{"id":6611,"date":"2019-05-31T08:48:06","date_gmt":"2019-05-31T08:48:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=6611"},"modified":"2021-06-09T17:53:57","modified_gmt":"2021-06-09T17:53:57","slug":"bilberry-20-curative-health-benefits-uses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/bilberry-20-curative-health-benefits-uses\/","title":{"rendered":"Bilberry: 20 Curative Health Benefits & Uses"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The bilberry is a close relation of the blueberry, with many of the same health benefits. Bilberries are native to Europe and go by the monikers of whortleberry, huckleberry, or European blueberries. Many food manufacturers process bilberries into preserves or juices, and supplement manufacturers make extracts using the berries.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bilberries are similar to blueberries in looks and taste, and they also have a similar antioxidant profile. Bilberries contain alkaloids, carbonic acids, anthocyanin and other phenolic compounds such as tannins, quercetin, catechins, and, pectin. These polyphenol antioxidants have potent healing effects on the body, scavenging free radicals from the bloodstream while improving cell health and communication.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buy bilberries fresh, frozen, or in powdered form, and add them to your meals for a boost to your nutrition. Add them to shakes, mix them into pre-workout formulas, or add them to your muesli in the morning. Apart from the dietary uses of bilberries, here are eight benefits and uses of this superfruit.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.   Diabetes Management<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Diabetes <\/a>is a blood sugar disorder that takes some time to manifest in the body. The majority of cases of the disease occur due to patients losing control of their insulin sensitivity. Insulin is the hormone released by the pancreas after eating a meal.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The insulin helps to stall the rise in blood glucose levels from consuming carbohydrates. Without insulin, we would end up going into hypoglycemic shock after drinking a can of soda. However, patients with diabetes maintain an abnormally high blood sugar level throughout the day, reducing the efficiency of the pancreas, the organ responsible for producing insulin.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, the diabetic patient requires the use of insulin drugs to manage their blood sugar for the rest of their life. Studies show that the antioxidants and polyphenols found in bilberries help to regulate blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity in patients suffering from prediabetes and type-2 diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2.   Eye Conditions<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Studies published in the Journal of Nutrition show that adding bilberries to your diet may improve eye health.  Research shows that patients eating bilberries in the morning for breakfast experienced less eye fatigue during the day. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The antioxidants <\/a>and polyphenols found in bilberries help to resolve retinal disorders affecting the patient’s vision. One study shows the potential of bilberry extract for protecting retina cells from macular degeneration associated with progressive eye disorders. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are starting to experience trouble with your vision, include bilberries in your breakfast. After 6-weeks of consuming the superfruits, you should notice an improvement in your vision. Bilberries taste fantastic when included in your morning smoothie, and they also make a great addition to a bowl of muesli with some fresh, organic Greek yogurt. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can eat bilberries frozen or fresh, as the freezing process does not damage or remove any of the beneficial antioxidants and polyphenols.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

3.  Anti-Inflammatory Properties <\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bilberries <\/a>contain polyphenol micronutrients with anti-inflammatory properties. Anyone who is living with systemic inflammatory disease should consider adding bilberries to their diet. Consuming this superfruit helps to stop the spread of inflammatory cytokines in the bloodstream and tissues. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Millions of Americans live with some form of chronic degenerative bone disease, such as osteoarthritis. The anti-inflammatory effect of bilberries can help treat the symptoms of inflammation associated with arthritis, gout, and internal injuries. Consuming bilberries enables you to heal faster from the effects of inflammatory disease.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consuming bilberries as part of your daily diet helps you to build up levels of the antioxidants and polyphenols found in the fruit, helping you maintain better standards of health.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This superfruit also has potent healing and strengthening effect on microbiome health in the digestive system as well. The vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in bilberries reduce gastrointestinal inflammation, helping people that are suffering from digestive disorders and diseases.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

