Bilberry is a fruit similar to the blueberry and full of many nutrients and beneficial compounds, such as vitamin C. However, research is ongoing into the reputed health benefits of bilberries, including whether they help with inflammation and protect against cancer.

They are an easy fruit to add to the diet, without many drawbacks. And while people can take bilberry supplements, the efficacy and dosage of this fruit require more research to establish.

Read on to learn the potential benefits of bilberries and how to add them to the diet.

What is bilberry?

Bilberry is a plant native to northern Europe, and it is also known as the European blueberry, whortleberry, dyeberry, huckleberry, and blaeberry. Its botanical name is Vaccinium myrtillus L.

Bilberry fruits are similar in appearance to a North American blueberry. They are small and round and feature a deep purple color.

Bilberries are rich in a chemical called anthocyanin, which gives them their color. Health experts also believe they offer many health benefits.

Retailers often sell bilberries fresh, frozen, or whole dried berries, and people can find them in the form of preserves, jams, and juices.

Benefits of bilberries

There are numerous reported benefits of consuming bilberries and bilberry products, including the below.

High nutrient content

Bilberries are high in a chemical called anthocyanins. The usual daily dietary intake of anthocyanins is approximately 200 mgTrusted Source (milligrams). The total anthocyanin content of bilberries is typically between 300 and 700 mg per 100 grams (g) of fresh fruit, depending on several factors.

A portion of fresh bilberries weighing 100 g also contains small amounts of:

vitamin C (3 mg)
quercetin (3 mg)
catechin (20 mg)
There is not much other information available about the nutritional profile of bilberries. However, as they are nutritionally close to huckleberries, they are likely to have a similar nutritional profile. That said, 100g of bilberries are likely to have around 37 caloriesTrusted Source and comprise approximately 90% water.

It may help protect against cancer

The body contains a number of chemicals called “free radicals,” which can harm the cells. They may causeTrusted Source several health issues, including cancer. In laboratory and animal studies, researchers found that antioxidants helped tackle the effects of these free radicals. However, more studies are necessary to confirm the cancer-fighting effects of antioxidants, and by extension, bilberries, in humans.

May reduce inflammation

Some evidence Trusted Source suggests bilberries could help fight inflammation. Anthocyanins are antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties and are plentiful in bilberries.

A 2021 study Trusted Source found that people who drank bilberry and red grape juice daily had measurable improvements in the biomarkers of inflammation and tissue damage across 9 weeks.

Another reviewTrusted Source, suggested the fruit helped reduce metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors, although larger-scale studies are necessary.

May have low blood sugar levels

Practitioners have historicallyTrusted Source used bilberry as a herbal remedy to reduce blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

More recent studies Trusted Source state that bilberry extract may be effective at lowering blood sugar levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Another study Trusted Source found that consuming bilberries leads to increased insulin secretion, suggesting that the fruit may help manage diabetes. However, more research is necessary to establish its potential applications.

May improve eye health

Many people thought that bilberry helped improve eye health, with British pilots in World War II reportedly eating bilberry jam, believing it to improve night vision. However, this comes from anecdotal evidence.

More recently, a small study from 2015 Trusted Source found that taking 480 mg of bilberry extract every day reduced the symptoms of eye fatigue, such as eye pain, eye heaviness, uncomfortable sensation, and foreign body sensation.

This suggests that more research is necessary, but the results are promising.

May reduce the risk of heart issues

Health experts speculate that the consumption of fruits and berries containing high levels of polyphenols may lower blood pressureTrusted Source. Bilberries contain high levels of polyphenolsTrusted Source, so they likely have this effect.

One study Trusted Source found that anthocyanin-rich bilberry extract may actually help reduce “bad” cholesterol levels in the blood. Research links high levels of bad cholesterol to heart disease, stroke, and several other conditions.

Other benefits

It is important to note that the following studies are small-scale, may not have had a placebo group, or may not have involved humans. Therefore, more evidence is necessary before researchers can draw any conclusions regarding the benefits of bilberries.

However, research into the following other health benefits of adding bilberries to the diet is ongoing:

• Ulcerative colitis: A 2016 pilot studyTrusted Source suggests people experiencing ulcerative colitis (UC) benefited from treatment with an oral anthocyanin-rich bilberry supplement. The researchers looked at a previous older study from 2013, Trusted Source, that had shown an improvement in symptoms for those individuals taking bilberry supplements.
• Itching: An older study on mice Trusted Source found that anthocyanins from bilberry might help treat itching due to atopic dermatitis.
• Gum health: One 2015 studyTrusted Source found that consuming high amounts of bilberries may reduce markers of gingivitis. However, it is important to note that the improvement was comparable to standard dental treatment. In addition, the sugar content in bilberries may be too high to outweigh any benefits.
• Antimicrobial properties: Bilberries are high in tannins, which reportedly have bacteria-killing propertiesTrusted Source against certain foodborne pathogenic and spoilage bacteria.