At the top of northwest China is a land full of riches. Because it is here, on the banks of the Yellow River and in the shade of the mist-covered Liupan Mountains that the inhabitants of the Ningxia region have cultivated one of the most sought-after foods in Asia for centuries.
This small, oval-shaped berry has been called the “red diamond” because it is believed to have anti-aging powers and has reached new world status as a superfood, but for the Chinese people, who use it in medicine since the 3rd century, it has simply been called goji berry or goji.
The goji berry is cultivated across China, but it is the unique geology of Ningxia that created the most revered version of the fruit
The goji berry is cultivated across China, but it is the unique geology of Ningxia that created the most revered version of the fruit. “It is the combination of cool mountain breezes, mineral-rich soils and vineyards irrigated by the famous Yellow River that makes goji berries from the Ningxia region so popular,” said Evan Guo, director of sales for Ningxia Baishi Hengxing Food Technology Co, a biological organism. goji berry farm.
Ningxia farmers have always reaped the fruits in the same way they have done throughout history. From July to September each year, farmers squat in front of pruning shrubs laden with fleshy tomato-colored berries. They skillfully pluck a handful of sweet treats at a time from the vines before placing them in a woven bamboo basket.
China’s love for goji berry dates back hundreds of years, and practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have long believed that it has medicinal powers. The first record of this is in the Compendium of Materia Medica, a historical medical text written by the famous herbalist Li Shizhen in the 16th century. Ms. Zhang Ruifen, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine at the Eu Yan Sang traditional Chinese medicine clinic with offices in China, Malaysia and Singapore, said, “This is a very large and famous record and goji berries are recorded in this book. Li explained what each herb looked like and how to use it. “
The Chinese consider goji berry as a fruit and an herb, and the berry, rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, amino acids and trace elements, is prescribed by TCM doctors to stimulate liver and kidney function. “Chinese mothers can say that you should eat it because it is good for the eyes because it contains carotene,” said Zhang, who studied Chinese medicine in Beijing. “I would prescribe it to help stimulate the kidney and liver systems, of which TCM believes the eyes are a part.”
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At home, Chinese men and women will sprinkle dried goji berries over homemade chicken, red date and ginger in their “low heat soup” (clear broth cooked over low heat) or in a bottle of chrysanthemum tea to give a vitamin to strengthen. When Zhang prescribed it to patients, she combined it with a powerful combination of other herbs: “We usually don’t use one herb for the entire treatment; it’s part of a concoction, ”she said.
However, there are times when, as one TCM practitioner says, Zhang chooses not to prescribe it so that it does not worsen the patient’s condition. “If a person has a fever, inflammation or sore throat, which we call” hot “in Chinese medicine, I would advise the patient to stop taking goji berries during this time,” she said. declared. “If they also suffered from humidity and diarrhea, what we call a spleen deficiency, we say you shouldn’t take it too.” But when you are well, goji berry is generally suitable for everyone. “
Goji berries have long been part of Chinese culture. Legend has it that over 2,000 years ago, a doctor visited a village in China where everyone was over 100 years old. He discovered that they were all drinking from a well surrounded by goji berries. And the theory was that, as the fruit ripened, it would fall into the well and its vitamin-rich content would infiltrate the water. It is also said that a 17th century herbalist, Li Qing Yuen, ate goji berries every day and lived to be 252 years old. If that weren’t enough to encourage future generations to eat the old traditional simmered soups garnished with goji berries, Chinese mothers would tell their children that the berries would prevent them from needing glasses to help them finish their bowls.
But times are changing for this simple berry, including how it is eaten. The ancient goji berry, which has long been part of Chinese culture, is now considered a superfood in China and beyond.
The young Asian generations embrace the goji berry, but give it their own touch. For example, generation Z members are now buying “wellness kettles” for their goji berry tea. Their parents might recognize them as traditional kettles that have been reconditioned by brands such as Buydeem and that have become a shade of pink more Instagram-worthy. A 2019 study by Agility Research 039;Strategy on Generation Z in China has shown that this generation considers healthy living a key priority, even beyond money, career, personal pleasure and family.
The berry has also become popular with international consumers. Clinging to the “superfood”, Westerners pay up to US $ 10 for a bunch of berries, about three times the price in Asia.
The price paid for superfoods encourages farmers to make sure their harvest arrives faster on supermarket shelves. While Ningxia farmers collect 180,000 tonnes of fresh goji berries each year from the vineyard, they sell most of their produce in dry form because the shelf life of fresh berries is short. The berries will ripen quickly in the hot summer sun, which means that farmers have to work quickly to harvest their crops.
In the past, berries had to dry on large trays in the sun, although modern technology has accelerated this process to meet increasing demand. Ningxia Baishi Hengxing owner, Mr. An Weijun, born to goji berry growers, started an organic farm eight years ago. He has also built a state-of-the-art laboratory where his team can dry their berries and those of other regional organic producers in a fraction of the time.
The power of the goji berry does not seem to diminish as soon as a record number of goji berries (179 tonnes) were sold in China during the recent sales of Singles Day (Chinese version of Black Friday). Asian trend watchers like Amrita Banta, CEO of Agility Research 039;Strategy, have also seen young Asians adopt healthier lifestyles:
“After many years of Chinese consumers rejecting everything made in China as old and unscientific, we believe there is renewed pride in China for many traditional products and practices,” she said. “Yet the popularity of goji berries stems from a global awareness of their properties. Today, young Chinese eat them because they are considered a superfood, not necessarily because TCM says they treat eye, liver, and kidney disease. It is fascinating to see China become so proud of its past, but so connected to the rest of the world. “
Today, young Chinese people eat them because they are considered a superfood
Young Asian chefs also use goji berries in their dishes to give them a little local flavor. It was the goji berry that chef Anna Lim turned to when she was invited to prepare a limited edition breakfast for the fast food giant McDonald’s. The owner of the tablespoon created a savory porridge with goji berries, and it became so popular in Singapore that it was added to the permanent menu.
“The addition of goji berries gives a natural sweetness to the porridge, and with the combination of the colors of green coriander, white tofu and red goji berries, it has become a meal in your colors, raising a simple porridge rice to something nutritious and healthy, “said Lim.
As Lim helps introduce the fruit to a new generation, chefs such as Chef Chang Hon Cheong from One Harbor Road restaurant at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong always give people the opportunity to taste dishes like Asian families. would have done in their own mother’s kitchens. Dedicating a page from its menu of invigorating herbal soups, goji berry is one of its traditional ingredients.
You can sit in the Shanghai manor-style restaurant where Chang serves the double porridge soups he created with TCM in mind. Each day, Chang’s team methodically cuts the health-promoting ingredients and places them in a ceramic pan, which they immerse in a pan of boiling water. This slow food process pays tribute to TCM and the farmers who cultivated the products. “Double boiling is a much slower and smoother process,” said Chang. “By boiling a double-boiled soup, I can completely extract the nutrients and flavors from the ingredients.”
Beyond restaurant meals, health conscious consumers who want to adopt the superfood like Asian families have done for generations, can simply throw goji berries in their soup or tea and enjoy the taste of the superfood. sweet with raisins that keeps Asia looking Young.
Eats ancient is a series of BBC journeys that place fashionable foods in their “authentic” context, exploring the cultures and traditions where they were born.
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