Bilberry plant is a close relative of the blueberries and is amongst the numerous species in the Ericaceae family. These are delicious berries that are native to Northern Europe and have been valued for its therapeutic effectiveness in the conventional system of European medicine for many centuries. Bilberry is a spreading, low-growing, deciduous shrub with slender branches having tiny pinkish blossoms and bright green, oval and pointed leaves.
The plant yields dark purple berries harvested during summertime and can use fresh or in dried form. Today, bilberry is cultivated in Northern Asia, Europe, and North America and is becoming quite popular as a delicious ingredient in preserves, pies, and jams as well as for bilberry benefits that have the ability to treat a range of health conditions.
Among the berries, bilberry is considered as an important and prized botanical owing to multiple bilberry benefits with beneficial properties. The benefits of Bilberry helps in the strengthening of capillaries stimulate circulation and prevent disorders like varicose veins and hemorrhoids.
Bilberry benefits for health
Protection against kidney failure
Amazing beneficial effect of bilberry is its defense against kidney damage. Bilberry extracts help in the normalizing multiple critical factors including levels of creatinine, serum blood urea nitrogen and nitric oxide.
Protection against liver damage
Bilberry exerts protective effect against restraint stress stimulated liver damage attributing to the richness of antioxidants.
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Diabetes
Bilberry benefits and assists in regulating the blood sugar levels in the body attributing to the rich concentration of anthocyanins. Dietary bilberry extract helps in improving the condition of hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity in people suffering from type 2 diabetes.
Antioxidant defense
The fruit of the bilberry plant consists of chemical components, anthocyanosides. These useful water-soluble chemicals possess radical scavenging qualities that seek out for oxygen free radicals produced during energy metabolism and neutralize their effects.
Protection against eye disorders
Powerful radical scavengers present in bilberry helps enhance the vision and may be useful for the restoration and homeostasis of corneal limbal epithelial cells.
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Cancer Prevention
Anthocyanosides possess the strength to stall cancer cell activity. Bilberry extracts have the ability to prevent the growth of leukemia and colon cancer cells in humans.
Bilberry Side Effects
While bilberry has many benefits, you also should be aware of a few of side effects.
- The effect of prescription medicines or any other drug may be countered by the fruit’s chemicals if taken as a continuous supplement on a long-term basis.
- An upset stomach may also result from frequent ingestion of bilberries.
- Headaches, dizziness, or drowsiness are some of the other side effects.
- Affect the ability to form clots, thereby risking internal bleeding.
- May bring blood sugar to dangerously low levels.
