Are you looking for a natural way to improve your health? If so, you should consider trying bilberry. This small, dark-colored berry is packed with antioxidants and vitamins that can help support overall health. In this post, we’ll discuss the many benefits of bilberry and why it’s a great choice for improving your health. Bilberry has been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. This berry has been used to treat everything from digestive issues to eye problems. It’s even been shown to help improve vision and reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Bilberry is also a great source of essential minerals such as iron, magnesium, and zinc. These minerals are essential for maintaining healthy bones, teeth, and muscles. Iron helps to transport oxygen throughout the body, magnesium helps to maintain proper nerve and muscle function, and zinc is important for a healthy immune system.
Bilberry Nutrition Facts and Calories Chart
Bilberry is rich in antioxidants which can help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules which can cause cellular damage and lead to premature aging. By consuming bilberry, you can help reduce the damage caused by these molecules and keep your cells healthy. Bilberry is also high in Vitamin C, which is essential for a healthy immune system. Vitamin C helps your body fight off infections and illnesses and can even help reduce inflammation. Additionally, Vitamin C is important for the production of collagen, which helps to keep your skin looking youthful and supple. As you can see, there are many benefits of adding bilberry to your diet. Not only is it packed with antioxidants and vitamins, but it’s also been used to treat a variety of ailments. If you’re looking for a natural way to improve your health, give bilberry a try! Nutritional value per 100 g bilberries:
- Biotin: 0.0 mg
- Calcium: 19 mg
- Carbohydrates (Carbs): 8.8 g
- Chloride: 10 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Choline: 0.5 mg
- Chromium: 0.9 mcg
- Copper: 0.1 mg
- Dietary Fiber: 2.4 g
- Energy (Calories): 46 kcal
- Fat: 0.3 g
- Iodine: 0.3 mcg
- Iron: 0.5 mg
- Magnesium: 5 mg
- Manganese: 0.1 mg
- Molybdenum: 0.5 mcg
- Pantothenic Acid: 0.2 mg
- Phosphorus: 25 mg
- Potassium: 114 mg
- Protein: 0.9 g
- Saturated fat: 0.1 g
- Selenium: 0.3 mcg
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Sugars: 4.2 g
- Vitamin A: 544 IU
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): 0.04 mg
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.02 mg
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B6: 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B9 (Folate / Folic Acid): 27 mcg
- Vitamin B12: 0 mcg
- Vitamin C: 19 mg
- Vitamin D: 0 IU
- Vitamin E: 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K: 10.2 mcg
- Water: 83.2 g
- Zinc: 0.2 mg
Bilberry In India
About 21 species of Vaccinium are found in India. Bilberry is mainly found in UK, Europe and North America. Same as the blueberry, only more noted for its medicinal uses. Fruit can be either blue-black or red. Both kinds of blueberries are more closely related to the cranberry. Bilberry shows astringent, diuretic, refrigerant properties. Bilberry, often confused with blueberry because of its blue color, is known for helping vision and fighting urinary tract infections (UTIs).
- Scientific Binomial: Vaccinium myrtillus
- Common English: Bilberry / Huckleberry
- Ayurvedic
- Unani
- Sanskrit: Neelabadri / Balprad
- Hindi / Urdu: Nilabadari / Feera
- Bengali: Neel Jaam
- Marathi: Karavanda
- Telugu: Fall Sa / jaana pallu
- Tamil: Kilapalam / Kalavu
- Gujarati
- Kannada: Olenangu
- Malayalam: Avurinelli
- Oriya
- Punjabi / Sindhi
- Assamese
- Kashmiri
- Konkani
- Manipuri
- Dogri
- Bhojpuri
Home Remedies
Bilberry is useful for acute cataracts, macular degeneration, diarrhoea, hemorrhoids, night vision, mild inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat, diabetes, eyestrain, glaucoma, retinopathy, and heavy legs in varicose veins. Bilberry’s potent antioxidant activity makes it a useful supplement in many chronic health problems, especially where circulation is poor. Because certain diseases interfere with circulation, bilberry offers some protection from diabetic and hypertensive retinopathies. Bilberry is also a good choice for vascular issues like Reynaud’s disease, and venous insufficiency in the legs.
