New York – Yet another “miracle juice” has been on the market for the past two years: the juice of the lycium barbarum berry, or wolfberry, commonly known as goji or Go-chi juice.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Proponents from doctors to housewives swear by it, and advertising materials will tell you it helps with everything from breast cancer prevention to improved sleep and stamina.
Trouble is, it costs $50 a bottle—and there is little conclusive research as to its effectiveness.
the scam so to speak, has recently hit the frum community from many disturbers, agents calling harassing people non stop to sign up.
In all honesty, VIN News has found a handful of credible studies which do indicate positive results. But we still believe goji juice is a scam. Why? For starters, it costs way too much. And secondly, and this is key, we believe any effectiveness thus far is merely psychosomatic—in plain English, resulting from the power of suggestion.
VIN News calls upon its readers to not waste money on unproven snake oil until it is conclusively proven to work.
Decide for your self, watch this in depth investigative report done in Jan 2007 by Canadian TV station CBC
Also do your research on this web site
http://goji.worldwidewarning.net/
you can also read this article
Not to mention kashrus issues.
I was called by friends/relatives promising amazing results for myself and then slowly trying to get me to also be a re-seller. Being a cynical New Yorker, I did not go for any of it. However, I was watching Oprah and the famous cardiologist Dr. Oz (very well respected doctor) was on Oprah (TV Talk Show for those who don’t know Oprah) and he was praising the power of the berry and truly calling it a mystical wonder. Also said it simply just helps almost everything and to sustain good health, it would be a good idea to drink the juice daily.
I am still cynical and will not get in on the selling end but might try it just as a general “healthy” lifestyle drink.
Rabbi Shain from lakewood gave a shiur on his hotline regarding many problems including kashrus
Relating to Kashrus issues – the person/relative who called me was a Chasiddic relative and she mentioned that the juice recently received full Heschsher
A thing that helps for “everything” doesn’t smell right to me!!!does it make sence??
Its kosher and I’ve seen it help diabetic patients and many more its a real miracle drink they even offer money back if you don’t see results within 3 months
The one from Dynamic Health Lab under the OU is reliable. However, the one under SKS coming from China is very suspect.
good product thats all i have to say
rabbi Hillel Weinberger is saying that there is a chashash of TIKROVES AVOIDA ZURA.
Have been taking gogi berries for the past few years. Indeed they have the greatest ORAC(anti oxidants) number among things like pomegrantes, blueberries,black berries etc. No need to buy this juice-go on line and buy the dried gogi berries for a fraction of cost. Regarding kosherus- these are like raisans.
I tried it and it works
vin did you try it?
During 2006, the FDA placed two goji juice distributors on notice with warning letters about marketing claims. These statements were in violation of the United States Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act [21 USC/321 (g)(1)][69] because they “establish the product as a drug intended for use in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease” when wolfberries or juice have had no such scientific evaluation. Additionally stated by the FDA, the goji juice was “not generally recognized as safe and effective for the referenced conditions” and therefore must be treated as a “new drug” under Section 21(p) of the Act. New drugs may not be legally marketed in the United States without prior approval of the FDA, as stated in the letters below:
Dynamic Health Laboratories Inc. of Brooklyn, New York, May 8, 2006[70]
Healthsuperstore.com of Elk Grove, California, August 7, 2006[71]
Marketing claims under scrutiny in Canada and the United States
In January 2007, marketing statements for a goji juice product were subject of an investigative report by CBC Television’s consumer advocacy program Marketplace (TV series)[53].
In a review of medical literature pertaining to each proposed claim of health benefits from Himalayan Goji Juice[54] (Mindell and Handel, 2003), Gross et al. (2006, book chapter 6; see Article Bibliography) summarized that 22 of 23 claims had no evidence for providing a health benefit beyond that inferred from preliminary in vitro or laboratory animal research. For cancer specifically, four studies were reviewed in Chapter 4 of their book, but Gross et al. (2006) concluded the research was too preliminary to allow any conclusion about an anti-cancer effect of consuming wolfberries or wolfberry juice.
