Bilberries vs Blueberries: Taste and Nutrition

Blueberry and bilberry. They’re the same fruit but with two different names, right? Nope.

Blueberries are a popular type of berry that is native to North America. If you live in America, when you hear the word bilberry you probably just think of blueberries. Small, round, and bluish-purple in color, blueberries are sweet and plum fruits that are commonly classed as being a ‘superfood’, due to these berries being rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

While blueberries are a popular juicy superfood snack, bilberries are another super-fruit and a great European counterpart to blueberries that should be included in your diet. Bilberries are native to Europe and Asia and are a deeper indigo blue than blueberries.

However, although they differ in several ways, both bilberries and blueberries are blue, tasty, can be eaten fresh, frozen, or dried, and have some great all-important health benefits.

Both berries are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

However, there are some significant distinctions between the two berries, including their flavors, nutritional content, and health advantages.

Because bilberries and blueberries are sometimes mistaken for one another, bilberries are often overlooked or underrated because blueberries are more well-known in the States. So, in this article, we will contrast and compare bilberries and blueberries so that you may learn about all their similarities and distinctions and shine a light on how incredible bilberries are. Let’s get started!

Bilberries vs Blueberries Taste

Bilberries have a sweet, tart, and slightly earthy flavor. Bilberries’ slightly earthy flavor isn’t present in blueberries. They are frequently compared to cranberries and blueberries in terms of flavor. Although they have a similar sweetness to blueberries, bilberries are tarter and more intense.

This is because bilberries have larger concentrations of anthocyanins, the pigments responsible for the berries' blue color. The health advantages of bilberries are also due to anthocyanins.

Bilberries vs Blueberries Nutrition

Blueberries and bilberries are both nutritious berries, but there are some key differences in their nutritional profiles.

Let's start with the hottest fact! You may have heard that blueberries are referred to as superfruits because of the abundance of vitamins, natural fibers, and antioxidants they contain. 

Well, guess what? When compared to blueberries, bilberries have around four times as many antioxidants.

Due to them being higher in total anthocyanins, bilberries carry more antioxidant power, giving them incredible health benefits, especially for your cognitive health and potentially protecting against cancer, aging, and heart disease. Bilberries are an extremely rich source of anthocyanin, supplying 300-700 mg per 100 g of berries.

Bilberries are also a great source of natural fiber, which lowers cholesterol, regulates blood sugar levels, and lowers your chance of developing diabetes. Finally, bilberries are a good source of vitamins A, C, D, and K.

However, blueberries have higher levels of other phenolic substances such epicatechin, resveratrol, chlorogenic and coumaric acid, and rutin. Compared to bilberries, blueberries also have slightly more manganese and vitamin C. Lastly, like bilberries, blueberries are also a good source of fiber and vitamins.

What Are the Health Benefits of Bilberries and Blueberries?

Want even more reasons to start snacking on bilberries and keep your blueberry intake up? Bilberries and blueberries have several incredible health benefits that we want to highlight today. The following are some additional advantages of blueberries and bilberries for health:

1. Improved Vision

As we know, both blueberries and bilberries contain anthocyanins, which are antioxidants that can actually help protect the eyes from damage.

By boosting the production of rhodopsin, a protein that is necessary for vision in low light, anthocyanins found in blueberries and bilberries can assist improve night vision.

These incredible anthocyanins found in blueberries and bilberries may also help prevent cataracts (clouding of the lens in the eye) by reducing oxidative stress in the lens, and they may prevent AMD (the primary cause of vision loss in older adults) by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in the retina.

Furthermore, bilberry extract has been shown to ease eye fatigue-related symptoms. According to one study, the participants who took supplements containing 160–480 mg of powdered bilberry extract daily saw an improvement in eye dryness and other symptoms of eye tiredness brought on by using video display terminals.

2. Reduced Inflammation

Like we previously talked about, something amazing about blueberries, and especially bilberries, is the large number of antioxidants they contain.

