Wolfberry: Nature's Bounty of Nutrition and Health

Average Customer Rating: List Price: $18.99 Asia Trips Trips Price: $18.99 Subject To Change Without Notice Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Manufacturer: BookSurge Publishing
Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 615.321 EAN: 9781419620485 ISBN: 1419620487 Label: BookSurge Publishing Manufacturer: BookSurge Publishing Number Of Pages: 260 Publication Date: 2006-06-08 Publisher: BookSurge Publishing Release Date: 2006-06-08 Studio: BookSurge Publishing
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Editorial Reviews: This book objectively considers nutritional evidence that the Chinese wolfberry, Lycium barbarum L., is the world's most nutrient-rich food. 81 scientific publications are summarized and interpreted as a foundation for this evidence. Wolfberry's diverse phytochemicals, including its rich content of protein, 8 polysaccharides (dietary fermentable fiber) and 4 carotenoids (antioxidants), 6 vitamins, 18 amino acids, 11 essential minerals, and 5 omega fatty acids provide compelling definition for wolfberry's superlative nutrition. Data comparisons are made to more common 'superfoods', such as flax seeds, spinach and blueberries. A chapter is devoted to the 2000 year old legend of wolfberry as China's herbal treasure and 5000 year old applications of traditional Chinese medicine. Factors influencing nutrient density and quality, such as taxonomy, geography, Yellow River loess (silt from flooding), cultivation practices and processing, are given separate chapters. Using available research literature dated to 2005, the book fulfills the scientific credibility needed to benchmark wolfberry as a nutrient-rich food valuable for western diets and health.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Objective public-friendly science on the goji berry (wolfberry) Comment: Probably the main value of this book is the objective way the authors have presented information. Unlike other descriptions of goji berry found on the internet -- where there is so much hype that seems to come from the legendary Chinese myths about the health benefits of wolfberry -- this book zeroes in on the facts. First thing to state -- goji berry and wolfberry are the same botanical species, Lycium barbarum L. which, like all well-cultivated food crops, has cultivars, varietals or light species variations (like grapes) of significant diversity grown throughout close geographical regions. The word "goji" is the anglicized pronunciation of Mandarin for wolfberry, "gouzi" ("wolf"-"berry"). "Goji" seems to be the popular name for this berry among the non-scientific public, and is increasingly used on the internet. No where in scientific literature, however, is the word goji used. Even in China, "wolfberry" or Lycium barbarum are the names used in science. Example of the book's objectivity is shown in chapter 3 where a table-by-table presentation of all the goji berry's nutrient data collected by 3rd party contract lab assays are presented and discussed. I found it especially useful that the authors identified "signature" nutrient classes for goji berries -- the polysaccharides (which can be 30% of the berry's fresh weight) and pigment chemicals called carotenoids fo which one, called zeaxanthin (important as an eye antioxidant), appears to be the densest concentration known among edible plants. Each of these gets a separate chapter, 4 and 5, resp. Also of value in this book is what appears to be all the medical literature published and consolidated about wolfberries on the US National Library of Medicine website, pubmed.gov -- the authors say 81 publications as of early 2006. Although there is considerable scientific jargon contained in the abstracts presented, I found it helpful to see the diversity of scientific interest in this plant. Even as obscure as goji berry science is to most Americans, I have to wonder if any common berry -- like the strawberry, cranberry or blueberry -- has as much scientific investigation about its many nutrients. I have been interested in adding fiber sources to my diet so was intrigued to read in chapter 4 the authors' suggestion that the polysaccharides (long-chain sugars) are really sources of what they say is "fermentable fiber" in the colon where short-chain fatty acids would be produced, contributing many health benefits. That's a new concept in the discussion about goji berry polysaccharides, and one hopes it is the case, but will need actual research to prove it. Chapter 8 was interesting reading for me. It discusses the botanical family that goji berry belongs to -- Solanaceae -- which oddly to me is the same family as the tomato and potato, but when I looked for descriptions of this botany, I found that it is a large family of thousands of plants, many of which are edible. The authors didn't discuss the berry diversity among Solanaceae, so we can't tell if wolfberry is alone among these diverse plants. As a hobby cash crop farmer, my favorite chapter was 9 on cultivation, harvesting and geographical distribution of goji berries. There are 2 sections in this chapter written by Chinese horticultural researchers and translated into well-organized and revealing descriptions on how to grow and process wolfberries. There is nothing else like this available on the internet or in published books -- as I have looked thoroughly. Careful reading of this chapter reveals many of the farming demands this plant has, including its growwing conditions and soil preferences which no doubt impart the exceptional nutritional qualities to wolfberries. It's on this last point that I think the book makes a clarification on origins of goji berry that have many people in the public confused -- where do goji berries come from in Asia? Most of the internet information about goji berries would lead you to believe they derive from Tibet -- which strikes me as odd given the high altitude (>10,000 ft for much of the country) and poor farming available from its rocky soils and cold, arid climate -- not good growing conditions for a delicate fruit like the juicy wolfberry. Chapter 9's description (from a scientist in Ningxia, China) provides insight to what this plant needs to flourish and yield the best fruit -- more moderate climate and fairly specific soil conditions, including as the authors propose, mineral-rich silt deposited in Ningxia by Yellow River floods. As a crop farmer, I can tell you these are critical growing factors (think of the value of natural fertilizers to fruit and vegetable quality in your own garden). Lastly, I want to say that the glossary was well-done, even though it didn't provide specific page (only chapter) references for the words. It is a great collection of medical and scientific terms I needed to check while reading. This book takes a critical, scientific look at goji berries. I think the American public needs this at the base of public interest in goji berries. I can tell from checking search rates for goji berry and wolfberry on the web that public interest in this fruit is growing rapidly. In a few years, it might be a common berry in American food products, as it certainly has an exceptional nutrient quality. As the authors introduce in the opening chapter: is wolfberry nature's most nutritious food? I ask -- what could be more important to identify now, when our country's nutrition seems to be so poor, objective knowledge about a simple berry providing such thorough nutrition? More Reviews