This wild fruit improves eye health and beyond. Find out what other benefits does this sweet food rich in tannins, plant acids and essential minerals.

Recent studies prove that the blueberry berries can improve various vision problems, including myopia and ocular degeneration of the macula. Blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), also known to us by cranberries, herb-brush or Blueberry Hill, is a popular shrub in northern than in southern Europe. also grow spontaneously in North America and Canada. They like to siliceous and acid soils, forests, mountains and the humid environments of forests in northern Europe, expanding on some native species. One such example is the Vaccinium uliginosum L., which is only in Scotland and Scandinavia, where it is known by northern bilberry. The variety V. angustifolium L. develops on the east coast of Canada and the United States of America and its fruits are generally higher than other varieties. In our country, unfortunately, it is very underrated but we can however find it in pine forests, scrubland and mountains of Alto Minho, Marão and Serra da Estrela. Bilberry is a deciduous shrub with upright stems multitirramificados, oval leaves, pointed, small flowers, white or pink, round berries that become bluish black when mature. It belongs to the family of ericaceous and can reach about four meters high, although generally lower.

Utilities and components 

In herbal medicine, they use the leaves and berries, which are harvested in late summer. The fruits are very rich in tannins, organic acids, glycosides, pectins, carotenes, flavonoids, anthocyanins, vitamins B and C, provitamin A and vegetables acids and minerals, especially iron, manganese and chromium. Due to anthocyanin pigments, which are antioxidants which exist in fruits, by applying to the body an anti-inflammatory action and anti-haemorrhagic. It also increases capillary resistance and decrease its permeability and also help regenerate the purple pigment of eyes needed for night vision and was widely used by British pilots during World War II. Recent studies prove that the blueberry berries can improve various vision problems, including myopia and macular degeneration due to age or diabetes. Combat still venous insufficiencies such as varicose veins and hemorrhoids and diarrhea when the fruit is eaten dry. Fresh fruit is slightly laxative and suitable for orofaríngicas inflammations, bladder inflammation, antifungal, anti-inflammatory. The sheets can be useful in pre-diabetic conditions and urinary infections, diarrhea, cystitis, and vaginitis. The bilberry extract is part of the composition of many drugs specifically to treat vision problems. Externally, it may be used on burns, inflammation of the oral mucosa, eyes and dermal ulcers.

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