The body uses inflammation as a natural defense mechanism and as a healing process. Chronic inflammation, however, has been linked to heart disease and stroke, among other health issues. High-antioxidant foods, including blueberries and bilberries, are wonderful because they lower inflammation, which may help prevent many diseases.

Furthermore, when we consume blueberries and bilberries, the substances that they contain, particularly anthocyanins, vitamin C, and quercetin are absorbed into the bloodstream. These compounds then travel to cells throughout the whole body, where they can assist in reducing inflammation.

Blueberries and bilberries reduce inflammation by inhibiting the production of inflammatory chemicals and aiding in the repair of damage brought on by inflammation.

3. Improved Blood Sugar Control

Both bilberries and blueberries contain components that can lower blood sugar and increase insulin sensitivity. A hormone called insulin aids in the body's cells' utilization of glucose as fuel. The ability of cells to utilize glucose more efficiently increases their sensitivity to insulin, which helps lower blood sugar levels. For those who have diabetes or who are at risk of developing it, this is a great health perk.

4. Improved Heart Health

Your heart health will benefit greatly from the amazing anti-inflammatory properties of blueberries and bilberries. The ability to lower inflammation helps to lower blood pressure and protect the heart from damage. By reducing inflammation and improving the function of the blood vessels, these berries help reduce cholesterol levels and improve blood flow to the heart.

5. Improved Brain Health

The antioxidants rich nature of blueberries and bilberries gives these berries the capability to improve memory, learning, and cognitive function. An antioxidant-rich diet can help prevent brain deterioration and enhance cognitive performance, which can help prevent Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Multiple studies have shown that people who eat blueberries, bilberries, and even berries in general regularly experience more efficient brain function and may have better memory than those who don't consume berries on a regular basis.

Conclusion: Bilberries vs Blueberries

In conclusion, bilberries and blueberries both have mostly comparable nutritional profiles and are generally nutritious berries. The easiest approach to deciding between blueberries and bilberries is to take your dietary requirements and personal preferences into account.

If you want more vitamin C in your diet, eat more blueberries, and if you want to load up on antioxidant protection, eat plenty of bilberries, etc.

However, a good takeaway from today is that while berries like blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are all incredible fruits to include in your diet and are superstars when it comes to supporting your overall health, there is one type of berry your body has been missing out on bilberries.

If the bilberry was a more well-known fruit, it would probably be considered a superfood by now simply based on how nutritious it is. Research has shown that higher regular consumption of bilberries positively impacts overall health and has an amazing effect on inflammatory levels. Bilberries are a tasty, nutritious, and antioxidant-rich fruit that deserves to be put on your wellness diet radar.

How To Add Bilberries To Your Diet?

Not sure how to get started with including the juicy mighty lil’ bilberries in your fruit-eating routine? Not to worry; it's easy. Smoothies, yogurt, mousse, and pretty much any other meal that typically uses blueberries would be enhanced by the inclusion of fresh bilberries. They also make a great, healthful snack all by themselves.

Furthermore, bilberries are grown in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, but considering what region of the United States you live in, this fruit might be challenging to find.

However, this doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the health perks of your newly discovered favorite new berry. You can try bilberry powder, bilberry extract, or even drink a tea that includes bilberry.

Bilberry tea provides an antioxidant-rich tea, that has a wonderful rich fruit flavor.

Here at Wise Ape Tea we have one of the best bilberry teas out there. Our adaptogenic Blueberry Time Machine tea is a bold and flavorful tea that is designed to deliver an antioxidant infusion to your cellular defenses and is made with high-quality ingredients, including bilberries. Light and refreshing with a mild blueberry finish. A tea brew that will defend, refresh, and renew. 

What is your FAVORITE Benefit Of Bilberries and Blueberries?

Let us know your thoughts on Instagram at @WiseApeCo and/or use the hashtag #WiseApeTribe and we’ll share it!

This informative article is written, by Sophia McKenzie. Sophia is head content creator and writer, for several premium websites, where her expertise lies in health, nutrition, and wellness. Her content focuses on providing and sharing doable solutions to help people truly thrive and live their happiest, healthiest, fulfilled lives.