10 Must-Know Side Effects of Goji Berries

Goji berries are known for their delicious taste and their gorgeous, bright orange and red colouring.

They’re also known for their array of health benefits. They’ve been used in Chinese medicine since time immemorial, and for good reason. Goji berries can reduce your risk of developing cancer, boost longevity, look after your heart, and they can also strengthen your immune system.

Indeed, they’ve become one of the world’s most sought-after health foods, with some dieticians going as far as to call them a super food.

However, what’s less well known is that goji berries do come with side effects that you need to be mindful of. In this article, Beauty and Tips takes a look at what these are.

Goji berries side effects

Goji Berries Can Trigger Pollen Allergies

Ah, the summertime! It’s hot, sunny and it’s time to hit the beach! The flowers are in full bloom, you can take a nap outdoors in the garden and everyone seems to be so happy!

Who doesn’t like the summer?!

Well, the problem is that summer can exacerbate certain problems, such as pollen allergies.

However, if you have a pollen allergy, it isn’t just summer that you need to watch out for – it’s also goji berries.

That’s right – goji berries can trigger pollen allergies. They can cause nasty symptoms like hives, itchy eyes, itchy skin, nasal congestion, wheezing and sneezing.

If your allergy flares up badly after you’ve consumed a few goji berries, the best thing to do is take yourself off to the doctor.

Goji Berries Can Prevent a Good Night’s Sleep

For some of us, a good night’s sleep is all we ask for. After a long, hard day at work we just want to come home and crash.

The problem is that some things stop you from doing that, whether it be anxiety, stress, insomnia, hunger, a loud party on your street, your partners snoring – or goji berries.

Goji berries are fine if you stick to eating them during the day. But if you decide to munch on a handful at night, you might find yourself tossing and turning in your bed, unable to sleep.

All you need to do is be careful regarding when you eat the berries. Don’t eat too many, too. Excess berries can cause a sleepless night.

Goji Berries Can Cause Hypertension

Heart disease is now the biggest killer of American adults. It’s a huge problem for many countries around the world.

One of the leading causes of heart disease is hypertension, which is why doctors recommend that you do all you can to stay fit and healthy.

Hypertension doesn’t just randomly appear. It’s the symptom of lifestyle choices.

Oddly enough, a lil thing like a goji berry – when eaten with all of its pals in one gluttonous go – can elevate your blood pressure, and this can cause hypertension.

Not cool, but as long as you eat goji berries in moderation, you should be okay.

Goji Berries Can Interfere with Diabetes

Diabetes is a pretty awful disease that, once it’s been diagnosed, can really affect the quality of someone’s life. However, it’s also manageable and there’s no reason that, as long as a person does the right things, they can’t still live a very enjoyable life.

If you’re a diabetic patient who needs to take regular medication to keep your diabetes under control, you’ll need to avoid goji berries.

This is because these berries – as cute and innocent-looking as they are – have a tendency to interfere with medication for diabetes, thereby limiting its effect. They can prevent the pancreas from functioning properly and slow down your production of insulin. Scary stuff!

Goji Berries Can Turbocharge Energy Levels

Sometimes, we want to boost our energy levels. For example, if we’ve got a long day at work ahead of us, we’ll want to find a way of boosting them.

However, there are also times when we want to rest and take it easy – at night, for example.

Goji berries are pretty good at making you hyper and restless, and they can really take your energy levels to unprecedented height! For this reason, they’re well worth avoiding whenever you really could do with NOT bouncing off the walls.

Goji Berries Can Cause Dizziness

This one is a pretty scary side effect that you’ll want to avoid. Feeling dizzy and light headed is not nice, but when you start to hallucinate? That’s when you know you have problems.

Goji berries can cause all those things, and they can also cause blurred vision and eye discomfort.

Who knew that such a colourful lil berry could be so mean?!

Goji Berries Boost Blood Flow

Of course, in the ordinary course of things blood flow is a good thing.

However, there is blood flow – and there is BLOOD FLOW!

In other words, turbocharged blood flow that causes bad reactions, such as uncontrollable blood loss or bad bruising.

This can happen if you eat goji berries in excess.

Goji Berries Can Affect Digestion

As humans, we trouble our doctors with a number of ailments. One of the most common is indigestion of some sort. Be it a stomach ache, bloating, excess gas or diarrhoea, indigestion is always rumbling among one of us!

Goji berries can exacerbate any digestive disorder you have, or they can create an entirely new one. These scamps can trigger feelings of nausea, vomiting – and even diarrhoea.

Goji Berries Can Boost Selenium Levels

Sure, your body needs selenium, but like with anything in life it’s all about moderation.

Too much selenium in your system can stunt the growth of your fetus. As such, goji berries should be off the menu for pregnant women.

Not just that, but too much selenium can also lower a man’s sperm count.

Goji Berries Interact With Drugs and Herbs

Goji berries have been found to interact badly with warfarin, a blood thinning drug, reducing its effects. If you are taking any medication, consult your doctor before consuming the berries.

All in all, we hope we haven’t put you off goji berries for life – but you do need to exercise some caution.

Stay happy and healthy!

from Beauty And Tips Magazine