Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) is the wild European blueberry: a small, dark berry coloured right through to the centre by anthocyanins. It is a nutritious, low-calorie fruit with fibre, vitamin C and vitamin K. Research on its anthocyanins covers the eyes, blood vessels and metabolism, but no health benefit, for women or anyone else, has been firmly established, and no health claim for bilberry is authorised in the EU or Switzerland.
Key facts about bilberry
- Bilberry grows wild in the forests and heaths of northern and central Europe, including the Swiss mountains; it is in season from about July to September.
- Its blue-purple colour comes from anthocyanins. Because the flesh is coloured as well as the skin, wild bilberries generally contain considerably more anthocyanins than cultivated blueberries.
- 100 g of blueberries provide about 57 kcal, 14 g of carbohydrate (about 10 g of natural sugar), 2.4 g of fibre and about 10 mg of vitamin C (USDA values for cultivated blueberries; wild bilberries are in a similar range).
- Bilberry fruit extracts have been used in studies at up to 160 mg a day for up to six months and were well tolerated.
- Bilberry leaves are not the same as the fruit: the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) warns that leaves may be unsafe in high doses or over long periods.
Bilberry vs blueberry: what is the difference?
In German both are called "Heidelbeere", which causes confusion. The European bilberry is the wild forest berry; the blueberries sold in supermarkets are mostly North American highbush varieties (Vaccinium corymbosum), known in German as "Kulturheidelbeeren".
| Bilberry (wild) | Cultivated blueberry | |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical name | Vaccinium myrtillus | Mostly Vaccinium corymbosum |
| Where it grows | Wild, in European forests and heaths | Farmed in Europe, the Americas and elsewhere |
| Size | Small, 5 to 10 mm | Larger, often over 10 mm |
| Flesh | Dark purple throughout; stains teeth and fingers | Pale green to white inside |
| Anthocyanins | Generally higher | Lower, mostly in the skin |
| Availability | Fresh in summer, otherwise frozen, dried or as extract | Fresh most of the year |
Both are good foods. If you want the deepest colour, wild bilberries, fresh or frozen, are the closer match to the berry studied in bilberry research.
What are the benefits of bilberry?
Bilberry's appeal lies in its nutrients and its polyphenols. As a food, it adds fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese to your diet for few calories, and it is an easy way to eat more fruit. Its anthocyanins are the subject of laboratory and clinical research, but human studies so far have been small, short or not rigorous enough for firm conclusions. The NCCIH summarises it plainly: bilberry has not been clearly shown to help with any health condition.
Can bilberry improve vision?
This is the best-known story about bilberry. British pilots are said to have eaten bilberry jam during the Second World War to see better at night; the NCCIH notes this may have been superstition or a cover story for advances in radar. A systematic review of placebo-controlled trials found that the more rigorous studies did not show better night vision in healthy people. Small studies on eye fatigue and other eye topics exist, but they do not allow a conclusion. Vitamin A is the nutrient with an authorised claim here: it contributes to the maintenance of normal vision.
Blood vessels, blood pressure and metabolism
Reviews of human studies have looked at bilberry and blood lipids, blood sugar and blood pressure. Results are mixed, studies are short and products differ, so no effect has been established. A diet rich in fruit and vegetables in general is linked with better heart health, and bilberries can be part of that, but they are not a remedy for high blood pressure or blood sugar problems.
Is bilberry anti-inflammatory?
In laboratory and animal studies, anthocyanins influence markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Whether eating bilberries has a meaningful effect in people is not known. The nutrients with an authorised antioxidant claim are vitamins C and E, riboflavin, zinc and selenium, which contribute to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
Bilberry benefits for women and for skin
"Bilberry benefits for women" is the most common search for this topic, yet no study shows a benefit specific to women. Bilberry is simply a good fruit for anyone. The same applies to skin: there is no good human evidence that bilberry improves the skin, and no skin claim is authorised for it. What is established is the role of certain vitamins: vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin, and biotin, niacin and riboflavin contribute to the maintenance of normal skin. Our guide to the best vitamins for your skin explains which nutrients matter and where to find them.