By one specific example in the CBC interview, Earl Mindell claimed the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York had completed clinical studies showing that use of wolfberry juice would prevent 75% of human breast cancer cases, a statement false in three ways:
no such project has been undertaken at Memorial Sloan-Kettering[55]
according to the National Cancer Institute of the US National Institutes of Health, no natural or pharmaceutical agent has been shown in clinical trials to fully prevent breast cancer, only to reduce its risk [56]; specifically, there are no completed or ongoing clinical trials in the United States testing the effects of wolfberries or juice on breast cancer outcomes [57] or any other disease[58] and
beyond preliminary laboratory studies[59] [60][61] and one Chinese clinical trial described only in an abstract[62], there is no scientific evidence for wolfberry phytochemicals or wolfberry juice having cancer-preventive properties (Gross, et al., 2006, chapters 4, 6).
Significant in nutrient and phytochemical composition, wolfberries are being developed[63][64][65][66][67] as new products in the functional food industry under FDA regulatory review since December, 2006 for label and marketing claims[68] as being conducted in 2007 by the European Union (above).
During 2006, the FDA placed two goji juice distributors on notice with warning letters about marketing claims. These statements were in violation of the United States Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act [21 USC/321 (g)(1)][69] because they “establish the product as a drug intended for use in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease” when wolfberries or juice have had no such scientific evaluation. Additionally stated by the FDA, the goji juice was “not generally recognized as safe and effective for the referenced conditions” and therefore must be treated as a “new drug” under Section 21(p) of the Act. New drugs may not be legally marketed in the United States without prior approval of the FDA, as stated in the letters below:
Dynamic Health Laboratories Inc. of Brooklyn, New York, May 8, 2006[70]
Healthsuperstore.com of Elk Grove, California, August 7, 2006[71]
THERE IS ANOTHER SIMILAR THING OUT THERE, MADE IN CANADA AND AVAILABLE IN ISREAL WITH A BADATZ HECHSHER, THAT IS JUST LIKE IT. THAT IS CALLED INTRA, AND HAS BEEN IN THE MARKET FOR MANY YEARS.
I HAVE TAKEN IT AND KNOW OTHERS WHO HAVE AND FELT MUCH BETTER IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF HEALTH. THE COST WAS LESS THEN THIS DRINK, AND YOU ONLY HAD TO DRINK ONE OUNCE A DAY. IT IS ALSO SOLD THROUGH DISTRIBUTERS ETC. AND SOLD IN CHINA AND SUCH COUNTRIES WERE THEY ARE VERY BIG INTO IT.
I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE INTRA AGAIN, BUT THE KOSHER ONE IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE USA, AND ONLY IN ISREAL.
WE CAN ALL USE SOMETHING TO KEEP OUR IMMUNE SYSTEMS IN CHECK AND THIS CAN HELP.
MAY WE ALL HAVE GOOD HEALTH.
To hear how wild these scammers get when discovered, Call 212-990-7238 and press 6
I don’t have any evidence that this juice is good or a scam, but anon 11:10, there are certain things that help a lot of areas like OMEGA 3 vitamins, under one co. available kosher. Different members of my family are avid fans for everything from blood pressure (in addition to regular medication) to mood and they find that it really makes a difference in their daily lives.
