What is the difference between blueberries and bilberries?
Blueberries or bilberries give muffins, scones, boozy French toast or American pancakes just the fresh touch these sweet baked treats need. But what exactly is the difference between blueberries and bilberries?
Although the two berries look almost identical (blue, round), and in English both the cultivated blueberry and bilberry have just one word each – blue berry’s – they are different on the inside, and one berry grows wild while the other does not. We’ll explain the differences and immediately give you the golden tip for recognising fresh berries.
Cultivated versus wild
Blueberries and bilberries both grow differently. Blueberries grow in clusters on tall bushes. These bushes do not grow wild in nature but are mainly cultivated – and are therefore available all year round. Because the blueberry grows in groups, this variety is also known as the cluster cranberry. Bilberries, on the other hand, grow individually on a low bush in the forest, between April and June. So you can forage for bilberries in the wild, but you do need to know how to recognise them.
Big versus small
And you can first do that by looking at the shape of the berry. Bilberries are usually smaller than blueberries and grow to a maximum of 1 centimetre. The most striking difference: bilberries are blue on the outside and inside, while the flesh of a blueberry is white.
How to recognise a fresh berry
Whether they are blueberries or bilberries, we prefer to eat both when they are fresh and fruity. You can recognise fresh berries by the white bloom on the berry. This is a natural layer that helps the berry stay juicy and fresh. If you gently rub the berry with your finger and it remains dark blue, this protective layer is missing, meaning the berries are probably a little older, softer and more floury in flavour.
Anti-ageing
And of course, both blueberries and bilberries are healthy! The vitamin C content of bilberries is higher than that of blueberries, but blueberries also belong on the list of superfoods. This is partly due to their high number of ‘anthocyanins’, or plant pigments, which are known as natural anti-ageing substances. These compounds are still being extensively researched, but it is now assumed that the antioxidant properties of anthocyanins are fifty times higher than those of vitamin E and twice as high as those of vitamin C. When it comes to anti-ageing effects, bilberries are the absolute champions. They are packed with anthocyanins and flavonoids. The darker the colour of the bilberries, the more antioxidants they contain.
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