agent, and provide scientific evidence for a basis for the extensive use of L. barbarum fruits as a traditional remedy for male infertility in China.”

While Goji berries look something like a raisin, the taste of goji berries is more complex and wonderful – in addition to the expected sweet flavor, there are mild salty and sour notes.

Goji berries are widely available in health food stores, Asian groceries, and on-line. Expect to pay a premium for organically grown berries, and for the juice (which is mostly water). Prices vary quite a bit, so you should shop around.

Goji berries (aka wolfberries aka lycium have demonstrated an anti-diabetic effect in several studies on humans and lab animals. After ten days of a goji supplement, rabbits had significantly lower total cholesterol and triglycerides, and markedly higher HDL (‘good’) cholesterol. ( PMID 15519360) Goji may be a good food to fight metabolic syndrome (along with an otherwise sensible diet and exercise) – and metabolic syndrome is a precursor to diabetes and erectile dysfunction.

And the same polysaccharides that lower blood sugar also stimulate the immune system. Goji is being tested against a number of cancers, although the effect does not appear strong enough to consider it a primary therapy. But as a food packed with antioxidants like zeathin and other carotenes, this is one delight that may reduce the risk of developing cancer in the first place.

In traditional use, the daily dose of Goji berries is 5 to 15 grams (roughly 1/6 to 1/2 ounce). I personally just take a small handful as a dessert or snack. I have also made some excellent chocolates by grinding goji berries in a coffee grinder, and melting it with chocolate chips and coconut.

Goji berries are in the same botanical family as tomatoes and peppers. The scientific name is Lycium barbarum or Lycium chinensis. One source for live plants in the US is OneGreenWorld.com – they list the plant under ‘wolfberry.’