Gou Qi

 The goji berry is the fruit of either the Ningxia wolfberry, Lycium barbarum, or the Chinese wolfberry, L. chinense, two species of boxthorn indigenous to Western China. Both plants are perennial bushes with thin, woody branches covered in slender thorns, and small leaves. Boxthorns are extremely unusual for nightshades, as the leaves and young, tender branches are edible, and are cooked and eaten as potherbs by the Chinese. The small, red, ellipsoidal to teardrop-shaped berries are sweet, and slightly sour when fresh, and ripen from July to September: they develop from small, purple flowers that bloom during the Spring.

The term “wolfberry” comes from a mistranslation of the generic name, “Lycium,” as “wolf,” due to a similarity to the Greek word “lycon.” The generic name actually refers to “Lycia,” an ancient Greek province in the Anatolian peninsula where the ancient Greeks are thought to have first come in contact with boxthorns. This etymological fallacy is sometimes reinforced when it is noted that the “gou”(枸) of “Goji” or “Gou Qi” is the Chinese character for “dog.” In actuality, “Goji/Gou Qi” is thought to be a transliteration of the Persian word “gojeh” (گوجه) (meaning “plum” or “berry”) into various Chinese dialects.

The goji berry has been used extensively in Chinese Herbology for centuries, and both species are extensively cultivated in Ningxia, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia provinces for both domestic use and importation. Ningxia goji berries are thought to be the best quality. Fungicides and pesticides are heavily used in commercial cultivation because the plants are sensitive to fungal diseases and insect parasites. Because of this, one should always remember to wash goji berries under running water before use.

Goji berries are commonly featured in Chinese cuisine, added to rice congee, and almond jelly, as well as to herbal teas and medicinal pork and chicken soups for enhanced tonification. They are even made into a wine, either by fermenting and distilling the juice of the fruit directly, or by steeping the berries in distilled white grape wine. In Western cuisine, goji berries are seen as a “superfood” that is usually eaten like raisins, or added to health juices. The goji berry nourishes the yin of the liver and the kidney, and also nourishes the liver blood in order to enhance eye health. Because it is also eaten as a food and condiment, the goji is seen as a safe “food medicine.” Even so, overindulging in goji berries can cause dampness, as is the danger in overindulging in any tonifying herb. Investigation by Western medical scientists show that consuming large amounts of goji, or the active phytochemicals of goji may increase the chance of spontaneous bleeding, at least in the elderly. Furthermore, in vitro studies show that goji berries inhibit the metabolism of warfarin-based drugs, as well as create potentially harmful drug interactions with drugs for diabetes and hypertension.