What are the effects of blueberries?
Various ingredients contribute to the healing effect of blueberries, among them mainly tannins. They have an astringent effect on mucous membranes, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial.
Other important ingredients are anthocyanins. They act as powerful antioxidants, i.e. they have the ability to intercept and neutralize cell-damaging aggressive oxygen compounds (free radicals) in the blood.
- Based on many years of experience, the dried berries can be used internally for mild diarrhea and externally for mild inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat.
- Dry extracts from fresh blueberries can be used internally against heavy legs (in connection with mild circulatory disorders of the veins) and to relieve spider veins.
Folk medicine also applies bilberries for vomiting, bleeding and hemorrhoids, as well as poorly healing ulcers and skin diseases. The effectiveness in these cases is not proven.
How are bilberries used?
Bilberries can be used as a home remedy or in the form of ready-made preparations.
Blueberries as a home remedy
You can drink a freshly prepared cup of blueberry fruit tea several times a day. The daily dose is from 20 to 60 grams of dried blueberries. It is valid not only for adults, but also for children over ten years and teenagers.
For the other age groups the following daily dose is recommended:
- one to three years: 10 – 15 grams
- four to nine years: 15 – 20 grams
For external use of blueberries for inflamed mucous membranes of the mouth or throat are useful tea decoctions for gargling or rinsing. To do this, you can pour three tablespoons of dried blueberries with half a liter of cold water, heat, simmer for 30 minutes and then strain. Gargle with it several times a day or rinse your mouth.
Ready-made preparations with blueberries
There are also ready-made preparations based on blueberries. These include, for example, dried and powdered blueberries, as well as dragées with anthocyanins isolated from fresh blueberries (to improve night vision). Use such preparations as directed in the package insert or as recommended by your doctor or pharmacist.
What side effects can blueberries cause?
What to consider when using blueberries
Use only dried blueberries to treat diarrhea. The fresh berries increase diarrhea – in fact, they have a mild laxative effect.
Since no research results are yet available on the treatment of children under four years of age, the treatment of young children with blueberries should be avoided.
In folk medicine, a tea made from blueberry leaves is sometimes recommended (for example, for diarrhea). However, because the leaves in high doses can cause symptoms of poisoning, their use is not recommended – even in low doses for a long time!
How to get the blueberries and their products
Interesting facts about the blueberries
The blueberry (also blueberry, Vaccinium myrtillus) belongs to the heather family (Ericaceae). It is widespread in the cold and cold-temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. In the south (about Central Europe) it climbs up to the alpine zone.
