Bilberry, a relative of the blueberry, has been used for countless generations by North American Indians, Europeans and Chinese for numerous medicinal purposes. Although better known as an herbal remedy for circulatory problems and retinal disorders of the eye, bilberry is also used to treat all forms of digestive tract issues, including indigestion, nausea and diarrhea. Fresh bilberry juice is difficult to find in stores, but it can readily be made at home and serves as a convenient and an easily digested method of consuming the berry. Ask your doctor if bilberry juice would be beneficial for your condition.
Nutrients in Bilberry
Bilberries, also known as Vaccinium myrtillus, look similar to blueberries and taste vaguely alike. Bilberries are good sources of vitamin E, very good sources of vitamins A and C, and excellent sources of anthocyanosides, all of which are antioxidants. According to "Nutritional Sciences," bilberries normally contain slightly less than 1 percent anthocyanosides, but contain nearly 7 percent tannins, giving bilberry juice an astringent taste similar to red wine. Most of the anthocyanosides and tannins are within the skin of the bilberry, so juicing it will provide less of these nutrients compared to eating the raw berry.
Properties of Bilberry
Anthocyanosides are very strong antioxidants, even more so than vitamins A, C and E, and effective at scavenging free radicals, as cited in "Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition." Free radicals cause tissue deterioration and inflammatory reactions and contribute to the process of cancer. Bilberry reduces inflammation and relieves irritated tissue all through your digestive tract, from your throat to your colon. Anthocyanosides increase blood circulation and strengthen blood vessels, which may also reduce swelling and irritation in the intestines and alleviate indigestion. The high level of vitamin C in bilberry is used to repair connective tissue, stimulate your immune system and also reduce free-radical activity. Vitamin A is essential to produce and maintain the delicate mucous membranes that line and protect your entire gastrointestinal system. Further, the astringent effects of tannins are effective for controlling diarrhea and dysentery. Fresh, unsweetened bilberry juice is always the preferred type.
Bilberry and Stomach Ulcers
Most research on the effects of bilberry has been conducted on highly concentrated extracts containing 25 percent anthocyanosides, but with the tannins removed, which is much different than simply consuming fresh bilberry juice. Regardless, an Italian study published in a 1988 edition of the German journal "Arzneimittel Forschung" found that the primary anthocyanoside within bilberry inhibited stomach ulcers in 63 percent of patients considered at risk. In other studies, therapeutic dosages of bilberry extract ranged from 180 mg to 800 mg three times daily with no reported side effects or toxicity. Dozens of glasses of bilberry juice would have to be consumed to match the antioxidant activity of 2,400 mg of bilberry extract.
Caution
While the berries from the bilberry plant are considered safe, the leaves can produce toxic effects in large quantities when consumed over time because of their high tannin content, which can build up in the digestive tract and cause upset and irritation, as cited in "Medical Herbalism." Thus, when making bilberry juice, try to omit as many of the tiny leaves as possible.
References
- "Nutritional Sciences"; Michelle McGuire; 2007
- "Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition"; Martha Stipanuk; 2006
- "Arzneimittel Forschung"; Antiulcer Activity of an Anthocyanidin From Vaccinium Myrtillus; M.J. Magistretti, et al; May 1988
- "The New Healing Herbs"; Michael Castleman; 2010
- "Medical Herbalism: The Science Principles and Practices of Herbal Medicine"; David Hoffmann; 2003
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