Bilberry is a plant. The leaves and berries are used in medicine.
In food, bilberry berries are used in jams, syrups, baked goods and juices.
Bilberry leaves are sometimes used as a substitute for uva ursi leaves. Don't confuse huckleberry with bearberry, cranberry or spasmodic bark.
How does it work?
Purpose and efficacy?
Not enough evidence
- Infection of the kidneys, bladder, or urinary tract (UTI or UTI). Some studies in women and girls aged 3-12 years with a history of urinary tract infections have shown that drinking 50 ml of cranberry and lingonberry juice daily for 6 months can reduce the chance of further urinary tract infections.
- common cold.
- Dental status.
- gout.
- kidney stones
- Osteoarthritis.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
- Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of bilberries for these uses.
side effect
Special Precautions and Warnings
dose
Canada's development
Researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) are laying the foundation for a Canadian-grown superfood: bilberries.
Lingonberries are already popular in Scandinavian cuisine, used in sauces and baked goods. Small, tart and slightly sweet, they are native to British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Atlantic Canada and have the potential to become a valuable crop for Canadian growers.
Bilberries are closely related to blueberries and cranberries, and like them, they are rich in antioxidants. Research shows that these antioxidants show promising health benefits, particularly their role in preventing inflammation.
Since 2009, AAFC research scientist Dr. Chris Siow, principal investigator at the Canadian Center for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM) at St. Boniface Hospital in Manitoba, has been working with other researchers across the country on a variety of cross-border research projects. Orange Research Project. They discovered several beneficial health properties.
Bilberries are particularly high in the antioxidant anthocyanins, which are known to prevent the oxidation of blood cholesterol and help keep blood vessels healthy. Researchers believe these potent antioxidants may help reduce the risk of heart disease and even some cancers.
Bilberries also contain health-promoting dietary fiber, vitamin C, polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids.
Eating bilberries can also improve kidney function.
The research team studied mice about to undergo kidney surgery and found that compared with mice that did not drink bilberry juice, those who drank bilberry juice three weeks in advance had improved kidney function and reduced kidney pressure after surgery. and reduces inflammation.
Recently, the team also demonstrated bilberry as a possible alternative for treating chronic kidney disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The researchers looked at mice fed a high-fat diet. The mice became obese and had abnormal levels of fat and glucose in their blood. Additionally, they had higher levels of indicators of kidney and liver disease and pro-inflammatory molecules, which impair kidney and liver function. Another group of mice received the same diet but with the addition of bilberries - their test results and kidney and liver function improved significantly.
Interestingly, the further north bilberries are grown, the greater their excellent disease resistance properties become. That's why AAFC researchers in Manitoba and Newfoundland are studying the agricultural potential of this crop.
Also good news for Canadian producers: demand for bilberries currently exceeds wild-harvested supply, so producers have the opportunity to increase production. Dr. Samir Debnath of the AAFC St. John's Research and Development Center in Newfoundland has been developing a number of promising European cultivated varieties and Canadian wild bilberry hybrids.
The future is bright for this superfood!
Key findings/benefits
- Bilberries contain more anthocyanins (the pigment that gives them their red color) per gram than the most commonly consumed berries (i.e. blueberries, cranberries). It is these compounds that may provide health benefits.
- Research looked at three specific areas where bilberries may help health: heart, kidney and liver function.
- AAFC scientists found that lingonberries grown in northern regions of Canada have higher antioxidant content and offer the greatest health benefits. Northern agriculture has the opportunity not only to expand, but also to produce healthy food for consumers in Canada and abroad.
