Shakeology is an ultra-premium shake that is both low in calories and high in nutrients. It can be used as either a snack or a meal replacement depending on what serving size you use. It can be mixed plain with water and ice or blended with other ingredients including almond milk, coconut water, etc. It contains 70+ ingredients which are all derived from whole-food sources and contains no artificial sweeteners or flavors.
Goji berries are part of Shakeology’s antioxidant super-fruit blend. They are credited with helping to promote muscle strength and supporting cardiovascular health. In terms of cultivation, Goji berries can be rather high-maintenance. They need to grow on hillsides where there’s sun, but they can’t be too high or too low. They look like tiny, shiny, plump cherry tomatoes and are a sight to behold as they grow in clusters by the hundreds both in the wild and in cultivated areas.
Why are Goji Berries in Shakeology?
The Goji berry (also called the wolfberry) packs more antioxidant punch than virtually any other fruit on earth. The tiny little berries provide a dose of 18 (of the 22) amino acids, 21 dietary minerals, more beta carotene than carrots, more vitamin C than oranges, and plenty of linoleic acid (which may help keep you hair thick and your skin strong).
Beachbody (the same company that makes P90X and many other popular home workout programs) sources their Goji berries all the way from China in the Helan Mountains in the Ningxia Province. The extremely high altitude of the mountains provides the right environmental conditions for the berries’ natural adaptogenic enzymes.
Some research suggests that Goji berries may boost brain health and may protect against age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Hands off the Goji!
Zheng Xinyi and his family grow Goji berries in the Helan Mountains. They know all too well that Goji berries oxidize and turn splotchy black if they’re handled too much by human hands. When harvested the berries are shaken onto mats and then carried ever-so-gently back to the shade where they are dried out. Zheng gave Darin Olien aka “the Ingredient Hunter” and Shakeology’s co-creator a tour of the farm during his recent visit to China.
Fun with Goji Berry Science
Goji therapy helped counteract the effects of a variety of vision-related diseases, including age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma at the University of Hong Kong medical center according to a report published in the journal Experimental Neurology.
A Beijing Medical University study published in the Chinese journal Sheng Li Xue Bao that Goji berries provide numerous benefits that aid in fighting cardiovascular disease.
Researchers at Tuft University in Boston, MA awarded one of their highest-ever ORAC ratings (oxygen radical aborbance capacity = a method of gauging antioxidant power) to the Goji berry.
Should You Give Shakeology a Try?
Well, why not? How do you know that this glass of wine is superior to another glass that costs half the price? You taste it? How do you know if a book is as good as they day? You read it. How do you know a medication that your doctor prescribed is going to cure what ails you? You take it, every single day until it’s gone.
All you have to do it try it. Beachbody gives everyone who purchases it a “botton-of-the-bag” guarantee. If you don’t like it, you’ll get your money back. But you have to hold up your end of the bargain and drink it everyday.
Carl Daikeler, CEO of Beachbody says, “The best way to convince you that Shakeology is worth the money is to have you experience a month of the energy, the regularity, the weight loss, and the good feeling that comes from consuming something healthy (that also tastes this good).”
So there you have it. If you’d like to see what all the fuss is about, CLICK HERE to purchase your first bag of Shakeology (I recommend chocolate) today. You’ll receive free shipping if you purchase on monthly autoship and you can cancel delivery anytime if you decide for any reason that Shakeology isn’t a good fit for you.
When you finally do try Shakeology for the first time you’ll enjoy the energy-supporting health benefits of goji berries and also help local farmers maintin a comfortable livelihood as they continue to use sustainable organic fair-trade farming practices. It’s a total win-win for everyone involved, especially for those of us who choose to drink it. 🙂