This article looks at the different types of berries from around the world, their characteristics, nutritional values, what they look like, and how to use them.
Note: unless otherwise stated, all nutritional data is sourced from the USDA’s FoodData Central Database (just click on the numbered references to see the primary data).
Pronounced as “ah-sah-ee,” acai berries are native to South American rainforests (1).
Over the last decade, they have experienced an explosion in global popularity – mostly due to exaggerated ‘superfood’ claims. However, the berries are nutritious and contain high amounts of polyphenols (2).
That said, fresh acai berries are inedible in their whole form. This is because the seed accounts for about 80% of the berry. As a result, people usually buy acai berries in powdered form. These acai powder supplements are made with acai berries’ skins, and they can be used to make drinks.
However, these supplements command a premium price that probably doesn’t represent good value for money.
The nutritional values of these products can significantly vary depending on the ingredients and serving size.
Key Point: Acai powder may be high in potentially beneficial polyphenols, but it is overly expensive.
2) Bilberries
Bilberries share a deep visual resemblance with blueberries. This berry is even sometimes referred to as ‘European blueberry.’
Despite this, bilberries and blueberries are slightly different species of berries (3).
Bilberries also have a more tart taste, possibly due to differences in the phytochemicals they contain. That said, they still have some sweetness too and can be eaten in the same way as blueberries – either fresh or as part of a recipe (4).
Nutritionally, bilberries provide the following values per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving. The USDA does not have a listing for bilberries, so this data is courtesy of Fitbit (4):
Calories: 60 kcal
Carbohydrates: 14.3 g
Fiber: 1.8 g
Sugars: 14.3 g
Fat: 0 g
Protein: 0.6 g
Key Point: Bilberries are very similar to blueberries, but they have a slightly tarter taste.
3) Blackberries
Blackberries grow worldwide, and they look very similar to raspberries except for their black color.
These berries tend to be very popular, too as they are among the best-tasting types of berries.
Here is the basic nutritional profile for blackberries per 100 grams (3.5 oz) serving (5):
Calories: 43 kcal
Carbohydrate: 9.6 g
Fiber: 5.3 g
Sugars: 4.9 g
Fat: 0.5 g
Protein: 1.4 g
Blackberries are also an excellent source of vitamin C and various polyphenols (6).
Key Point: Blackberries are delicious, full of nutrients and relatively inexpensive – you can also pick wild ones for free.
4) Blackcurrants
Blackcurrants are native to Northern Europe and Russia (7).
Despite past popularity in the United States, they are now hard to find due to a former half-century-long ban in 1911.
This ban was enforced due to the belief at the time that blackcurrant crops were a threat to the timber industry as an enabler for the spread of a fungus.
Although it is possible to eat blackcurrants raw, they are quite tart, and they are often sweetened. For this reason, many blackcurrant products, such as juices, jams, and jellies, are available.
Blackcurrants are highly nutritious, and they contain particularly large amounts of vitamin C. Here is their basic nutritional profile per 100-gram serving (8):
Key Point: Blackcurrants are nutritious berries that are easy to find in Europe, but they’re less common in the rest of the world.
5) Black Raspberries
Despite looking (slightly) similar to blackberries, black raspberries are an altogether different fruit native to North America (9, 10).
Unlike regular blackberries, black raspberries are hollow in the middle. This test is the main way to determine which berry it is.
Due to the various compounds they contain, black raspberries tend to have a fruitier taste than blackberries. However, they tend to be eaten in the same way: either alone or covered in a bit of cream.
Per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving, here is the nutritional profile for black raspberries (11).
Key Point: Black raspberries are similar to blackberries, but a little different in taste and appearance.
6) Blueberries
Blueberries are one of the most common types of berries, and it is easy to hear people discussing their purported health benefits.
These popular berries are native to North America, but they are now grown throughout much of the world (12).
Compared to many previously listed berries, blueberries have a higher sugar content and a sweeter taste.
One interesting thing worth noting is that fresh blueberries can be extremely expensive compared to frozen. However, studies show no real nutritional difference and that frozen blueberries are just as good as fresh (13).
Per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving, here is the basic nutritional profile for blueberries (14):
Key Point: Blueberries are easy to find, good for you, and they taste delicious.
7) Boysenberries
Boysenberries are one of the lesser-known berries, but they are rather tasty.
As shown in the picture above, they are similar in appearance to raspberries and blackberries. Although the berry in the image is red, their color can range from bright red to black.
Like their mixed look, boysenberries taste like a mix of blackberry and raspberry, and they have a juicy and enjoyable flavor.
