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For a berry with such an intimidating name, the wolfberry certainly has a lot going for it. Wolfberry comes from the Mandarin name Gou qi zi (goo-chee-zee), a red berry from the Solanaceae nightshade family that includes tomato, eggplant, chili pepper, and potato.

In popular English, gou qi zi (literally wolf+ energy+ berry) has become goji. For at least 2000 years, the wolfberry has grown wild in China and been used in common recipes and traditional Chinese medicine. Eighteenth century Chinese farmers nicknamed gou qi zi wolfberry when they saw wolves feasting among the berry-laden vines during late summer at prime harvest time. Smart mammals!

The Chinese revere the wolfberry as a national treasure regarded as among the most nutrient-dense of the nations plants. This premise has stimulated scientific investigation about its potential health benefits and systematic cultivation, commercialization, and now increasing export to first-world countries mainly in Europe and the US.

A significant source of macronutrients

The wolfberry contains significant amounts of our bodys daily macronutrient needs, including carbohydrates, proteins, fat and dietary fiber. The content of a wolfberry consists of 68% carbohydrates, 12% proteins, and 10% each of fiber and fat, giving a total caloric value of 370 per 100-gram serving.

Soybean, another ancient Chinese plant often touted as one of the worlds most complete foods, is comparable across macronutrients. Although wolfberries and soybeans are similar in macronutrient content, wolfberries provide a significantly higher source of calories as energy from carbohydrates (soybeans = 173 calories). Blueberries, by contrast, do not have as much macronutrient or caloric value.