Bilberry Fruit Extract: A visionary herb
Related to the blueberry family, the bilberry bush is found in North America, Asia and northern Europe. The bilberry bush goes back to prehistoric times and is distinguished from the blueberry bush in that it grows in pairs as opposed to clusters. Bilberry fruit extract is derived from the dried berry and leaf preparations. Bilberry extract was first used medicinally in the 16th century.
Bilberry extract benefits:
Powerful anti-oxidant
Healthy vision
Helpful in circulation to the extremities
The main component to bilberry fruit extract is anthocyanin—a water-soluble plant pigment that gives flowers its wide range of color.
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This compound is a strong anti-oxidant (counteracts cell damage.) Bilberry fruit extract is mainly known for its improvement in vision as well as healthy eye maintenance. Bilberry extract seems to help the retina (the light-sensitive portion of the eye) in particular; helping the eye to adapt better to both light and dark, and further aiding daytime glare issues. Also, bilberry fruit extract has an ability to strengthen the capillaries (tiny blood vessels) delivering oxygen-rich blood to the eyes. The importance of this plays significant in the treatment and prevention of retinopathy (diseases of the retina.) In addition, bilberry extract is used in the prevention of macular degeneration (a progressive condition that affects the central part of the retina) as well as cataracts (eye lens damage.) These two mentioned conditions are the leading causes of vision loss in older people. Glaucoma (disorder causing excessive pressure in the eye) is helped as well by using Bilberry extract.
Bilberry extract supplements
As mentioned earlier, while bilberry extract supplements can improve the flow of blood in capillaries, it does the same in larger blood vessels. People having poor circulation in their extremities can benefit from this as well.
Varicose veins and burning hemorrhoids are troublesome conditions that can be benefited by bilberry extract. There has been some success in preventing bruising and purpura (bleeding under the skin) with bilberry extract.
There are no known side effects at this time by using bilberry extract supplements. The next time you read and think of a ‘visionary’ thought, consider bilberry fruit extract as the friend you had in mind!