An explanation for their appearance and taste comes from the fact that boysenberries are a cross between raspberries, blackberries, dewberries, and loganberries (15).
Here are the basic nutritional values for boysenberries per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving (16):
Key Point: Boysenberries are a tasty but slightly lesser known berry.
8) Chokeberries (Aronia)
Chokeberries (also known as ‘Aronia’) are native to North America, and they have a unique but astringent taste (17).
There are two different types of chokeberries: red and black. The black ones are quite prevalent, but red chokeberries are harder to find.
While chokeberries look a little bit like blackcurrants, they taste nothing alike.
Unfortunately, chokeberries are one of the most bitter-tasting (and slightly sour) types of berries. Additionally, eating them can leave a ‘dry-mouth’ feeling due to their high tannin content (18).
Although chokeberries can be eaten raw, they are not particularly enjoyable to eat in this way. For this reason, they are often used to make products like jams, juices, and jellies.
You can also find lots of polyphenol-rich Aronia powdered supplements, but watch out for exaggerated health claims, which is typical in marketing such products (19).
Here are the basic nutritional values for 100 grams (3.5 oz) of chokeberries (20):
Calories: 47 kcal
Carbohydrate: 9.6 g
Fiber: 5.3 g
Sugars: 4.3 g
Fat: 0.5 g
Protein: 1.4 g
Key Point: Chokeberries are rich in nutrients and polyphenols, but they are not among the tastiest berries.
9) Cloudberries
Cloudberries are an amber-orange colored fruit with a shape like a cloud. These berries typically grow in parts of Northern Europe, North America, and Russia (21).
These berries have a deliciously sweet and sour taste, although some people may find them slightly on the tart side.
The sweetness starts to predominate as cloudberries ripen, but they are often sweetened and used to make jams, jellies, and even liquors.
Perhaps the worst thing about cloudberries is just how difficult it can be to find them. Cloudberries only grow in certain areas that offer specific growing conditions, and it is tough to buy them (though some specialist shops may sell them).
Nutritionally, cloudberries offer more than 100% of the daily value for vitamin C per 100 grams. They also offer the following basic nutritional values (22):
Key Point: Cloudberries are bright, colorful, and full of vitamin C and polyphenols.
10) Cranberries
Cranberries are one of the most famous types of berries.
From cranberry juices to dried berries, alcohol, and jams, they are used to make a wide range of different products.
The berries grow natively in North America throughout Canada and the United States (23).
One clear taste characteristic of cranberries is that they are quite sour. As a result of this, many cranberry products are sweetened and contain high amounts of sugar.
Per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving, cranberries supply (24):
Key Point: Cranberries are a healthy fruit, but they can be quite sour. Many sugar-sweetened cranberry products are available.
11) Elderberries
Elderberries are tiny berries that people often use to make tea, and they have been grown around the world for centuries (25).
Generally speaking, most elderberries have a tart and bitter taste, so people prefer not to eat them raw. For this reason, it’s easy to find many sweetened elderberry products such as elderberry tea and jam.
Like many other dark purple fruits, elderberries contain high levels of flavonoids called anthocyanins, which have purported health benefits (26).
Nutritionally, these little berries provide the following values per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving (27):
Calories: 73 kcal
Carbohydrate: 18.4 g
Fiber: 7 g
Fat: 0.5 g
Protein: 0.7 g
Elderberries are a rich source of vitamin C and dietary fiber.
Key Point: Elderberries are a great source of nutrients, but they are not very tasty by themselves.
12) Goji Berries (Wolfberry)
Growing in prominence over the last decade or so, goji berries are now available almost everywhere, usually as a dried berry.
Also known as ‘wolfberry,’ goji berries are native to East Asia and are traditionally made into tea infusions in China and Korea (28).
Goji berries are surprisingly rich in nutrients, and they provide a good source of vitamin A carotenoids, copper, selenium, riboflavin, and iron (29).
Due to the difficulty in sourcing fresh goji berries, they are usually sold in their dried form.
The berries have an enjoyable taste: chewy, flavorful, tough, but soft inside… a little sweet and slightly bitter. In other words, goji berries offer a lot of different flavors.
(Dried) goji berries provide the following basic nutritional profile per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving (30):
Key Point: While goji berries are not quite the “superfood” that marketing efforts often claim, they are relatively nutritious.
13) Gooseberries
Gooseberries are a sour, tart berry that grows all over the world. However, these berries are native to Eastern Europe and North Africa (European Gooseberry) and the North of the United States and Canada (American gooseberry) (31).
