BilberryBilberry is a name given to several species of low-growing shrubs in the genus Vaccinium that bears deep blue fruits similar to blueberries. In several other European languages its name translates as "blueberry", and this may cause confusion with the related plants more usually known as "blueberry" in English. The fruit is smaller than that of the blueberry but with a fuller taste. Bilberries are darker in colour, and usually appear near black with a slight shade of purple. While the blueberry's fruit pulp is light green, the bil-berry's is red or purple, heavily staining the fingers and lips of consumers eating the raw fruit. The red juice is used by European dentists to show children how to brush their teeth correctly, as any improperly brushed areas will be heavily stained. Bil-berries contain dense levels of anthocyanin pigments linked experimentally to lowered risk for several diseases, such as those of the heart and cardiovascular system, eyes and cancer.Although the effect of bil-berry on night vision is controversial, laboratory studies have provided preliminary evidence that bil-berry consumption may inhibit or reverse eye disorders such as macular degeneration. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on 50 patients suffering from senile cataract showed that a combination of bil-berry extract and vitamin E administered for 4 months was able to stop lens opacity progress in 97% of the cataracts.
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