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What are Goldenberries?

What are Goldenberries?

GOLDENBERRIES (Physalis peruviana)


Goldenberries are native to Brazil, but they are also grown in high altitudes and warm climates such as Ecuador, Columbia, Peru, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. It is easiest to find goldenberries that have been harvested and dried before being sold. You’ll have to hunt to find them fresh in the United States.  This superfood is an excellent addition to a SuperLife diet and easy to add to smoothies, trail mixes, and simple snacks!


OTHER NAMES


 Golden Berry, Incan Berry, Uchuva, Aguaymanto, Cape Gooseberries


GOLDENBERRIES BENEFITS


Goldenberries may look like a fat, yellow raisin, but this tart, nutrient-dense superfood is no raisin! It is rich in many nutrients important to a SuperLife, including beta-carotene, bioflavonoids, fiber, protein, and vitamin A.

  • Provides fatty acids: According to studies by Ramadan and Morsel (2003) oils extracted from goldenberries consist of 15 fatty acids, among which are linoleic acid, oleic, palmitic and stearic acids, which constitute 95% of total fatty acids. Linoleic and oleic acid aid in insulin sensitivity and fat oxidation.
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Antioxidant: Goldenberries have a total antioxidant activity (IC50 :0.81 μ g/ml) close to that of vitamin C (IC50 : 0.89 μ g/ml).
  • Fights bad cholesterol:  When study groups were fed a balanced diet, which focused on the consumption of goldenberry juice at 5% and 15% of total caloric intake, a favorable balance of HLD to LDL cholesterol levels was obtained after 60 days. Also, triacylglycerols levels were reduced significantly with consumption of 15% goldenberry juice out of total food or liquid consumption for 60 days. Triacylglycerols are a common chemical form of fat that are found in plant foods, animal foods, and even our bodies. “High triacylglycerols” or “high triglycerides” indicates an elevation of this fat form in the bloodstream. When triacylglycerols are at high levels, it usually signals an imbalance in good and bad cholesterol.
  • Anti-microbial
  • Anti-gout properties: Eating goldenberries helps reduce Uric acid and Urea, thus proving anti-gout properties.

 


TRADITIONAL USES


Goldenberries are primarily used as food (generally eaten dried in the United States) and food by-products such as using the juice to make chicha (a traditional fermented drink made in South and Central America), but it is also widely used in folk medicine for treating diseases such as malaria, asthma, hepatitis, dermatitis, diuretic diseases, and rheumatism. Try it in my Goldenberry Detox Smoothie.  It tastes a little like strawberry lemonade (but without the lemons) due to the tart, fresh pop of goldenberries.

WHERE TO HUNT IT DOWN


Purchase this superfood from any of the quality-assured companies that have my stamp of approval in the Supershop. You can even find it on Amazon today! You can also get your daily dose of superfoods in a special creation I developed for Beachbody called Shakeology, a superfood formula that includes more than 50 superfoods, which has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

 

 

About SuperLife:

SuperLife

Darin Olien’s health and wellness company, SuperLife, headquartered in Malibu, CA, shares resources and breaking research that demystify health, fitness, nutrition, and longevity into simple daily actions. Olien’s fad-free, super simple rules of healthy eating and living create life-long wellness and the opportunity to live a SuperLife – the greatest expression of life possible!

About Darin Olien:

Nicknamed “The Indiana Jones of Superfoods,” Darin Olien is a widely recognized exotic superfoods hunter, supplement formulator, and environmental activist who travels the planet discovering new and underutilized medicinal plants. He works closely with thousands of international farmers, growers, and manufacturers to get high-quality, fair-trade superfood and herbal commodities out to market. Since 2005 he has sourced more than 300 foods and ingredients from around the world, working directly with the people of Peru, Bhutan, the Amazon region, the Himalayas, the South Pacific, and many other countries in Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

Olien is a renowned authority on nutrition, hydration, and the potency of foods and herbs, which he writes about in his new book, SuperLife: The 5 Forces That Will Make You Healthy, Fit, and Eternally Awesome. The book offers resources for simple lifestyle changes that create long term-health. It is a fad-free, myth-busting, individualized approach to health developed from Olien’s 20+ years of travel and research around the world.

1 Comment
  • Werner Spaenjers
    Posted at 11:00h, 09 August

    I love this fruit and I wonder where to get the best quality in Europe. Yesterday I bought them in the shop and after washing the fruit my hands where kind of “greasy”. Is this part of the nature of the fruit or could this be a consequence of pesticides? Many thanks in advance for your reply. All the best. Werner