Goji

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Blood fat levels²

  In adults, goji supplements lowered triglycerides and raised "good" cholesterol, but scientists say more studies are needed.

• No harm found

  Metals and pesticides in berries⁴

  In tests of goji berries, no harmful chemical levels were found that would cause health risks from eating them.

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Gut bacteria and digestion⁹

  In lab studies, goji berries fed good gut bacteria and made short-chain fatty acids during digestion.

• Benefit

  Gut bacteria balance¹⁰

  In animal and lab studies, a compound in goji berries changed gut bacteria and boosted a helpful acid.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Gut bacteria and obesity⁵

  Goji polysaccharides combined with whey protein may boost gut bacteria variety, which scientists link to obesity.

• Open question

  Human health effects⁶

  Most black goji berry studies were done in cells or animals, so scientists do not yet know whether it works in people.

• Benefit

  Health effects of a fruit⁸

  Goji berries are rich in polyphenols, which may help with blood sugar, heart and brain health.

Allergies and intolerances

These are about people with an allergy, an intolerance or coeliac disease. The signal is about the ingredient itself, and these are about the person eating it, so the signal does not count them.

• Allergic reactions to fruit³

  Goji berries may trigger allergic reactions in some people, especially in Mediterranean populations.

How it’s made and used

• Plant parts as food and medicine⁷

  In China, goji fruit, bark and leaves are eaten as food and used in medicine.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.