What's the best way to take goji?

[daojones]

I'm currently taking a goji berry tincture, but am wondering what method of preparation results in maximum absorption of the medicinal components of goji berries?

I've had goji in soup and tea and it's quite delicious - but just want to get the most bang for my buck

[Aetherous]

I'm currently taking a goji berry tincture, but am wondering what method of preparation results in maximum absorption of the medicinal components of goji berries?

 

I've had goji in soup and tea and it's quite delicious - but just want to get the most bang for my buck

It seems to me like having it in soup would extract the most, especially if you cooked it for like an hour...and then of course you're eating the berries in the soup as well as drinking all of the liquid.

[silent thunder]

Interesting. 

 

I can only find them dried here... so I add them to smoothies where they are thoroughly micronized.

 

I know that the phytochemicals in tomatoes are released and activated when the tomatoes are lightly cooked, not raw.

The reverse is true for beets.  Raw beets are packed with them, but cooking destroys that...

 

My gut tells me that they are most potent and effective eaten fresh and well chewed.  But that is purely my instinctive reaction.  Though now, this thread has me wanting to get a bush and make tea from the leaves and stems...

[cold]

I have had the occasion (s) in the past to ask when is a fruit or vegetable most nutrient rich, of many USDA researchers and as you might expect their opinions varied widely.

Carrots cooked versus raw, even split, same with beets, leafy vegetables etc..

 

All seemed to agree however:

 

Fresh is best, stressed by pest, heat, drought etc.also adds to nutrient levels.

Many bi annuals are best after a frost or freeze including: beets broccoli carrots cabbage collards kale etc.

Expect different levels depending upon soils* and nutrients employed available.

 

Drought tends to concentrate soluble solids.

As does size, in this case smaller is better!

Try a taste test of a smaller straw berry versus a large one.

 

Ripeness matters as well.

Least processing is best.

In general frozen preferable over dried.

 

Most modern farming occurs in dirt.

Dirt is dead.

Soils found where organic practices are employed thrive with life.

 

YMMV

[wilfred]

[daojones]

Di-Tao are supposed to be the best ones I hear!

[Andrei]

Edited September 26, 2016 by Andrei

[Gerard]

Check the "notes" section of this link.

 

[dawei]

Best absorption has been done in china for thousands of years... soak in alcohol... add in some ginseng.

[Andrei]

Every herbal medicine has in various quantities sacharides, saponins, turpentines and turpenes and many other chemicals.

Saponins and saccharides are soluble in water.

Turpentines and Terpenes are soluble in alcohol.

 

It depends what are the active ingredients that you want but usually, a tea concoction, a tincture or an essential oil keeps only a part of what the herb has to offer.

So best is to eat it raw or cooked whole as it is including the fiber, unless you know exactly what you do and which active substance you want to ingest and which you don't want. There is no "best absorbtion", the body will take what it needs and reject what it does not, exception being allergic reactions to some undesirable substances that the herb has and the body's immune system does not want it.