Herb
Bilberry
A deep-blue cousin of the blueberry, eaten or taken as tea, rich in antioxidants traditionally linked to eye and circulation health.
📊 How it ranks (our editor score) — 84/100Tap to see the breakdown
🌱 What it is
Bilberry is a small, deep-blue wild berry related to the blueberry, eaten fresh, dried, or steeped as a tea. Its dark pigments have made it a traditional favorite for eye and circulation support.
✨ Why it's good for you
- May help support healthy eyes and vision comfort
- May help support healthy circulation
- May help support the body's natural antioxidant defenses
- May help support healthy blood vessels
🥗 Nutrition
Per 1/2 cup fresh berries (about 75g) · about 43 calories
- Fiber: 2.4g
- Vitamin C: 10mg
- Manganese: 0.3mg
- Anthocyanins (antioxidants): high
- Total carbohydrate: 11g
Source: USDA FoodData Central
🥄 How to use it
Enjoy bilberries (or blueberries) as a food, or steep 1 teaspoon of dried bilberries or leaf in hot water for 10 minutes and drink a cup or two a day.
How much: As a food, a handful of berries; as teaA warm drink made by steeping herbs in hot water. How to make a tea →, 1 teaspoon dried fruit or leaf per cup, one to two cups daily. Standardized extracts follow the product label.
Show full details & how to prepare it
Bilberry is the European cousin of the blueberry, even darker and richer in the deep-blue antioxidants called anthocyanins. It has a long folk reputation for supporting the eyes and the tiny blood vessels — a story famously tied to wartime pilots — and it's a delicious, genuinely safe food.
The fruit itself is the gentlest way to enjoy bilberry, in teaA warm drink made by steeping herbs in hot water. How to make a tea →, on oatmeal, or by the handful. Concentrated extracts are stronger and may thin the blood a little, so anyone on blood thinners or diabetes medication should check with a doctor before taking them.
Ways to prepare it
⚠️ Cautions
- The fruit is very safe as a food; concentrated extracts may thin the blood, so check with your doctor if you take blood thinners or diabetes medicine.
- High-dose leaf preparations long-term aren't well studied — favor the fruit.
- See a doctor for any sudden vision change.
📚 What others say
- A traditional berry for eyesight and circulation
- Studied for its antioxidant support of small blood vessels
Learn more
🕊️ A word of encouragement
The eyes take in a world full of wonders. Nourish them, and remember to truly see the beauty set before you.
💬 Ask Remy about Bilberry
📚 Resource confidence
Based on mentions in health references
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