WOLFBERRY (Lycii Berry, Goji Berry) (Lycium chinensis)
Family: Solanaceae
Parts commonly used: Fruit.
Properties/energetics: Nutritive tonic, blood tonic, hemostatic, antipyretic, alterative/Neutral; pleasant sweet taste.
Systems predominantly affected: Blood, liver, lungs, kidneys, eyes.
Uses: These small, red, sweet, pleasant-tasting berries are notably high in beta-carotene, vitamin B and C, and linoleic acid. They make a delicious snack (kids love ’em), and can be used in cooking and baking as you would raisins. And, like raisins, they build the blood. They treat anemia and allay dizziness. Wolfberries are a good tonic for clearing the eyes and remedying poor eyesight, dry eyes, night blindness, and blurred or cloudy vision, and are an excellent snack to carry in the car to eat while driving (in place of text messaging). Their high beta-carotene component promotes regeneration of liver cells, decreases cholesterol, and inhibits fat being deposited in the liver cells. They are commonly recommended for inclusion in all kidney-tonic formulas and are used to treat impotence and seminal and nocturnal emission.
Affects on specific body types: These berries are a wholesome snack for all constitutional types. Their mild sweetness works to satisfy sudden-onslaught hunger and sweet cravings (to a large extent, anyway) while delivering good nutrition to those who might otherwise indulge in nutritionally unwholesome nibbling. Wolfberries’ kidney-and-liver-tonic properties, with blood-building and overall nutritive-tonic properties, make it the ideal fast food snack for the Seer who is often an erratic eater and thrives on sweet, moistening, nutritive tonics. Buy a pound of these berries and stick little baggies of them in the pockets of your jackets, and in glove compartments, purses, desk drawers, tool boxes. They’re a thrilling find when you’re out and about, here and there and get hungry and find yourelf in desperate need of a snack (and they’re nutritionally correct).
Preparations/dosage: Decoction: 1/4 to 1/2 ounce. Eat them dried.
By James Green, Herbalist, copyright 2008
For more information please refer to James Green’s book, The Male Herbal, 2nd Edition