helps a lot of people. rabbi hilel weinberger never spoke to the rav hamachshir of gochi. to say it’s not kosher is very easy
THIS article was posted by very jelous distributors from other companies that are unable to sell their products lately who can swallow vitamins , and pills i needed CPR AFTER SWALOWING THESE” AMAZING PILLS ” I NEARLY CHOCKED . ME AND MY FAMILY ARE ON GOCHI FOR 3 MONTHS AND WE LOVE IT MY HUSBAND’S CHLOSTROAL DROPED 50 POINTS I HAVE THE BLOOD TEST TO PROVE. MY FIVE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAS BRAND NEW FEET NO MORE BLEEDING ECZAMA, no more skin worts. MY 15 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER’S SKIN WORTS ARE TOTALY GONE, AND MY SELF I USE TO TAKE SLEEPING PILLS TO SLEEP BETTER IM SLEEPING LIKE A BABY SINCE IM ON GOCHI. WATCH OUT drugs and vitamins COST MORE THAN 150$$$ A MONTH. TAKE GOCHI U WILL FEEL GREAT , 3 MONTH MONEY BACK GUARNTEE, WE HAVE THE SCEINCE BEHIND THIS PRODUCT U ARE JUST STATING OPINIONS WE GOT THE FACTS “pub med.gov” type in gochi, or lycium barbarum see the clinical test done. and than voice u opinions
this product is very kosher Rabbi Moskowitz is a very very coshova rabbi from eretz yisroel the ones talking against him are again jelous jelous jelous ,
True to anon 12:48.
Especially in this day and age where suddenly bottled water has to have a hechsher (pure bogus) as well as dish detergents and tin foil! Only people out there to make money in kashrus and unsuspecting ignoramuses say you need hechsherim for such things.
This Is awesome and he was a Melaleuca distributor spreading total INACCURACIES about Freelife.
February 8, 2007
RE: Email concerning Goji and FreeLife
On January 31, 2007 I sent out an email entitled, Goji and the lessons learned. This email addressed the Canadian Broadcasting Company’s investigative report on the Himalayan Goji Juice aired on January 17, 2007. I would like to apologize for sending this email without fully investigating the content of this broadcast before making my personal comments.
I hereby apologize for and retract the statements contained in my email regarding FreeLife International, its Himalayan Goji Juice and Dr. Mindell. I acknowledge the statements in my email portrayed FreeLife International, its Himalayan Goji Juice and Dr. Mindell in a misleading and damaging light. I have subsequently learned that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s (CBC) show that I referenced in my email was biased, unfair and one sided. In addition, I learned that despite FreeLife’s and its lawyers repeated demands, the CBC did not interview any FreeLife corporate executive before airing the show and refused to allow the company to correct any of the CBC’s inaccuracies. I have been informed that FreeLife is an Inc. 500 debt free company and a member of the Direct Selling Association. Also, FreeLife does not allow its Marketing Executives to make medical claims or any claims that would suggest its products cure any disease or condition. Finally, I learned that Dr. Mindell did receive his doctorate from an accredited university.
I apologize for my actions and have confirmed that in the future I will not make negative comments about a competitor or its products. If you forwarded my prior e-mail to anyone, I would appreciate it if you would also forward a copy of this e-mail to those people as well.
Michael McCullough, DC
[email protected]
Like expected these scam pushers will come online to push their product to the unsuspecting public, do your own research on anything you buy, thanks VIN for exposing this frauds, this is yiddish gelt, and the people running this, appear to be far from honest.
If you don’t try the juice, you won’t feel the benefits of it. We have had fabulous results in our family, including reduction in blood sugars in diebetics, regular bowel function, healing of athletes feet and fungus, relieve of arthritis pain, increase in bone density and some more.
Of course the company makes no medical claims, but we have nothing to lose by trying and finding out for ourselfs.
Why,oh,why do otherwise intelligent Jews, especially in E”Y, go for all these alternative medicine, witch doctor brews, and other scams?!? My experience with my aquaintances who are into all this silliness is that they are always sick. I am careful(and I should be more careful) with what I eat according to proven scientific theories and I seem to get sick less often than my friends who are into all this nutritionist baloney. Maybe that’s why they get into it in the first place. They are desperate. Just like the people drinking this juice.Yidden, some intelligence, Please.
Most people don’t realize, that although there are so many products out there that can relieve so many problems, not enough advertising for it so it just sits on health food store shelves. People that are into health may be more aware of it. But the world at large and pharmaceutical companies have so much $ invested in their products over the counter etc. They just pump everyone up on daily basis.(Radio, TV, Newspaper, magazines)How about all the side effects? People don’t realize it and over react because their friends and families are excited about something and (may personally profit by their purchase) Wow, they must be becoming millionairs huh?
