Bearberries, its name alone is cute already. What more when you see it personally. actually, it isn’t just about the looks of it. The berry has more to highlight than just its appearance. These small berries have large and enormous benefits for the health. Furthermore, the health benefits of bearberries are extremely amazing, in fact, it includes its ability to protect the gut, reduce any inflammation, speed up the healing, help in pregnancy, eliminate a headache, protect the immune system, and detoxify the bladder.
What are Bearberries?
Actually, there are three different shrubs. The fruits are the ones that claim the term bearberry belongs to the Arctostaphylos genus and are typical in the regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. Furthermore, there are actually dozens of different varieties of berries that are being used for herbal and medicinal purposes. However, the earliest use of these berries is recorded way back 800 years ago. Moreover, it is believed that the indigenous have used the bearberries for traditional treatments.
The bearberries are actually somewhat unusual because of its organic components and compounds which brings many health benefits. Furthermore, the berries are also home to some narcotic elements, this is why the traditions and reputation of the usage of bearberries fluctuated and changed over the time. Nowadays, the berries can specifically find in some herbalists, health stores, and those who still use folk medicines in treating illnesses.
The health benefits of bearberries are mainly because of its unique chemical makeup; this includes various flavonoids, gallic acid, ursolic acid, and tannic acid. All of these powerful organic compounds cause impact to the body and the organs in numerous ways. This makes bearberries theoretically valuable for many people.
Types of Bearberries
Here are some of the various types of bearberries:
Common bearberry. This variety is actually slow-growing. It is a woody green-color shrub that is 2 to 8 inches high. The leaves of it are leathery in texture and are half of an inch long.
Red bearberries. Somewhat, this procumbent shrub is 10 to 30 centimeters high. Its leaves are deciduous and are falling in autumn. The berries of this bearberry variety are red in color.
Alpine bearberries. This bearberry variety is actually a shrub that is procumbent and is 10 to 30 centimeters high. The leaves of it are not in the wintergreen color. However, its dead leaves on its stems stick at it for several years. The berries in this variety are dark purple to black in color.
Health Benefits of Bearberries
Here are some of the best health benefits of berries:
Helps in protecting the stomach. What people do not know is that there is actually a gastrointestinal “bugs” in the guts. Moreover, it is important to know that these bugs are not actually beneficial and instead may cause harm. Bearberries are beneficial in inhibiting the activity of E.coli and many more bacteria, which may cause infections in the gut.
Speeds up healing. You can make a salve from the fruit to apply it topically. This is actually an effective treatment and you can directly apply it to the skin wounds, bruises, burns, or inflamed areas.
Helps in pregnancy. Several active components of the bearberry are beneficial in preventing miscarriages and making sure of the mo0ther’s safety while carrying their baby in the womb.
Cures a headache. The bearberries even before were actually beneficial in treating headaches. However, to attain this, you must smoke the leaves of bearberries. This is why it is one of the most controversial health benefits of bearberries.
Detoxifies the body. It, being a natural diuretic is one of the most common traditional use of bearberries. This mainly helps the people to release the toxins from the body in an instant. Furthermore, it also helps in cleansing the bladder and kidneys. It is also beneficial in eliminating the excess toxic materials, water, fats, and salts from the body.
Helps protect the immune system. Hydroquinone, one of the most powerful chemical compounds are present in bearberries. In fact, these chemical compounds act like powerful antibacterial agents, which keeps your whole system healthy. By means of eliminating the foreign substances and harmful agents, the fruit can be a great protection from your gut up to your skin. In addition, it also acts as a defense of the body against harmful bacteria.
Precautions in using bearberries
Here are some reminders and precautions in consuming bearberries:
- It may cause liver impairment.
- May result in the reduction of digestive enzymes effectiveness.
- It may cause nausea, bluish-green skin, fever, vomiting, chills, and more complications when excessively taken.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you must not consume bearberry at all.
- Don’t consume or take a dosage of bearberries for more than five times a year.
- You must just consume bearberries for short period of time. In fact, you are not allowed to eat it for more than five days.
