- General information
- How do goji berries help reduce weight?
- Usage recommendations
- When can the plant become a poison?
At the beginning of the 21st century, American and European consumers accustomed to marketing deception simply “went crazy” over a small berry from China. It became the most popular product in diets that were advertised by world-class show business stars, and prominent scientists and nutritionists devoted scientific articles to it. The name of this product matches its mysterious image — goji.
We will try to figure out where the fabrications end and the truth about the berries begins; how should they be used for weight loss?
General information
Goji — this name is entrenched in the plant due to the peculiarities of translation from Chinese. Dereza vulgaris is more familiar to us. It belongs to the nightshade family (along with potatoes and tomatoes). The berries ripen on a beautiful evergreen shrub and slightly resemble barberry. Sometimes they are called “Chinese barberry,” although from the biological point of view, this is incorrect. It is common in the mountainous regions of China, but it takes root perfectly well in any other mountainous area.
The use of goji berries in ancient Chinese recipes has been around for several thousand years. The most famous myth concerns a long-liver who died in 1933 at the age of 256. He ate several grams of fruit per day.
We will not question this wonderful story. The main thing is that the plant is mentioned in many herbal medicine treatises as one of the most useful on our planet.
How do goji berries help reduce weight?
Studies conducted in biochemical laboratories in Europe and America have confirmed the truly unique composition of the fruits of common dereza. To understand why they help you lose weight, let’s characterize the main ingredients.
Micronutrients
Composition: iron, zinc, copper, selenium, phosphorus, iodine, manganese, nickel, chromium, calcium, potassium, cobalt, cadmium, germanium. No other medicinal plant can boast such diversity. Moreover, you do not need to eat kilograms of fruit to replenish the daily intake of minerals; a few berries are enough.
How are these substances able to correct weight?
- Without calcium, the “work” of many enzymes of fat metabolism is impossible. It indirectly activates lipolysis — the very “burning” of fat that people who are losing weight want to achieve.
- Zinc reduces appetite and affects the normal insulin content in the blood. This is important for people with diabetes, which is closely associated with obesity. Zinc “controls” the beauty of hair, nails, and skin.
- Chromium is included in many metabolic chains, and the faster these processes go, the slimmer the figure becomes. It is able to change taste preferences (reduces cravings for sweets). It normalizes cholesterol concentration.
- Manganese activates the enzymes of liver cells. They accelerate the processes of fat metabolism, which means they promote the “burning” of fat from the subcutaneous tissue. It is just as necessary for the normal development of bone tissue as calcium.
- Magnesium participates in all types of metabolism, promotes the utilization of carbohydrates. An important property is the stabilization of the nervous system. It is known that with obesity people suffer from depression and “seize” it with sweets and pastries, closing the vicious circle. Magnesium breaks this chain, as it relieves depressive moods.
Germanium is unique in this list — a unique metal that acts at the atomic level. The latest developments in oncology, the study of aging processes (its ability to prolong life has already been proven in animals), the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, and many other “incurable” human problems are currently associated with the study of its healing properties.
The beneficial properties of germanium are also important for weight loss: it normalizes insulin production and stabilizes blood glucose levels, has a positive effect on all types of metabolism and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Since germanium is a very rare metal, chemical preparations based on it are not widespread in the pharmaceutical environment. The opportunity to obtain it naturally with goji berries is all the more valuable.
Amino acids
The plant contains 18 amino acids, most of which are essential for our body (that is, those that can only be obtained from food). What are amino acids needed for in general, and how can they affect weight loss?
Amino acids participate in protein synthesis. But all hormones, enzymes, and many cellular structures are protein molecules.
The benefits of amino acids for weight loss are as follows:
- reduce appetite;
- normalize metabolism;
- promote the utilization of “excess” fats;
- maintain glucose levels at a constant level;
- lower blood cholesterol.
It is impossible not to mention the participation of amino acids in the synthesis of collagen and elastin. This is not directly related to a decrease in body weight. But those women who have ever quickly lost a significant number of kilograms know what a problem “sagging,” flabby skin becomes. Goji berries with their amino acid composition are able to correct this situation.
Polysaccharides
By their chemical nature, these are complex carbohydrates. Many people are familiar with polysaccharides such as starch, fiber, cellulose, and agar-agar. Unique polysaccharides that are not found in any other plant (LBP-1, LBP-2, LBP-3, LBP-4) have been found in goji berries. These are the so-called “slow” carbohydrates, which have recently been actively included by nutritionists in various diets and systems of proper nutrition.
Using polysaccharides for weight loss:
- For a long time, they maintain a feeling of “fullness” in a person, normalizing blood glucose content.
- They are a nutrient medium for the normal microflora of the intestine, which has a beneficial effect on digestion, the process of removing toxins and toxins.
- They are practically never deposited in the form of fatty deposits, while maintaining an optimal energy balance.
- They improve calcium absorption.
- They reduce blood cholesterol and lipid levels.
- They stimulate intestinal motility, remove toxins and toxins.
It is thanks to polysaccharides that patients noted a special cheerfulness, endurance, even with a minimum amount of food eaten.
Vitamins
Composition: beta-carotene, vitamins C, E, group B. Vitamins themselves cannot reduce weight, but they have many functions that allow them to be effectively used for weight loss:
- reduce appetite;
- accelerate metabolism;
- utilize glucose with the release of energy;
- prevent excessive fat deposition in the subcutaneous fat.
Losing weight is a kind of stress for the body. No wonder many people note depression, bad mood, or a general deterioration in well-being when using various diets. Such “side effects” often lead to breakdowns and the return of hated kilograms. Losing weight with goji berries completely eliminates discomfort. On the contrary, this plant gives vigor, energy, improves sleep, increases the efficiency of the nervous system…
This list can be continued indefinitely. After all, the plant is used not only to correct weight. Its unique properties are important in any area of human health.
Usage recommendations
We hope that most of those who have read the article to this point have already wondered how to properly prepare goji berries. After analyzing many ancient recipes and recommendations from modern nutritionists, we will give some tips on how to use this miracle plant:
- Since the fruits are truly bioactive (unlike many far-fetched medicinal plants), it is important to observe the measure. On average, an adult is supposed to have 30 grams of dry matter per day. How many berries correspond to this dose? Depending on the size — 6-7 pieces.
- The form in which to take them depends on the imagination. You can
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