Wonder how much, advil, tylenol, laxative companies, sleeping pills, etc How much do they make, or stand to lose by something like this. That is the ultimate question.
drink it for 40 days, so the seller will have money
Taking advantage of people at their most vulnerable time is just disgusting and reprehensible. It is unbelievable how greedy some people are, for a couple of dollars they would even sell their mother.
I took it and it really improved my life.
The GoChi Juice from Freelife is the only one with the highest Kosher standards.
Only those who can call the Shayn self hating hotline a “SHIYUR” can call the OU a Hechsher.
מדברי הרב הערשל מייזליש שליט”א מייסד מוסד רעים מתוקים, אויף זיין לעצטע געזונטהייט שמועס אויף קול מבשר, צום סוף. מועתק ווארט ביי ווארט:
סדרייט זיך ארום א ‘פיבער’. א שרעקליכע פיבער, א פיבער וואס איז contagious, א פיבער וואס כאפט זיך אריבער פון איין מענטש צום צווייטן, אז איינער אין די משפחה האט עס כאפט זיך עס אריבער צו אנדערע, אז איינער אין ביהמ”ד איז אנגעשטעקט דערמיט קען זיך עס אריבערכאפן צו די ארומיגע, ווער רעדט נאך אין מקוה וואו עס כאפט זיך אריבער פון איינער צום צווייטן.
דער פיבער, פונקט ווי די ‘פלו’ טוישט זיך יעדעס יאר, ווייל דעם העלפט נישט א פלו שאט פון פאראיאר אויף א היי-יאריגע פלו, – דער פיבער טוישט זיך אויך, איין יאר הייסט עס Noni Juice פיבער, איין יאר הייסט עס Acai Berry Juice פיבער.
היי יאר הייסט עס: Gochi Berry Juice פיבער.
דער וואונדער וואס מען דערציילט אויף דעם Gochi איז אזוי קאלירפול, סמאכט רייך די ארימע, סמאכט ארים די רייכע. סמאכט געזונט די קראנקע, און סמאכט קראנק די געזונטע. סמאכט זעהדיג די בלינדע, און סמאכט בלינד די זעהדיגע. באלד קען עס שוין אויך לעבעדיג מאכן טויטע…
סגייט נישט דורך א טאג וואס עס איז נישטא עטליכע Gochi מעסעדזשעס אויף די רעים מתוקים ענסערינג מאשין, וואס מיר האלטן דערוועגן.
וויל איך פאר אלעם דא דערציילן דא ברבים, אז ווען דער פיבער האט זיך דא אריינגעכאפט ביים אונזער היימישן עולם, האב איך זיך מקבל געווען נישט צו רעדן דערוועגן ביז זעקס חדשים, בלי נדר!
פארוואס איך וויל נישט רעדן ביז 6 חדשים דאס וועל איך אויך דעמאלטץ אי”ה מסביר זיין.
איך וויל נישט ענטפערן דערויף, און איך גיי נישט ענטפערן דערויף!. פיריאד.
איך בין מוסר מודעה, אז סאיז א שאד אריינצורופן אדער אריינפעקסן בנוגע Gochi, בין להרע ובין להיטב. און מיר ברויכן נישט פון קיינעם קיין אינפארמאציע דערוועגן, מיר פאלגן שוין נאך Gochi לאנג פאר עס איז אריינגעקומען דא, מיר קענען עס שוין פאר בערך 17 חדשים. איך האלט וואס איך האלט, און איך בין נישט אינטערסירט צו הערן פון קיינעם דערוועגן.
There’s another scheme out there (haven’t checked on it lately) originating in Israel! “Rabbi” J—-z’s “Drops”! that are claimed to cure any and all illnesses, except two! (gullibility and greed)!
A “Rabbi” dispensing “Medication” is akin to a Pharmacist Paske’n-ing Sh’eilos! Let’s imagine someone bringing a chicken into the pharmacy to ask if it’s Kosher!!!
