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Bilberries are small, dark blue berries from Vaccinium myrtillus, a wild shrub that looks a lot like a blueberry bush. The fruit goes into jams, pies and baking, and it is also the source of bilberry extract supplements. USDA has no bilberry entry in its SR Legacy food database, so this guide uses clearly labeled blueberry entries as the nearest comparison. It covers the botany, the key bilberry vs blueberry differences, and what the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and systematic reviews say about the famous night vision story.
Peptide Labs does not sell bilberries or bilberry supplements. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- The bilberry is Vaccinium myrtillus; NCCIH says the bush is native to northern Europe, the northern United States and Canada.
- Unlike cultivated highbush blueberries, bilberries are colored all the way through, with deep red flesh, according to plant research.
- USDA SR Legacy has no bilberry entry; blueberry values are a different fruit and are labeled as such.
- NCCIH says bilberry has not been clearly shown to help any health condition, and the most rigorous studies did not find better night vision in healthy people.
- NCCIH considers the fruit safe in amounts found in foods, but says the leaves may be unsafe in large amounts or over long periods.
What are bilberries?
NCCIH describes the bilberry as Vaccinium myrtillus, a bush native to northern Europe, the northern United States and Canada, with dark berries that resemble blueberries. The USDA PLANTS Database lists the same species under the common name whortleberry, a perennial shrub in the heath family (Ericaceae). Common names vary from place to place, so the scientific name is the reliable way to know you are reading about the same plant.
A 2021 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences lists bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon and Vaccinium oxycoccos) and blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) among the most popular berries of the genus. Plant research describes bilberry as a wild berry, and fresh ones are rare in US stores; jams, frozen berries and supplements are far easier to find. Our sibling guide covers another wild Vaccinium berry, the lingonberry.
Bilberry vs blueberry
The most reliable way to tell a bilberry from a cultivated blueberry is to cut one open. A 2022 paper in Frontiers in Plant Science notes that anthocyanin pigments are placed differently in the two fruits: cultivated highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) has pale flesh, while wild bilberry has deep red flesh coloration. That is why bilberries stain fingers and tongues so readily.
| Feature | Bilberry | Highbush blueberry |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Vaccinium myrtillus | Vaccinium corymbosum |
| Where it grows | Native to northern Europe, the northern US and Canada (NCCIH) | Widely cultivated |
| Flesh color | Deep red to purple throughout | Pale inside, color mostly in the skin |
| How it is sold | Wild-picked; jam, frozen, extracts | Fresh, frozen and dried in most stores |
| USDA SR Legacy entry | None | Blueberries, raw (FDC 171711) |
Huckleberries are a third look-alike group; see our huckleberries guide for how those berries differ, and our blueberries guide for the familiar supermarket fruit.
Bilberry nutrition: the USDA data gap
USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) has no entry for bilberry, whortleberry or Vaccinium myrtillus. Rather than invent numbers, the table below shows the nearest USDA entries, which are different fruits: cultivated raw blueberries, wild raw blueberries collected for a set of Alaska Native foods, and wild frozen blueberries. USDA does not name the species for these entries. Values are per 100 grams with FDA percent Daily Values.
| Per 100 g (USDA FDC ID) | Blueberries, raw (171711) | Blueberries, wild, raw, Alaska Native (167640) | Blueberries, wild, frozen (173949) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 57 | 61 | 57 |
| Carbohydrate (% DV) | 14.5 g (5%) | 12.3 g (4%) | 13.9 g (5%) |
| Fiber (% DV) | 2.4 g (9%) | 2.6 g (9%) | 4.4 g (16%) |
| Total sugars | 10.0 g | 6.5 g | not listed |
| Protein (% DV) | 0.7 g (1%) | 1.2 g (2%) | 0 g (0%) |
| Vitamin C (% DV) | 9.7 mg (11%) | 18.3 mg (20%) | 1.7 mg (2%) |
| Vitamin K (% DV) | 19.3 mcg (16%) | 17.2 mcg (14%) | not listed |
| Manganese (% DV) | 0.34 mg (15%) | 2 mg (87%) | 2.87 mg (125%) |
| Vitamin E (% DV) | 0.57 mg (4%) | 1.69 mg (11%) | 0.26 mg (2%) |
| Potassium (% DV) | 77 mg (2%) | 75 mg (2%) | 68 mg (1%) |
In this USDA data, the wild blueberry entries carry much more manganese than cultivated blueberries, and the wild raw entry has more vitamin C. A cup of cultivated raw blueberries, 148 grams in USDA data, has 84 calories, 13% of the Daily Value for fiber and 24% for vitamin K. None of this tells you the exact values for bilberries, which need their own analysis. For more on these nutrients, see our guides to manganese in foods and vitamin K in foods.
