According to National Institute of Health (NIH) night blindness is considered to be one of the rarest diseases. That means according to US population less than 20,000 people are affected by night blindness. Vitamin A deficiency is the major factor resulting in night blindness. As per the latest research eating bilberries can help people with night blindness in seeing better in night.
Bilberries are also known as blueberries, huckleberries, whortleberries, whinberries, blueberries, etc. Basically a native of Northern Europe bilberries are low-growing deciduous shrub. The dusky skin of bilberries holds the secret of better sight in dark. Including eyesight improvement since year’s European people praises bilberries for its various health benefits. During World War II British pilots use to eat bilberry jam to help them see better when flying night missions.
According to a research study conducted by Canadian food chemist Wilhelmina Kalt sight improvement by bilberries is due to presence of anthocyanin pigment. These pigments are powerful antioxidants that counteract the damage caused by the free radicals. In her studies Kalt found that all the fruits in the blueberry family, the bilberry have the highest amount of anthocyanins.
Kalt’s research showed that people who depend on good night vision like pilots, truck drivers and air traffic controllers, see better in night when they take bilberry supplements. Research found that people taking bilberry supplement helps them to adjust to darkness more quickly. It also helps them bounce back from the effect of flashes of light such as from the bright headlights of an on-coming car.
Reap the Benefits of Blueberries:
According to Kalt the most potent blueberry seems to be the low-bush variety that grows wild especially in eastern Canada and Maine. Kalt points out their advantage over high-bush blueberries that grow farther in southern region. Kalt says that “the wild or low-bush blueberry is higher in anthocyanin content than the larger, plumper high-bush blueberries.”
This is because low-bush blueberries are smaller in size and have more skin per ounce. Since the pigment anthocyanin is found in the skin of the fruit hence you reap more antioxidant benefits from smaller low-bush blueberries. Research showed that shelf life of anthocyanin is short hence it is better to eat them fresh. In case you are unable to find fresh blueberries then you get canned, frozen or processed blueberries.
Besides being rich source of antioxidant there are other benefits of blueberries. They are rich source fiber and vitamin. They’re also low in calories, approximately 80 calories per cup. Besides eating them raw there are various ways like pancakes, blueberry pies and waffles you can consume them. Sprinkle a few fresh blueberries on your morning cereal or a cup of yogurt or healthy fruit smoothie. Take them in any form you’ll be doing favor to your body especially your eyes.
