The Goji Berry is a natural product that is used in the health food industry. It has also been used for centuries in Chinese traditional medicine.
Both China and the certain regions in the Himalayas are where the goji berry is most commonly found and produced. The berries are very small in size, a vibrant red in their coloration, and are very delicate and sensitive to the touch. For this reason, the berries cannot be plucked or picked from their plant, but rather they must be gently shaken off of the goji plant until they simply fall off. Afterwards, they are placed in the sun and left to dry.
Most recently, the goji berry has been said to assist in the weight loss process; weight loss and medical experts believe that this is due to their low Glycemic index.
The Glycemic index describes that speed at which the foods that we eat are converted into blood sugar or glucose. The lower the Glycemic Index (GI) of a food, the slower the rate at which it converts into blood sugar. One of the big problems that most people encounter in relation to diet and weight control is the craving and urges to eat sugary, starchy foods that have a high GI index. What happens then, when we give in to the craving and indulge our desire, is that blood sugar levels soar or spike.
The bodys natural defense to high blood sugar levels is then automatically triggered, and the pancreas creates insulin. The result is that the blood sugar level nose dives, starting off a chain reaction of craving more sweet and starchy foods. The viscous cycle has begun.
The other effect of this see sawing in blood sugar levels is that you dont feel as if you have sufficient energy in your body to perform regular exercise. Consequently, youve got the worst case scenario; high intake of sweet starchy foods; and lack of exercise; a classic recipe for obesity.
Examining now the goji berry, which has a glycemic index of 29, we can see that its glycemic index is very low, especially when compared to apples, 38, and oranges, 42. Moreover, goji berries are rich in fiber, which is known to help in moderating blood sugar levels, and chromium, which can enhance blood sugar control and is known to help retain muscle mass. Due to the fact that muscles use up more calories than fat, this can help to stimulate a better metabolic rate.
Goji berries also contain a number of energy producing vitamins and nutrients including thiamin, calcium, copper, phosphorus, sodium, and zinc. All of these help the body get rid of fat.
When we are younger, our bodies are naturally producing growth hormones which help to keep us slim. As we age, our bodys become less efficient at generating growth hormone which leads to less muscle tissue being formed and the greater formation of body fat. Goji Berries contain amino acids and potassium, both of which help us to produce higher levels of growth hormone.
As wonderful as the goji berry is, it is not by itself the only solution to losing weight and looking great and it doesn't claim to be. Moreover, it is good to use in combination with other diet and weight loss plans including the Medifast meal replacement program.
Medifast is a leading weight loss and meal replacement program, and if used along with the goji berry should enhance the program's affects for your body and stimulate more weight loss.
By themselves, goji berries are good for you, but will not cause you to lose a significant amount of weight. However, you can maximize their potential in their supplemental capacity.
Author Resource:
Dorthy Weatherbush is a leading expert in diet and weight loss for both men and women. She has used the Medifast diet plan in conjunction with the goji berry to help her customers achieve optimal results. In addition to Medifast , Dorthy utilizes lots of cardio activity and weight training to get her customers the bodies of their dreams.
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