Bilberry is a fruit similar to blueberry and is full of many nutrients and beneficial compounds, such as vitamin C. Research is underway on the health benefits of Bilberry, including whether it helps with inflammation and prevents cancer. This fruit is a fruit that is easy to add to your diet without any special disadvantages. You can take Bilberry supplements, but more research is needed to confirm the efficacy and dosage of the fruit. This article describes the benefits of eating Bilberry.
What is Bilberry?
Bilberry is a plant native to northern Europe and is also known as European blueberry, holtleberry, dyeberry, huckleberry, and blavery. The scientific name is 'Vaccinium myrtillus L'. Bilberry fruit is similar in shape to North American blueberries. It is characterized by a small round, dark purple color. Bilberry is rich in color-producing chemicals called anthocyanins. Bilberries are sold in fresh fruit, frozen or dried, and are also commercialized in the form of preserved food, jam, and juice.
What are the benefits?
The commonly known Bilberry efficacy is as follows, including anti-inflammatory action and blood sugar management.
1. High nutritional content
Bilberry is rich in a chemical called anthocyanin. The typical daily dietary intake of anthocyanins is approximately 200 mg (milligrams). Bilberry's total anthocyanin content is typically 300–700 mg per 100 g. Also, 100 grams of fresh bilberries contain a small amount of:
· 3mg of vitamin C
· 3 mg of quercetin
· 20 mg of catechin
There is not much other information about the nutritional content of Bilberry. However, because it is nutritionally similar to Huckleberry, it is likely to have a similar nutritional profile. In other words, 100g of bilberry contains about 90% of water in 37 calories.
2. Helps protect against cancer
The body contains many chemicals called 'glazing groups' that can harm cells. This substance causes several health problems, including cancer. In laboratory and animal studies, researchers found that antioxidants helped solve the effects of these free radicals.
3. Reduction of inflammation
Some studies have reported that Bilberry can help fight inflammation. Anthocyanin is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties and is abundant in Bilberry. According to a study conducted in 2021, people who drank Bilberry and red grape juice every day reported measurable improvements in biomarkers of inflammation and tissue damage over nine weeks. Another study also reported that it helps reduce metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors.
4. Lower blood sugar levels
Bilberry has long been used as an herbal remedy to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes patients. A recent study also reported that Bilberry extract can be effective in lowering blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes patients. It was also found that eating Bilberry can increase insulin secretion and help manage diabetes.
5. Improving eye health
Many people thought that Bilberry helped improve eye health, and during World War II, British pilots believed that it improved night vision when they ate Bilberry jam. But this is from anecdotal evidence. However, a small study conducted since 2015 found that daily intake of 480mg of Bilberry extract reduces eye fatigue symptoms such as eye pain, eye heaviness, discomfort, and foreign body sensation. Of course, more research is needed, but the results suggest promising.