Blueberry Vs Bilberry Differences

Blueberry fruit and Bilberry fruit appears to be similar with very mild differences between each other.

Family

Vaccinium Corymbosum is the botanical name of Blueberry or North American Blueberry. Vaccinium Myrtillus is the botanical name of European Blueberry or Bilberry.

Origin

Blueberries are native to the United States, whereas bilberries are native to Northern Europe and certain parts of North America and Asia.

Other names

Blueberry is called as Blue Huckleberry, Swamp Huckleberry, Tall Huckleberry, High Blueberry and Swamp Blueberry.

Bilberry is also called as European blueberry, bilberry, common bilberry, blue whortleberry and huckleberry.

Plant

Both Bilberry and Blueberry plants are shrub type but Bilberry plant stem are small and low growing with height of 6 to 24 inches where as Blueberries hold high-bush and low-bush.Bilberry plant produces single berries at one place where ,leaf found in the stem.Blueberries found in clusters with high-bush and low-bush.

Appearance

Bilberry supply 60% of more anthocyanins known as antioxidants than blueberry.Bilberry contain stronger, more tart flavour and rough skin texture than blueberries.It is also known that Anthocyanins antioxidant is the compound that gives this dark blue-purple colour to bilberries.

Taste

The taste is completely different from a blueberry and bilberry due to acidic flavour. Bilberry is a shrub often confused with blueberry due to their similar appearances and colour. Major difference is that, Bilberry fruit found softer slight tart and acidic quality when compared with the taste of Blueberry fruit.

Fruit

 Moreover Bilberry fruits measure 3 to 10 mm in diameter when compared with blueberries. Blueberries found measure about 5 to 13 mm in diameter. Also Bilberry have strong blue flesh which easily stains more compared with Blueberry.

It is also said that, Bilberry skin colour is darker and less matte than Blueberry. The bilberry seems to be very deep in blue and slight grey than Blueberry. Bilberry fruit pulp is dark red whereas Blueberry fruit pulp is found whitish or light green in colour.

Nutrient

It is important that , Bilberries are four times more beneficial than blueberries since,the anthocyanidin content of bilberry is said to be more than blueberries.Antioxidant and flavonoids found in Bilberry,considered to be six times higher than the amount of antioxidants present in citrus fruits.

Disease cured

Bilberry and Blueberry cure lot of disease because of its antioxidant compound present. Bilberry and blueberry cures cardiovascular problem, diabetes, night blindness, diarrhea and colon cancer. Another reason that Bilberry leaf is used for treating scurvy, skin infections, burns.

 Bilberries and Blueberries also improves capillary strength and act as good blood circulation enhancer. Not only this, Antioxidant compound present in Bilberry fruit cures cataracts, macular degeneration and prevent colon cancer and stomach disorders.

Bilberry also maintain capillaries health that help in the normal circulation of blood throughout body. It is good that Bilberries cures night blindness and provide support for night vision by nourishing the visual purple component of the retina.

Limitations

In fact Bilberry also , help in blood-thinning function that is bilberry may thin your blood, which can make blood clotting difficult during wound or cut .Over consumption of Bilberry has the ability to lower blood sugar levels , that may lead to hypoglycemia.