Berries for your Health & Wellness

We are all too familiar with small, bright colored, pulpy edible fruits like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries we see in supermarkets. They make very healthy snacks. Have you considered berries that don't make it to store shelves?

What nutrition are you missing out on?  All berries are packed with vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and have healing properties. Let's look at a few berries that are not seen commonly on our dining tables and their nutritional effects on our bodies.

1) Bilberry - helps improve vision

Closely related to blueberries, bilberries are native to Northern Europe. Their inky blue color comes from plant pigments - anthocynosides - that have strong antioxidant properties.

Bilberries - Close cousin of Blueberries - Famed for improving night vision

Bilberry has been used for many centuries to treat diarrhea. Bilberry contains tannins that have anti-inflammatory and astringent properties that can help contain diarrhea. In Germany, in 1987, a panel of experts that assess safety and effectiveness of herbs, approved the use of bilberry to treat diarrhea and inflammation of mouth and throat.

Bilberry climbed to fame during  World War II. Bilberry jam is said to have improved night vision of British fighter pilots. Anthocynosides may, in fact, help regeneration of rhodopsin, the purple pigment used by our eyes in night visions. It improves circulation to eyes bringing antioxidants and repairing blood vessels. Bilberry may help cataracts, retinal disorders caused by poor circulation, high blood pressure and high blood sugar.

Bilberry also helps varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, decreased blood flow in veins. Bilberry is touted to be heart healthy food that can strengthen walls of blood vessels, arteries, increase circulation, lower LDL cholesterol, may help prevent heart diseases.

Bilberries are hard to grow, seldom cultivated. The shrubs grow in the wild. Bilberry fruits are softer and juicier than blueberries, hard to transport and do not make it to supermarket shelves.

Bilberry fruits can be eaten, dried and leaves  made into tea. Dr. John Christopher, the famous herbalist, formulated a blend of bilberry, eyebright herb, ginkgo leaves for eyes -  Bilberry Formula

2) Hawthorn Berry - Crataegus - For Heart Health

Famous Heart Tonic! Hawthorn berries have been used for centuries by herbalists to lower cholesterol levels, to normalize blood pressure, for chest pain, angina, irregular heartbeat(arrhythmia), tachycardia, hardening of arteries(atherosclerosis), and heart failure. The cardiovascular benefits come from antioxidants, quercetin, oligomeric procyanidins(OPCs). Antioxidants help reduce damage by free radicals, OPC s help dilate blood vessels, increase blood flow and circulation.

Hawthorn-Heart Healthy Berry

Hawthorn grows as a thorny shrub in the rose family, can grow up to 5 ft tall. Ripe haws (the berries) are red in color, may also be black. Hawthorn berries, leaves, and flowers are used for medicinal purposes.

Hawthorn berries are used in Chinese medicine to improve digestion by stimulating the production of enzymes, to lower liver heat. In China, hawthorn berries are dipped in sugar and candied, made into drinks and beverages.

Hawthorn berries are available as supplements in herbs stores across US. Easiest way to take hawthorn is to get powdered dried hawthorn berries. See here for organically grown hawthorn berry in vegetable based capsules from Dr.Christopher's - Hawthorn 

3) Cedar Berry (For blood sugar control, normalize blood glucose levels)

 Juniperus Monsperma is one seed juniper, native to the Southwestern United States. The tree can grow up to 25 ft, has a scale like leaves and bears bluish green berries. Many parts of the tree are used for medicinal properties, in particular, the berry. Cedar berries can be taken in capsules, made into tea or used as a flavoring.

Cedar Berry - Food for Pancreas.

Dr. John Christopher, successfully used one seed cedar berry to heal and nourish pancreas, to normalize low (hypoglycemia) and high (diabetes) blood sugar and blood glucose levels. See here for the formula - Pancreas Formula . Are you wondering how the same remedy can resolve both high and low blood sugar levels? Think nature's intelligence in food, in our bodies, the synergy!

There are over fifty varieties of cedar berry, it's important to pick the one-seed cedar berry to particularly benefit pancreas.

4) Gooseberry - Phyllanthus Embilica - Superfood that benefits whole body, a tonic.

Indian Gooseberry is also called Amla, Amlaki, myrobalan. It's different from European and American gooseberries. Amla is a storehouse of Vitamin C. Rich in other vitamins and minerals, aminoacids, antioxidants, rutins, tannins, curcuminoids, it's highly revered in the eastern part of the world for its healing, rejuvenating properties and nutritional value. Amla is great for digestion, liver, strengthens immunity, skin & hair care, cleansing detox, has anti aging effects.....

Indian Gooseberry (Amla)

Indian gooseberries are hard to come in food stores, they are usually imported from the Indian subcontinent as dried fruits, powder, powder in capsules etc. You can find pickled (in brine or in hot spice mix) gooseberries in Asian grocery stores.

While Amla can be used as a single herb, Ayurveda has blended it with other herbs to form effective formulas such a Triphala. Triphala is a combination of Amla and two other fruits, Haritaki and Bibitaki. Known for its detox cleansing effects on the liver, intestine, colon cleanse (mild non-habit forming laxative), it can also help boost energy, strengthens immunity (vitamin C galore!).  Triphala is safe nutritional supplement to add to your healthy green diet.

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