Benefits of eating Bilberries.

Benefits of eating Bilberries:
Bilberries (also known as Vaccinium myrtillus, wild blueberries, and blue whortleberries) have been shown to have the highest Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) rating of more than 20 fresh fruits and berries. ORAC is a measure that USDA researchers use to determine the antioxidant capacity of different foods. The antioxidant properties of bilberries were shown to be even stronger than those of cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, plums, or cultivated blueberries. The antioxidant powers and health benefits of bilberries can be attributed to a number of remarkable compounds contained in them, including anthocyanins, vitamin C, resveratrol (the nutrient responsible for the purported health benefits of red wine), vitamin E, and ellagic acid. Bilberries — one of the greatest beauty foods of all times
Packed with antioxidants, bilberries and other whortleberries are great for the skin. These little antioxidant powerhouses contribute to the health of the collagen matrix by neutralizing enzymes that destroy connective tissue, and by scavenging free radicals. As a consequence, bilberries are great for people who want to prevent wrinkles and pre-mature aging of the skin as well as for women who are following an anti-cellulite diet. Thanks to the anthocyanins and other antioxidants they contain, bilberries are also considered good for people following an anti-bruise diet in an effort to prevent bruises and make them heal faster.
Looking for ways to get rid of acne through diet? Try bilberries. These superberries may also help prevent acne breakouts due to their high concentration of pectin. Pectin is a type of dietary fiber that helps clear intestinal toxins that may contribute to acne.
- Antioxidant benefit
Eating bilberries and blueberries with milk has been shown to block their antioxidant capacity. In one study, volunteers were given 200 grams (7 ounces) of blueberries with either 200 ml (0.8 cups) of water or 200ml milk. As expected, those who consumed blueberries with water had an increase in their plasma antioxidant capacity. Interestingly, this effect was not found in those volunteers who ingested blueberries with milk. The study authors believe that the ability of milk to impair the antioxidant powers of blueberries may be a result of the affinity of blueberries for milk protein.
- Protection against colon cancer
One animal study found that a natural compound called pterostilbene in bilberries and cultivated blueberries can help prevent colon cancer. Nine rats with colon cancer were fed a balanced diet containing pterostilbene, and another group of nine rats with colon cancer were put on a balanced diet with no pterostilbene. After the eight-week trial period, the animals in the group that received the blueberry extract were found to have 57% fewer pre-cancerous lesions in the colon, compared to the control group. Also in vitro studies have found blueberries to be effective at inhibiting colon cancer cell proliferation and inducing cancer cell apoptosis.
- An anti-UTI food par excellence
Blueberries, including bilberries, may be one of the best foods for people following an anti-UTi diet. Researchers at the Rutgers Blueberry Cranberry Research Center in Chatsworth, N.J., found that blueberries can help prevent recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), much in the same way as cranberries do. The anti-UTI properties of blueberries seem to be linked to the high concentration of the bioflavonoid epicatechin found in blueberries (and cranberries). Epicatechin works its protective magic by preventing bacteria from attaching to the lining of the bladder. As a result, the E. coli bacteria responsible for most UTIs are eliminated through urine before they can cause an infection.
- Anti-inflammatory benefits
Anthocyanins, the flavonoids responsible for blueberries' tart taste and intense color, are known to possess strong anti-inflammatory properties which may help control symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Some scientists believe that the anti-inflammatory powers of anthocyanins may be even stronger than those of aspirin.
- releases Nutrients for healthier veins
Did you know that diet and varicose veins are linked, and that bilberries may be one of the best foods you can eat if you're looking for natural ways to treat those enlarged veins?
Not only do bilberries contribute to the health of the collagen matrix, they also help repair damaged proteins in the blood vessel walls and promote the overall health of the vascular system. On top of that, blueberries and bilberries are supercharged with both insoluble fiber and soluble fiber such as pectin. A diet rich in fiber helps prevent constipation, which in turn helps reduce pressure on the veins.
- Helps the eyes
Numerous studies conducted in Europe have documented that bilberry extracts can improve night time visual acuity, reduce eyestrain, and promote quicker adjustment to darkness.
These beneficial effects on eye health appear to be linked to the high concentration of anthocyanin present in bilberries. Other studies suggest that blueberries may also prevent — and even reverse — macular degeneration, the primary cause of vision loss and blindness in the elderly. Due to its extraordinary benefits on eye health, the Japanese often refer to the blueberry as "the vision fruit".

Fruit Talkabout(A-Z): Bilberries History and description.

