L.A. Times News Article - "Tibetan and Chinese legends tell of people who lived century-long lives while retaining the strength and beauty of youth - thanks to lycium."

When nutritional experts first heard about the power of lycium barbarum, the Latin name for the tiny red Goji berry, they knew it would be important. Little did any of us realize at the time how very important this discovery would be.

Finding the right goji berry of ancient Tibetan and Chinese legends, and even more important, inventing a method to bring it to the western world with the exact balance and potency of the original lycium barbarum bloodline referred to in ancient texts, is no easy task.

• First, the right lycium barbarum bloodline had to be found.
• Next, a method to ensure the goji berries (lycium barbarum) were grown under optimum conditions to produce a standardized form that would deliver the same powerful health benefits every time.
• Then, a way to get it to the Western world in whole natural form without killing its potency through pasteurization had to be devised.
• And finally, packaging it in a way to preserve its power without leaching, deterioration from sunlight, etc. had to be taken into consideration.

Not all varieties of goji berries have the same properties. In fact, for a plant to contain a particular nutrient, the raw materials must be present for the plant to accomplish the feat of converting these minerals and gasses into food.

For example, germanium has been shown to have powerful health benefits as reported in a recent LA Times news article and many Goji sellers would have you believe that all Goji berries contain germanium. The fact is that germanium is a rather rare mineral only found in certain soils. That means that only plants growing in those regions would likely have the claimed health properties that germanium imparts to the goji plant.

And -- even more important -- germanium is NOT necessarily present in all parts of a plant!

In fact, an entire research lab in China has been dedicated to further research on lycium barbarum, studies which are already confirming many of the health benefits of Ancient Asian legends. At the time of first writing this article, more than 63 independent clinical studies had already been completed on lycium barbarum and published in respected medical journals detailing the potential for this superfruit.

Before we get into the exciting health benefits of lycium barbarum, let's take a look at its nutritional value. Here is a snapshot of some of the valuable nutrients found in the original goji berry bloodline from Ancient Asian legends. They contain:

• 19 amino acids (the building blocks of protein) including all 8 essential for life
• 21 trace minerals (including germanium - rarely found in foods)
• more protein than whole wheat (13%)
• a complete spectrum of antioxidant carotenoids, including beta-carotene (a better source than even carrots!) and zeaxanthin (for eyes)
• they contain the richest source of carotenoids of all known foods
• Vitamin C (at higher levels - 5 times by weight than found in oranges)
• B-Complex Vitamins (for converting food into energy)
• Vitamin E (very rarely found in fruits, usually only found in grains, seeds, and nuts)
• Beta-Sitosterol
• essential fatty acids
• Cyperone
• Solavetivone (a powerful anti-fungal and anti-bacterial compound)
• Physalin (look it up - you'll be amazed)
• Betaine 
• And more!

Some of the longest living people on the planet consume regular daily helpings of this powerful goji berry in the form of a soup or tea... and they live without the debilitating age-related effects faced by most of us in the Western world.

The key here is - DAILY HELPINGS. What has been so remarkable about goji berry's powerful health benefits is how they keep increasing over time. The longer you drink it, the more changes you are likely to notice, according to some nutritional experts. Many believe this is owing to the 4 unique polysaccharides in lycium barbarum that are not found in any other food on our planet. They are so unique, they were named after the berry: LBP1, LBP2, LBP3 and LBP4.

Scientists believe these 4 unique polysaccharides are like master molecules -- cell communicators -- that work inside our body to improve communication between the cells in our body.

It's often been said that the mind and body combined have tremendous powers in relation to health, as long as we give our body what it needs to do its job. When you consider how these 4 master molecules work, you might agree.

Here's just a small snapshot of the exciting health benefits lycium barbarum can deliver -- just 4 (out of more than 63) independent clinical studies already completed:

If you are a regular reader of the LA Times, you also know of one HUGE benefit published in one of their recent articles about lycium barbarum.

By their very nature, the master molecules in goji berries vary from harvest to harvest and from crop to crop. How can you be certain you are buying goji berries containing the best of the molecules that deliver the maximum benefits of this treasured fruit?

Additionally, several growers in the best goji growing regions tend to saturate their crops with undesirable pesticides. When you consider that simply touching these powerful tiny berries can erode their nutritional benefits, how many nutritional benefits do you think get eroded during the washing, packing and delivery processes?

Quite frankly, I'd rather leave the sourcing and processing up to the experts who have the equipment and know-how to get the best of the best from the goji berry... and that's why, when it comes to goji juice, we buy ours from a supplier we believe meets our own high standards for quality. We will not juice our own.

Written by Karen Myers, editor for the Family Focus/Healthy Families newsletter for Jasper/Newton Counties, writer, syndicated columnist for various websites, web designer, co-owner/co-founder of Best Liquid Vitamins and full time work at home Mom. Feel free to contact her through this link.