Bilberry grows in the area of Europe and Asia, most abundantly in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and at higher elevations in Southern Europe.
Despite their similarities, berries differ in their phytochemical content, such as flavonoids and anthocyanins, of both plants and fruit. Flavonoids are a class of secondary metabolites in plants that are involved in many important functions.
Bilberry is one of the best natural sources of anthocyanins; however, other compounds, such as stilbenes and iridoid glycosides, are also found in its berries.
The quantity of the main anthocyanins found in bilberries is more than twice the one found in blueberries. Furthermore, anthocyanin content seems to be higher in wild bilberries as compared to the cultivated ones.
These polyphenolic components give bilberry its blue/black color and high antioxidant content, and they are believed to be the key bio-actives responsible for the many reported health benefits of bilberry and other berry fruits.
The leaves of this plant, traditionally used as a folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes, have recently been proposed as a potential source of phenolic compounds with many prohealth properties.
The less explored organs of bilberry, such as the stems and rhizomes, have also been found to contain phenolics with various biological activities.
Although bilberry is promoted most commonly for improving vision, it has been reported to lower blood glucose, to have anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering effects, and to promote antioxidant defense and lower oxidative stress.
Flavonoid content of bilberry