Bilberry (especially Vaccinium myrtillus) is also known in English by other names including blaeberry /ˈbleɪbɛri/ , whortleberry / ˈhwɜrtəlbɛri/ , (ground) hurts, whinberry, winberry, windberry, wimberry, myrtle blueberry and fraughan. In several other European languages its name translates as "blueberry", and this may cause confusion with the related plants more usually known as " blueberry" in American English, which are in the separate section Cyanococcus of the genus Vaccinium.
The bilberry is native to Europe including the British Isles, while the blueberry is native to North America.
Species
Bilberries include several closely related species of the Vaccinium genus, including:
Vaccinium myrtillus L. (bilberry)
Vaccinium uliginosum L. (bog bilberry, bog blueberry, bog whortleberry, bog huckleberry, northern bilberry, ground hurts)
Vaccinium caespitosum Michx. (dwarf bilberry)
Vaccinium deliciosum Piper (cascade bilberry)
Vaccinium membranaceum (mountain bilberry, black mountain huckleberry, black huckleberry, twin-leaved huckleberry)
Vaccinium ovalifolium (oval-leafed
blueberry, oval-leaved bilberry, mountain blueberry, high-bush blueberry).
Bilberries are found in very acidic , nutrient-poor soils throughout the temperate and subarctic regions of the world. They are closely related to North American wild and cultivated blueberries and huckleberries in the genus Vaccinium. One characteristic of bilberries is that they produce single or paired berries on the bush instead of clusters, as the blueberry does. Blueberries have more evergreen leaves.
The fruit is smaller than that of the blueberry but with a fuller taste. Bilberries are darker in color, and usually appear near black with a slight shade of purple. While blueberry fruit pulp is light green in color, bilberry is red or purple, heavily staining the fingers, lips, and tongue of consumers eating the raw fruit. The color comes from diverse anthocyanins which are a natural acid-base indicator, dark blue in basic solutions and red in acidic solutions. Bilberry extract is used as an edible ink for stamping meat. [ citation needed]
Bilberries are extremely difficult to grow and have small fruits, and are thus seldom cultivated. Fruits are mostly collected from wild plants growing on publicly accessible lands throughout northern and central Europe, where they are plentiful – for example, up to a fifth (17-21%) of the land area of Sweden is covered in bilberry bushes.
Note that in Austria, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Switzerland, it is an everyman's right to collect bilberries, irrespective of land ownership, with the exception of private gardens and nature reserves. Bilberries can be picked by a berry-picking rake like lingonberries , but are more susceptible to damage. The best way to harvest bilberries is to carefully pick the fruit one by one by hand using fingers only to avoid damage and uprooting of the plant and squashing the fruit.
Bilberries are softer and juicier than
blueberries, making them difficult to transport.
Because of these factors, the bilberry is only available fresh on markets and in gourmet stores, where in the latter they can cost up to 11 Euros per kilogram. Frozen bilberries however are available all year round in most of Europe.
In Finland, bilberries are collected from forests. They are eaten fresh or can be made into different jams and dishes. The most famous one is bilberry pie (Finnish: mustikkapiirakka , Swedish blåbärspaj).
In Iceland, bilberries (known as aðalbláber, or "prime blueberry") grow predominantly in Westfjords and the surrounding area. In most of the country, the closely related bláber occupy the same habitat. Both species are commonly found growing with dwarf birch and crowberries . Wild growth is vast compared to the population of Iceland and wildharvesting is legal. As a consequence, it is a popular activity in August when the berry season peaks. A popular use for bilberries is to eat them with skyr .
In Ireland, the fruit is known as fraughan, from the Irish fraochán, and is traditionally gathered on the last Sunday in July, known as "Fraughan Sunday".
Bilberries were also collected at Lughnasadh in August, the first traditional harvest festival of the year, as celebrated by Gaelic people.
The crop of bilberries was said to indicate how well the rest of the crops would fare in their harvests later in the year.
In Poland, the fruit are known as jagody . They are gathered in forests. They are hugely popular in Poland, either eaten fresh (mixed with sugar), put into sweet buns as a filling (such a bun is called a jagodzianka and is one of the most popular bakery products during summer in Poland), or used to make jams (known for their health benefits in the treatment of diarrhoea). They are sometimes served with śmietana.
The fruits can be eaten fresh or made into jams , fools, juices or pies. In France and Italy they are used as a base for liqueurs and are a popular flavouring for sorbets and other desserts. In Brittany they are often used as a flavoring for crêpes , and in the Vosges and the Massif Central bilberry tart ( tarte aux myrtilles) is a traditional dessert. In Romania they are used as a base for a liqueur called afinată – the name of the fruit in Romanian is afină . There is a North Korean Bog Bilberry Brandy (Paektusan Tuljjuksul) reportedly available at the DMZ.
Bilberry is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species (see the list of Lepidoptera that feed on Vaccinium).
Diseases
Bilberry plants can suffer from Bilberry Blight , caused by Phytophthora kernoviae. There have been severe outbreaks in Staffordshire, England.
Source: Wikipedia