Being crowned as “red diamond” in China, Chinese wolfberry has been regarded by Chinese as a highly nutritious herb since ancient time. This plant not only is used commonly in herbal medicine, but also is often found in Chinese foods and meals as a “super healthy” ingredient.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Chinese wolfberries are bittersweet in taste and “neutral in nature” that can nourish liver and kidneys, replenish blood, improve eye health, and even strengthen immune system.
Grown in the northern and southern China, Chinese wolfberry species are perennial deciduous woody plants that produce orange-red and oval-shape berries. However, we may have never seen these fruits in fresh manner as they almost are sold in dried form on the market.
Although Chinese wolfberry is tiny (with only 1 to 2 centimeter long), it provides significant source of macronutients that our body needs. Besides carbohydrates, dietary fiber, fat, and proteins, Chinese wolfberry also is full of 18 amino acids, 11 essential minerals, 22 trace minerals, and 7 vitamins.
Moreover, seen as the best plant supply of iron, Chinese wolfberry’s iron content is extraordinary rich and even twice the amount than soybean provides, making it an effective supplement for preventing and curing iron deficiency anemia.
Furthermore, Chinese wolfberry contains dozens of phytochemicals. One of them is beta-carotene, a fat-soluble nutrient and antioxidant essential for vision. In fact, the beta-carotene content per unit weight in Chinese wolfberry is the richest among all the edible plants like carrot and pumpkin.
Another one is polysaccharide, a major supply of fermentable fiber in our body’s intestinal system. Throughout our colonic metabolism, these fermentable fibers will generate short-chain fatty acids which are capable of stabilizing blood sugar levels, promoting the health of the colon epithelial lining that lowers colon cancer risk, and even boosting immune functions. Although polysaccharide can be found in other plants such as mushrooms and roots, it is a significant component of Chinese wolfberry, representing up to 31% of pulp weight.
“In fact, there is too much to be said about the nutrition and health benefits brought by Chinese wolfberry,” said TCM Practitioners. “For example, with its high potassium content (providing about 24% of our required daily intake), Chinese wolfberry helps lower blood pressure; while the vitamin C, a general antioxidant vitamin, is able to protect other antioxidant particles from free redical destruction.”
It’s no wonder that Chinese worship the wolfberry as a national treasure regarded as the most nutritious among the nation’s plants. Want to expand your health horizons? Try this Chinese Wolfberry Hawthorn Tea.
Image by Vic
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