A popular fruit for making pies and jellies, bilberry is also available as an herbal tea, sipped to boost overall health and to treat a number of medical conditions. Bilberry tea is available in health food stores and online. Since the Food and Drug Administration does not oversee the cultivation or sale of bilberry tea, there is no guarantee of effectiveness or safety. Consult your doctor before using any herbal remedy to treat a medical condition.
Bilberry Plant
The low-growing bilberry shrub grows wild along roadsides in Europe and is cultivated elsewhere for its summer harvest of small blue berries. Bilberry tea may contain either the dried fruit or the leaves of the plant or a combination of fruit and leaves. If fresh bilberries are available, you may use them to make an herbal tea.
Active Ingredients
When steeped, the bilberry plant provides antioxidants called anthocyanosides. These substances originate from the compounds that give pigment to the berries and are found in lesser amounts in the leaves, according to the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR) of Herbal Medicines. They may prevent damage from free radicals in the blood. Although clinical studies on the effects of bilberry tea are lacking, the University of Maryland Medical Center states that antioxidants in general may prevent cancer, heart disease and debilitating vision disorders. See a doctor before using bilberry tea to treat any medical condition.
Conditions
Vision disorders top the list of medical conditions that bilberry tea may help, but it may also be beneficial in the treatment of diarrhea and inflamed mouth and throat membranes, according to the website, Drugs.com. UMMC lists additional potential benefits in the treatment of diabetes, poor circulation and in reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack. Studies confirming the effectiveness of bilberry are lacking, so use the tea only with your doctor’s permission if you suffer from one of these diseases.
Tea Preparation
The PDR for Herbal Medicines suggests pouring a cup of boiling water over 1 teaspoon (tsp) of the bilberry herb and letting the hot liquid steep up to 15 minutes before straining and sipping. Drink up to three cups of bilberry tea per day with the permission of your doctor.
Contraindications
Bilberry tea is generally safe when used as directed, but the PDR notes that digestive complaints may occur at higher than recommended consumption. Use of bilberry may interfere with other drugs, including blood thinners and anticoagulants. Ask your physician whether bilberry tea is right for you.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Bilberry
- “PDR for Herbal Medicines, 2nd Edition”; Joerg Gruenwald, PhD, 2000
- Drugs.com: Bilberry
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