If You are Having Trouble with Night Driving, Bilberry Extract could Help

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by: Simon Kruger
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Word Count: 503
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2010 Time: 4:21 AM
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Bilberry is a small tasty fruit that has often been associated with night vision. It is pulpy but soft, and each berry makes juice that is either dark red or purple in color. As a crop the fruit is usually harvested from the wild and made into jams and preserves, but it may also be sold and eaten raw. There is a common belief that the consumption of bilberry, whether raw or processed, enhances the ability of the human eye to see in environments with very limited light.

Several different species that bear the fruit referred to as bilberry grow in temperate zones, and large populations are noted to survive in subarctic environments. The plant is a shrub that stands up to about 16 inches and prefers soils that are otherwise inhabitable due to particularly low pH. The fruits grow from separate areas on the stem, not in clusters, but some species are known to grow fruits in pairs. Bilberry is more common in Europe than in North America, and frozen bilberries are not difficult to find in European markets any time of the year.

Bilberry is a popular dessert across Europe, taking on varying names in local vernacular. In the UK, where it is called whortleberry or blaeberry, the berries are crushed to make an excellent puree that with whipped cream enjoyed as a sweet dessert called fool. In Italy, its concentrate is used to add flavor to alcoholic beverages, in liqueurs or cocktails. In France, it is an ingredient of pastries and baked dishes such as crepes and tarts.
Most local names translate as blue fruit, which is considered as a smaller variety of blueberries in some regions. In Sweden, where it is referred to as blueberry, the berry is juiced to make a sweet drink called Blabarsoppa, but it is not the same blueberry known in North America. Bilberry is smaller and noticeably softer than blueberry but more distinctive in taste. In the US, the fruit is sometimes confused with huckleberry inasmuch as both look purplish but into the bluer hues.

Bilberry has long been used as a therapeutic remedy for digestive problems such as indigestion and abdominal cramps. It is rich in polyphenolic substances called anthocyanins, making it a good source of antioxidants. Lately its extract has been reported to show activities that promote good circulation and so has been in use to treat diabetes and related diseases.
The media attention for its ability to aid the human eye in low-light environments dates back to the first half of the 20th century. Pilots of the Royal Air Force of the UK were known to consume bilberry jams for the sole purpose of getting a much improved vision at night during the Second World War. Of special note is their ability to adapt in dark rooms at much quicker rate. Similar early reports about this claim spurred recent studies to look into how bilberry contributes to the human vision in the dark.

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