4.   Resolves Digestive Issues<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People that live with digestive disorders or diseases like Crohn’s or celiac disease may gain benefit from including bilberries in their diet. The polyphenols and antioxidants <\/a>found in the superfruit reduce the symptoms of bloating, gas, and cramping associated with digestive inflammation.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When people with these conditions eat foods that don’t agree with their food allergies, the intestinal wall expands, resulting in toxins and harmful particles entering the bloodstream where they travel throughout the body. These inflammatory particles then start the onset of symptoms of sore and stiff joints in people who are suffering from arthritis.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you experience an infection with a bacterial or viral pathogen as a result of eating tainted food at a restaurant, the vomiting symptoms can last for up to 48-hours. After the worst of the symptoms are over, try eating bilberries to get your digestive system back on track. The high vitamin and mineral content in the berries are excellent for restoring the balance of your intestinal bacteria.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

5.   Enhance Circulatory Health<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As we age, the efficiency of our circulatory system begins to decline. As a result, our heart has trouble pumping blood to the extremities, such as the fingers and toes. Many seniors may start to develop the signs of weakened circulatory distress in their twilight years of life. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, they may develop varicose veins<\/a> or spider web veins in their lower limbs and forearms, or on the back of the hands as well. There isn’t much that seniors can do to treat these vein issues, and since they don’t produce any life-threatening problems, many seniors leave them untreated. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studies show that eating bilberries a few times a week can increase circulatory health. The research indicates that bilberries have a soothing effect on blood vessels, allowing them to relax and expand, allowing them to carry more oxygen throughout the body.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bilberries also assist in inhibition of platelet aggregation, as well as muscle contraction. Eating the superfruit strengthens capillaries, enhances circulation and prevents circulatory disorders like hemorrhoids and varicose veins.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

6.   Maintains Liver and Kidney Health<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Consuming bilberries helps to protect your liver and kidneys from disease \u2014 the antioxidants <\/a>found in the superfruit work to scavenge free radicals from the bloodstream. Free radicals are harmful oxidative particles that cause cell death in the body. Antioxidants prevent free radicals from carrying out the destructive intentions they have for cells, flushing them from the body while helping to strengthen the immune system.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The liver and kidneys act as the body’s filters, clearing out waste particles from the bloodstream and body fluids. When these organs experience dysfunction, levels of toxicity can accumulate quickly in the body, leaving the affected individual feeling lethargic and nauseous.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If left untreated, the patient’s condition will rapidly deteriorate, and they could develop some form of liver or kidney disease, as well as a host of adverse health complications associated with over-toxicity and impaired liver and renal function.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eating bilberries help you to maintain optimal levels of liver and kidney health, by ensuring that you detox your system regularly.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

7.   Neuroprotective Properties<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Nearly 6-million Americans live with some form of dementia, with the most common being Alzheimer’s disease<\/a>. Patients with Alzheimer’s experience a slow degradation of their cognitive abilities as they age.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The effects of the disease are dramatic. It starts with the patient forgetting where they left their car keys and may end up with the affected person losing all their memories of their lifetime. This disease has a devastating effect on families and leaves the patient as a shell of their former self.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bilberries contain polyphenols antioxidants that assist the brain with clearing toxins from neurological pathways. By sweeping these pathways clean, the brain is at less risk of developing cognitive issues. As a result, you’ll find that you think clearer and faster, and your decision-making improves.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bilberry extract is a favorite ingredient in many OTC nootropic products with herbal formulations. The effects of the superfruit extract work in synergy with other nootropic compounds to improve cognitive function.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

8.   Possible Side Effects<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While bilberries are a superfruit with fantastic health benefits, there use does not come without a potential cost to your health. When consumed in large quantities, bilberries may cause the onset of an allergic reaction<\/a>. While this rarely occurs with eating fresh berries, patients using bilberry extract may find that they develop skin sensitivity issues to the oil, mainly if they apply it directly to their skin. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tannins found in bilberries are responsible for creating allergic reactions, and if you have allergies to other foods like red wine, coffee, nuts or beans, then you should probably avoid eating bilberries altogether.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some medical experts have concerns about the use of bilberry extract in supplement formulas, as the long term effects of exposure to tannins remain unstudied by medical science. Doctors recommend that pregnant women should avoid eating bilberries and any other foods that are high in tannins. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The anthocyanins found in bilberries may also inhibit the effect of chronic medications such as those used in the treatment of cancer, beta-blockers, and antibiotics \u2013 speak to your doctor for more advice.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

<\/div>