Food or extract: how much bilberry per day?
There is no official recommended intake for bilberry. As a food, a portion of 100 to 150 g of fresh or frozen berries fits easily into breakfast, yoghurt, porridge or smoothies; freezing keeps their colour and polyphenols well. Bilberry jam and juice are often sweetened, so check the label.
Extracts are concentrated and many are standardised to a stated anthocyanin content. Studies have used up to 160 mg of extract a day for up to six months. If you choose an extract, follow the label, prefer fruit (not leaf) extracts and talk to your doctor or pharmacist first if you take medicines, especially blood thinners or medicines for diabetes, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding: little is known about amounts above those found in food in these situations.
Picking your own? In Switzerland, rinse wild berries thoroughly or cook them if they grew close to the ground, as is generally advised for wild berries because of the fox tapeworm.
Bilberry in Sanbera Nightly Reload Women
Bilberry extract makes up 4.9 % of our Nightly Reload Women. It sits alongside cranberry fruit powder (40.9 %), caffeine-free green tea extract (21.7 %) and acerola extract (16.7 %), a natural source of vitamin C. We use bilberry as a botanical ingredient and make no health claim for it. Cranberry, the main botanical in the formula, has its own guide: how to choose a cranberry supplement. Acerola is covered in our acerola article.
The authorised claims belong to the vitamins. Three tablets provide 43.1 mg of vitamin C (54 % of the reference intake), which contributes to the normal function of the immune system and to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin, plus all eight B vitamins, including riboflavin 1.05 mg (75 %), niacin 12 mg (75 %) and biotin 25 µg (50 %), which contribute to the maintenance of normal skin; biotin also contributes to the maintenance of normal hair. Nightly Reload Women contains no vitamins A, D or E and no minerals; those are in our Daily Essential formulas, as explained in Daily Essentials vs Nightly Reloads. For another polyphenol-rich fruit, see what research says about red grapes.
Frequently asked questions
What is bilberry good for?
Bilberry is a nutritious wild berry that adds fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K and anthocyanins to your diet for few calories. Researchers are studying its anthocyanins in relation to the eyes, blood vessels and metabolism, but the NCCIH concludes that bilberry has not been clearly shown to help with any health condition. Enjoy it as part of a varied diet.
Is bilberry good for you?
Yes, as a food. Bilberries are low in calories, contain fibre and some vitamins, and are rich in anthocyanins. Bilberry fruit is considered safe in the amounts normally eaten, and fruit extracts were well tolerated in studies of up to six months. Leaves are different and may be unsafe in high doses or with long-term use.
Can bilberry improve your eyesight?
There is no reliable evidence that it does. The idea goes back to a Second World War story about pilots and bilberry jam. The more rigorous placebo-controlled trials did not find better night vision in healthy people. For normal vision, vitamin A is the nutrient with an authorised role: it contributes to the maintenance of normal vision.
Can you take too much bilberry?
Eating bilberries in normal food amounts is safe; large portions mainly cause digestive discomfort because of the fibre. For extracts, stay within the label dose; studies used up to 160 mg a day. Ask your doctor first if you take blood thinners or diabetes medicines, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, and avoid concentrated leaf preparations.
Is bilberry the same as blueberry?
No. Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) is the smaller wild European berry with dark flesh throughout. Supermarket blueberries are mostly cultivated North American varieties with pale flesh. Both are related and nutritious, but wild bilberries generally contain more anthocyanins, which is why bilberry research uses the wild species.
Sources
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH): Bilberry
- Canter PH, Ernst E (2004): Anthocyanosides of Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry) for night vision: a systematic review of placebo-controlled trials, Survey of Ophthalmology
- Molecules (2020): Effects of bilberry supplementation on metabolic and cardiovascular disease risk
- European Commission: EU Register of nutrition and health claims
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: FoodData Central (nutrient values for blueberries)
This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.