- General information
- How do wolfberries help you lose weight?
- Recommendations for use
- When can the plant become poisonous?
At the beginning of the 21st century, American and European consumers, accustomed to marketing deceptions, simply lost their minds over these small berries from China. They became the most popular product in diets advertised by world show business stars, and famous scientists and nutritionists wrote scientific articles about them. The name of the product reflects its mysterious image — wolfberry.
We will try to figure out where the fantasies end and the truth about the berries begins; how should they be used to lose weight?
General information
Wolfberry is the name that stuck with the plant due to the peculiarities of translation from Chinese. We are more accustomed to calling it common matrimony vine. It belongs to the nightshade family (along with potatoes and tomatoes). The berries ripen on beautiful evergreen shrubs and are slightly reminiscent of barberries. Sometimes they are called that way, “Chinese barberry”, although from a biological point of view, this is not true. It is common in the mountainous regions of China but perfectly acclimatizes in any other mountainous area.
The use of wolfberries in ancient Chinese recipes dates back 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 berries daily.
We will not question this miraculous 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 wolfberries help you lose weight?
Studies conducted in biochemical laboratories in Europe and America have confirmed the truly unique composition of common matrimony vine berries. To understand why they help you lose weight, let’s characterize the main ingredients.
Microelements
Composition: iron, zinc, copper, selenium, phosphorus, iodine, manganese, nickel, chromium, calcium, potassium, cobalt, cadmium, germanium. No other medicinal plant can boast such a variety. Moreover, there is no need to eat kilograms of fruit to replenish the daily intake of minerals; several berries will suffice.
How can these substances help correct weight?
- Without calcium, it is impossible for many fat metabolism enzymes to “work”. It indirectly activates lipolysis, the very “burning” of fat that people who want to lose weight strive to achieve.
- Zinc reduces appetite and influences normal insulin content in the blood. This is important for people with diabetes, which is closely related to obesity. Zinc is “responsible” for the beauty of hair, nails, and skin.
- Chromium is included in many metabolic chains, and the faster these processes occur, the slimmer the figure becomes. Able to change taste preferences (reduces cravings for sweets). Normalizes cholesterol concentration.
- Manganese activates liver cell enzymes. It speeds up fat metabolism processes, which means it helps to “burn” fat from subcutaneous tissue. It is just as necessary for the normal development of bone tissue as calcium.
- Magnesium participates in all types of metabolism and helps utilize 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 stands alone on this list; it is a unique metal that operates at the atomic level. The study of its healing properties is linked to the latest research in oncology, the study of aging processes (its ability to prolong life in animals has already been proven), the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, and many other “incurable” human problems.
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 function of the gastrointestinal tract. Since germanium is a very rare metal, chemical preparations based on it are not widespread in the pharmaceutical environment. The more valuable is the opportunity to obtain it naturally from wolfberries.
Amino acids
The plant contains 18 amino acids, most of which are essential for our bodies (i.e., those that can only be obtained through food). What are amino acids needed for, after all, and how can they affect weight loss?
Amino acids participate in protein synthesis. After all, all hormones, enzymes, and many cellular structures are protein molecules.
The benefits of amino acids for weight loss are as follows:
- suppress appetite;
- normalize metabolism;
- promote the utilization of “excess” fats;
- maintain glucose levels at a constant level;
- reduce blood cholesterol.
We cannot fail to mention the participation of amino acids in the synthesis of collagen and elastin. This is not directly related to weight loss. But those women who have ever lost a significant number of kilograms quickly know what a problem “sagging”, flabby skin becomes. Wolfberries with their amino acid composition are able to correct this situation.
Polysaccharides
By their chemical nature, these are complex carbohydrates. Many are familiar with polysaccharides such as starch, fiber, cellulose, and agar-agar. Unique polysaccharides that are not found in any other plant have been found in wolfberries (LBP-1, LBP-2, LBP-3, LBP-4). These are so-called “slow” carbohydrates, which have been actively included in various diets and proper nutrition systems by nutritionists recently.
Use of polysaccharides for weight loss:
- They maintain a feeling of “fullness” in a person for a long time and normalize blood glucose levels.
- They are a nutrient medium for normal intestinal microflora, which has a beneficial effect on digestion and the process of removing toxins and waste products.
- They are practically never deposited in the form of body fat while maintaining an optimal energy balance.
- They improve calcium absorption.
- They reduce blood cholesterol and lipid levels.
- They stimulate intestinal motility and remove toxins and waste products.
It is thanks to polysaccharides that patients noted a particular cheerfulness and endurance even with a minimal amount of food consumed.
Vitamins
Composition: beta-carotene, vitamins C, E, group B. Vitamins alone cannot reduce weight, but they do have many functions that allow them to be used effectively for weight loss:
- suppress appetite;
- accelerate metabolism;
- utilize glucose with energy release;
- prevent excessive fat deposition in subcutaneous tissue.
Weight loss is a kind of stress for the body. It is not for nothing that many people experience depression, a bad mood, or a general deterioration in their health when using various diets. Such “side effects” often lead to breakdowns and a return of the hated kilograms. Losing weight with wolfberries completely eliminates unpleasant sensations. On the contrary, this plant gives vigor, energy, improves sleep, and increases the performance of the nervous system…
This list can be continued indefinitely. After all, the plant is used not only for weight correction. Its unique properties are important in any area of human health.
Recommendations for use
We hope that most of those who have read the article to this point have already asked themselves the question — how to properly prepare wolfberries? After analyzing many ancient recipes and recommendations of modern nutritionists, we will give some advice on how to consume this miracle plant:
- Since the fruits are truly biologically active (unlike many far-fetched medicinal plants), it is important to observe moderation. An average adult is supposed to consume 30 grams of dry matter per day. How many berries correspond to this dose? Depending on the size — 6-7 pieces.
- How to take them depends on your imagination. You can brew aromatic tea; you can add it to cereals like muesli; you can make infusions, add it to juices, and salads
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