To Jerry,
Dried berries are very bitter and how many do you have to eat? I understand that this juice is concentrated so more potent.
Well, good health is very valuable, people should focus on getting more knowledgable not just believe everything without understanding and investigating it themselves.
I’ve never taken Gochi but I someone tried to convince me to sell it. I didn’t agree cuz I don’t like selling things and I heard the hashgacha might not be the greatest. Anon 1:22 how can you say the OU isn’t a hechsher?!
Anon 11:59. Who speaks at this number?
Basically fancy grape juice
so if you drink grape juice that a rebbe made a brocha on it will also cure all (and probably cost $50 too 😉
Anonymous Says:
rabbi Hillel Weinberger is saying that there is a chashash of TIKROVES AVOIDA ZURA.
08-14-2008 – 11:22 AM
================================================ please explain why it is indeed takroves avoda zora. if you make a statement please back it up
I have treid goji drink, and I can’t believe the results I saw, I just ask everybody one thing.”Try it” then talk.
It’s high in a number of antioxidants as are many other foods such as blueberries, chocolate (at least 60% cocoa content), ginger, tumeric, tomatoes, etc.
The best thing is to eat a healthy diet, packed with fresh dark and yellow vegetables, berries and fruits and forget about miracle ‘food in a bottle’
The ‘ailments’ that are supposedly cured, according to all these anon. writers, can be ‘cured’ the same way thru diet, exercise, nutritionist advice, dermatologists, etc, just like they were until now. Please spare me the next ‘miracle’. I’d rather put my koach into davening and taking care of myself the normal way..’unishmartem MEOD es nafshoseichem…
Here is my experience: 6 weeks on GoChi
* No more headaches for my wife
* No more constipation
* No more back aches for me
* WE are sleeping better
* Gochi makes me calm. i became a better person.
Thank You guys for bringing this wonderful Kosher product to Brooklyn!!! Keep up your great work!!!
And THANK YOU HASHEM FOR YOUR WONDERFUL GO CHI BERRY : ) THANK YOU FREELIFE FOR PRODUCING THIS DELICIOUS FUCTIONAL JUICE : )
Rabbi Weissmandel approves it
Thanks for my friend who got me on this great GoChi..I got rid of my fungus. wahoooooo!! no more creams.. no more lotions and potions!!!
thanks to Leah. i love Ya
What a product!!
my baby is sleeping through the night! finally i have menicha for the 2 hours that he naps.
if you dont try it..youll never know
you people have a mitzva!!!!!
my sugar levels came down by 35 points. my dr. was amazed so he became a director and i joined too
sara
Gochi juice is amazing! I had an ingrown toe nail and after drinking just five ounces the ingrown toe nail was gone!! I HAVE PROOF! Why are all the Gochi distributors CAPATILIZING? Are they that upset?!?
my Goodness. there is no price tag on this product!!!!!!
I have fiber mialaga and i feel great….. 8 weeks on go Chi.
I am going to join today…I’ll promote it to Every one I know..and i know a lot of folks especially in California
poor pharmacies……
Go Chi is taking over the world by storm!!!
Magic in a Bottle. we finally got it!!!
We are certainly havin fun
at the same time getting HUGE checks from the co.
To health minded
You can actually give this product to babies?? I must try it! Where can i purchase it?
This product is amazing!
Last week, all I could do was read the NY Post. After 5 days on the product, I have gone thru shas and poskim and am now a Rosh Kollel.
I also was short and fat, and am now tall and thin.
There is nothing like this amazing product!
how many of you guji fanatics would suggest to a loved one that ch’v diagnosed with a serious illness , to use this scam instead of seeing a doctor ?
I betcha all the WONDERFUL THANK YOU GOCHI BLOGGERS are actually distrubutors from the network who are making money off this……. how about I got GOCHI and made $$$$ out of 100’s of unsuspecting customers who were stupid enough to pay me $50 a bottle….