Bilberries are a fruit mostly found on the continental land mass of Europe and Asia, otherwise known as Eurasia. The blue (almost black) fruit grows on shrubs throughout the two continents. If you find yourself in the area, have a look around for the bilberry bush. And don’t worry, these berries won’t poison you. Bilberries come from the vaccinium family of berries. Blueberries are in the same family, but are vastly different than bilberries. Commonly, the name “blueberries” will be used to describe fruits of the vaccinium family whether they’re truly blueberries or not. Though they look similar, bilberries and blueberries are very different. Some notable differences are that blueberries grow in bushes (mostly in North America), while bilberries grow on shrubs (mostly in the Nordic regions of Europe). Also, blueberries are much larger in size than bilberries. There’s one more difference that is possibly the most important: the color of the pulp. Cut open a blueberry and you’ll find its skin misleading. Blueberry pulp is a clear greenish color. However, the insides of a bilberry are purple and red and often stain fingers and tongues when eaten raw. The reason that the coloring on the inside of the bilberries is so important is because it means that these tiny berries are brimming with bioflavonoids. Bioflavonoids are what give the fruit its dark and delicious looking pigment. If you’re an avid reader of our blog, you’ll know that pigment probably means…