| Overview During World War II, British fighter pilots found that bilberry jam was beneficial for eye health.
Bilberry is a small wooden shrub native to Europe, Canada and the northern United States. Bilberry is a member of the Ericaccae or Heather family and is a cousin to the North American huckleberry and blueberry.
During World War II British RAF pilots consumed bilberry jam prior to night flying, swearing it helped improve their night vision and prevented visual fatigue. Twenty years after the pilots swore by it, scientists began studying the popular berry outside the kitchen.
Scientists discovered the active constituents of bilberries are powerful antioxidant agents. Other active ingredients include a high concentration of tannins, responsible for the astringent effects of this plant.
Bilberry flavonoids are unique, lending specific support to both blood vessels and blood cells by maintaining the flexibility of their cell membranes. Capillaries are better able to stretch, thus increasing blood flow, and red blood cells are better able to contort into shapes allowing them to pass through narrow capillaries.
The eye is especially susceptible to compromised circulation. In a 1981 clinical study, researchers demonstrated an improvement in microcirculation resulting from bilberry anthocyanins.
FAQ
Q. Will this product thin my blood?
A. Some compounds in Bilberry have anti-platelet action. This may have a very slight blood-thinning action.
Q. Would eating the actual bilberry be better than taking this supplement?
A. The extract is a very concentrated form of the active constituents of the bilberry fruit. It would take a large quantity of fruit to get the same benefit as the Bilberry product.
Q. Tannins are something that I usually associate with wine. How are they helpful in association with the bilberry plant?
A. Tannins are constituents of the bilberry fruit. They are natural antioxidants and cleansing agents.
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