Bilberries and night vision: what NCCIH says
NCCIH says interest in bilberry grew after reports that British pilots in World War II ate bilberry jam in the belief that it improved their night vision. Extracts from the fruit and leaves have traditionally been used for vision and several other conditions. Bilberries contain anthocyanins, anthocyanosides, tannins and flavonoids, according to NCCIH.
- NCCIH (updated November 2024): bilberry has not been clearly shown to be helpful for any health condition. Studies on night vision have had conflicting results, and the most rigorous studies have not found bilberry to improve night vision in healthy people.
- Systematic review (Survey of Ophthalmology, 2004): of 12 placebo-controlled trials, the 4 most recent randomized trials were all negative, while one other randomized trial and 7 non-randomized trials reported positive effects. Negative results went with more rigorous methods. The authors concluded that the idea that bilberry extract improves normal night vision is not supported by rigorous clinical studies, and that people with night vision problems from eye disease had not been studied rigorously.
- Review (Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2022): clinical trial results for the most cited bilberry uses, including vision, were contradictory, and the authors wrote that such claims had been repeated since the 20th century without consistent fact-checking.
Changes in vision, trouble seeing at night, or eye pain need an eye care professional rather than a supplement. For another nutrient often discussed with eyes, see our lutein guide, which reports that research with the same caution.
Cautions
- Fruit vs leaves: NCCIH says bilberry fruit is considered safe in amounts typically found in foods, but bilberry leaves may be unsafe when consumed in large amounts or for long periods, so leaf teas and leaf extracts are a different matter from the berries.
- Supplements and medicines: NCCIH advises telling your health care providers about any bilberry supplement, since products may interact with medicines.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: NCCIH says safety of bilberry supplements in pregnancy and breastfeeding is unclear.
- Warfarin: USDA has no vitamin K value for bilberries; NIH ODS advises people taking warfarin to keep vitamin K intake consistent, so mention large changes in berry habits to your clinician.
- Allergies: bilberries are not among the nine major food allergens under US law, but any food can cause a reaction in some people.
How to enjoy bilberries
- Frozen or jam: outside Europe, frozen bilberries and bilberry jam are the usual forms; compare added sugars between jars.
- Baking: bilberries can stand in for blueberries in pies, muffins and pancakes, and will color the batter more deeply.
- Staining: the colored flesh stains cloth and countertops, so rinse spills quickly.
- Wild picking: only pick berries you can identify with certainty, and follow local foraging rules.
- Other berries: for more wild and dark berries, see our elderberries guide and cranberries guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a bilberry?
A small, dark blue berry from Vaccinium myrtillus, a wild shrub that NCCIH says is native to northern Europe, the northern United States and Canada. USDA PLANTS calls it whortleberry.
Is a bilberry the same as a blueberry?
No. They are related Vaccinium berries, but cultivated highbush blueberry is Vaccinium corymbosum and has pale flesh, while plant research describes bilberry flesh as deep red to purple throughout.
Are bilberries healthy?
Bilberries are a whole fruit, but USDA has no bilberry entry, so exact nutrition values are not available from SR Legacy. NCCIH says bilberry has not been clearly shown to help any health condition.
Does bilberry improve night vision?
NCCIH says the most rigorous studies have not found bilberry to improve night vision in healthy people, and a 2004 systematic review reached the same conclusion.
Is bilberry safe?
NCCIH considers the fruit safe in amounts typically found in foods. NCCIH says bilberry leaves may be unsafe in large amounts or over long periods, and supplement safety in pregnancy is unclear.
Why are bilberries hard to find in the US?
Research describes the bilberry as a wild berry, and fresh ones rarely reach US stores, so jam, frozen berries and extracts are the common forms.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Lingonberries: Nutrition, Lingonberry vs Cranberry and Research, Blueberries: Nutrition, Benefits and Frozen Blueberries, Huckleberries: USDA Nutrition, Botany and Blueberry Differences.