Name: Bilberry - Natural Whole Herb
Scientific Name: Vaccinium myrtillius
Intro: Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) has been used in traditional European medicine for nearly a thousand years, primarily to treat diarrhea. Bilberry is a shrub that grows to about 16 inches in height. It has oval, pointed leaves and small pink and white flowers, which bloom from April through June. In the late summer, its dark purple berries are ripe to pick. Bilberry is a relative of blueberry, cranberry, and huckleberry, and its fruit looks and tastes much like the American blueberry. Bilberry fruit contains high concentrations of tannins, substances that act as both an anti-inflammatory and an astringent. Bilberry fruits also contain flavonoid compounds called anthocyanidins. Flavonoids are plant pigments that have excellent antioxidant properties. This means that they scavenge damaging particles in the body known as free radicals and have been shown to help prevent a number of long-term illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and an eye disorder called macular degeneration.
Nutrient Content: The key compounds in bilberry fruit are called anthocyanidins. These compounds help build strong capillaries and improve circulation to all areas of the body. They also prevent blood platelets from clumping together (helping to reduce the risk of blood clots which may lead, for example, to heart attack or stroke). Bilberry fruit is also rich in tannins, a substance that acts as an astringent, thereby helping bleeding to stop. The tannins and anthocyanidins, therefore, may balance each other out when the whole bilberry fruit is used for medicinal purposes. Anthocyanidins also boost the production of rhodopsin, a pigment that improves night vision and helps the eye adapt to light changes. The tannins have anti-inflammatory properties and may help control diarrhea.
Benefits:
Comments: Bilberry fruit and extract are considered generally safe, with no known side effects. There are no known scientific reports of interactions between bilberry and conventional medications. The Dietary Supplement Information Bureau recommends a daily dosage of 80 mg twice a day for optimum results.
Caution: Should not be taken in large quantities over an extended period of time because it may become toxic.
Interferes with iron absorption when taken internally
Those taking warfarin or other blood thinners in the same class, known as anticoagulants, should be very careful if considering use of bilberry and should be followed closely by a doctor who will check your INR (a measurement to indicate, in part, your risk of bleeding).