Bilberry:

The Bilberry and Vision

Bilberry (scientific name actinium myrtillus) is a member of the blueberry family which produces sweet blue colored berries. The bilberry bush is found both in North America and Europe, growing best in damp, acidic soils. The blue to black berries are used for many medicinal purposes, while the leaves are believed to have additional healing properties.

Bilberry and eyesight
One of the most significant properties of the bilberry is its ability to allegedly enhance night vision. Possibly as far back as the sixteenth century, the bilberry was mixed with honey in order to create a syrup known as "rob." While the syrup was traditionally used to treat diarrhea, today the fruits of the bilberry bush are being used to promote good vision, particularly night vision. Here's an interesting anecdote: in World War II, pilots who ate large quantities of bilberries claimed to have more accurate night vision.

Scientific studies have shown bilberry might be able to slow the degeneration of sight, and may even improve visual acuity.

Bilberry is also used in traditional medicine for treatment of indigestion and diabetes.

Bilberry and nutrition
The bilberry contains vast numbers of phytochemicals, which are thought to help lower blood pressure, inhibit the formation of clots, and increase blood flow to the nervous system. Some studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the bilberry bush are up to fifty times as powerful as vitamin E and ten times as powerful as vitamin C.

Bilberry also seems to show promise at reducing vascular insufficiency and other related conditions. Bilberry seems to work in much the same way as ginkgo biloba and horse chestnut, and the circulatory effects it yields are thought to be quite effective at increasing circulation and helping the health of the eyes and organs.

Purchasing bilberry
Bilberry is available in a wide variety of sources, from fresh berries to a number of extract and capsule forms.

How the fruit of the bilberry tree is harvested can make a lot of difference in its effectiveness as a health booster. The bilberry offers the most benefits when it is harvested at the peak of ripeness.

The bilberry, like the blueberry and other related berries, is one of the best and highest quality fruits on the market. Whether you buy your bilberry fresh at the supermarket or health food store, or opt for the easier but lesser effective bilberry supplements, try to incorporate this valuable fruit into your routine diet.