- Improves Eye Health: European native bilberry extracts improve eye damage (retinopathy) caused by diabetes and high blood pressure. Other flavonoids, aside from anthocyanidins, include resveratrol (a substance trumpeted as contributing to the benefits of red wine and red grape juice) and quercetin.
- Night Blindness: Bilberry is high in flavonoids (anthocyanosides) that is useful to treat night blindness and improve hypertensive retinopathy. Anthocyanosides speed the regeneration of rhodopsin. This is purple color pigment useful for the rods in the eye for night vision. Study shows that bilberry supplementation improve dark adaptation in the people with poor night vision. A standardized bilberry extract containing 25% anthocyanosides may be taken in tablet or capsule form. Doctors typically recommend 240 to 480 mg per day.
- Glaucoma: Mirtogenol (a product combining standardized bilberry extract with pycnogenol, a patented extract of French maritime pine bark) improved blood flow and reduced pressure within the eye, suggesting application in glaucoma. Pycnogenol alone may also slow progression of retinopathy caused by diabetes or arterial disease. A recent study showed that bilberry improved ulcerative colitis.
- Improves Blood Circulation: Bilberry helps to improve poor peripheral circulation and prevents fluid leakage from blood vessels. many circulatory problems can benefit from taking bilberry, including hemorrhoids and varicose veins, chilblains, raynaud’s disease, intermittent claudication, and easy bruising. Bilberries tone the blood vessels. It also appears to strengthen veins, and may lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. Try antioxidant tea made with blueberry. Steep one teaspoon of ground bilberry in hot water for 15 minutes. Drink up to four cups daily.
- Hemorrhoids: While treating hemorrhoid, try taking a standardized extract containing 25 percent anthocyanosides at 160 mg twice daily. Bilberry improves circulation and strengthens capillary walls. Study shows that Bilberry can improve the pain, the burning, and the itching associated with hemorrhoids.
- Varicose Veins: Varicose veins can lead into heavy legs. To get relief from this take a standardized extract containing 25% anthocyanosides at 160 mg twice daily. Bilberry improves circulation and strengthens capillary walls.
- Diarrhea: Bilberries can be taken to relieve diarrhea or constipation, and the leaves are a useful urinary antiseptic for conditions such as cystitis. Bilberry has been used traditionally in Germany to treat diarrhea for both children and adult. Use only dried berries or juice. Fresh berries may worsen diarrhea. Researchers are also looking at the potential protective effect that bilberry extract may have on colorectal cancer.
Side Effects
There are no known adverse effects. Bilberry may be used as support for the eyes, heart, and gastrointestinal system but should not replace appropriate medical care. It may dry up lactation, although evidence is thin to support the warning. Possible interaction with anti-platelet drugs when taken in exceptionally large doses.
FAQs.
Q. How to use Bilberry extract for eye health?
It is very useful remedy for eye health. It is one of the best herbs for the eyes. Taken long-term, fruit improves eye health, protecting against damage to the eye resulting from diabetes and high blood pressure. it can sometimes help in short-sightedness, and in the prevention of cataract formation. During World War II, Air Force pilots were given bilberry jelly, which is actually a type of blueberry, to improve their night vision. Extract is even available in capsule form these days. Take as directed on the bottle daily.
- Bilberry is a rich source of anthocyanosides, compounds that may protect the retina against macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. In the treatment of cataract, take 160 mg two to three times daily of a 25% anthocyanosides extract. Phytochemicals in the herb protect the lens from free radical damage.
- Bilberry may help to prevent diabetic retinopathy and cataracts. Take 160 mg twice a day of a product standardized to 25 percent anthocyanosides.
- In case of glaucoma, take 160 mg twice daily of a 25% anthocyanosides extract. It improves blood flow and contains flavonoids that support eye structure and function.
- For macular degeneration, take 240 to 600 mg a day of a standardized formula containing 25% anthocyanosides. This herb contains flavonoids – phytochemicals that protect the eyes against oxidative damage. It also strengthens the capillaries and the connective tissues of the eye. The berry acts on the micro-circulation of the eye and can help to improve night vision and eyesight.
Appreciate the recommendation. Let me try it out.