Not only is it possible to see fresh gooseberries, but also frozen, canned, and dried ones, and a wide range of gooseberry jams.
As previously mentioned, gooseberries do have a very sour taste. However, they are also a little sweet, especially when fully ripe, which somewhat balances the taste.
Per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving, here are the basic nutritional values for gooseberries (32):
Calories: 44 kcal
Carbohydrate: 10.2 g
Fiber: 4.3 g
Fat: 0.6 g
Protein: 0.9 g
The berries also offer significant amounts of vitamin C.
Key Point: Gooseberries are a tasty-but-sour berry, and they’re an excellent source of vitamin C.
14) Huckleberries
If you’ve ever seen huckleberries, you’ll note how similar to blueberries they look. While their appearance may look like a blueberry, they are an entirely different fruit.
Despite looking the same, huckleberries and blueberries have quite a few differences.
Specifically, the taste is slightly different – with blueberries having a sweeter taste and huckleberries taking on a slightly more tart flavor.
While blueberries are usually commercially cultivated, cultivation of these berries is rare, and huckleberries are mainly found in the wild. Huckleberries are native to the Americas (33).
Per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving, huckleberries provide (34):
Calories: 57 kcal
Carbohydrate: 14.5 g
Fiber: 2.4 g
Sugars: 10.0 g
Fat: 0.3 g
Protein: 0.7 g
Key Point: Similar to blueberries in most ways, huckleberries are slightly more tart and grow in the wild.
15) Juneberries
Juneberries are reddish-purple-colored berries that grow on large trees with white flowers known as Amelanchier (35).
These trees are native to North America, but they can now be found around the world.
The berries have a mild and sweet taste, and they are enjoyable to eat raw, but it is challenging to find them at retail stores.
Instead, most people who consume juneberries forage for them. There is an interesting guide on how to do that here. Note: never pick and eat berries unless 100% sure that you have correctly identified them.
Juneberries are similar to blueberries nutritionally, and they also contain a similar group of flavonoid polyphenols (36, 37).
Key Point: Juneberries are a tasty and nutritious berry that can be used in a similar way to blueberries. The difficult part is finding them.
16) Kiwiberries
As you can probably guess from the picture, kiwi berries are named due to their resemblance to kiwi fruit. They taste the same as kiwi fruit, and you eat the whole berry, including the skin.
The only real difference is that kiwi berries are smaller – about the size of a cherry tomato or a grape. Also, unlike regular kiwi fruit, they have a smooth and crisp skin without the fuzzy texture, which is good since the berries are eaten whole.
Basically, kiwiberries are to kiwi fruit what cherry tomatoes are to tomatoes or what kumquats are to oranges.
Kiwi berries are native to East Asia, and they grow in forests within China, Eastern Russia, Japan, and Korea. However, they are now cultivated around the world (38, 39).
On the nutritional side, kiwi berries are among the richest food sources of vitamin C, containing 430 mg (more than 450% of the daily value) per 100 grams (40).
According to an official website for kiwi berry growers, the berries have the following basic nutritional values per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving (41):
Calories: 96 kcal (403 KJ)
Carbohydrate: 22.0 g
Fiber: 4.0 g
Sugars: 9.5 g
Fat: 0.7 g
Protein: 1.5 g
Key Point: Kiwiberries may seem a novelty for those seeing them for the first time, but they are a tasty and nutritious type of berry.
17) Lingonberries
Lingonberries are another highly touted berry full of flavonoid polyphenols, and a range of commercial powders and drinks have sprung up around them (42).
Although lingonberry extracts may contain a good amount of polyphenols, so do real berries, and at a much more affordable price too. Studies also show that it may be better to opt for the whole berries.
In one particular study, healthy human volunteers had a lower glycemic (blood sugar) response to 50 grams of glucose when consumed alongside lingonberries. However, consuming a lingonberry powder drink with glucose had zero effect (43).
Lingonberries are slightly tart, so they are often sweetened and used in various recipes for jams, juices, and syrups.
Based on data from the NCC database, here are the basic nutritional values of lingonberries per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving (44):
Calories: 55 kcal
Carbohydrate: 12.2 g
Fiber: 2.6 g
Sugars: 4.4 g
Fat: 0.5 g
Protein: 0.4 g
Key Point: Lingonberries are nutritious (but slightly sour) red berries.
18) Loganberries
While sounding quite similar to lingonberry, the loganberry is an altogether different fruit that somewhat resembles mulberries in appearance.
Interestingly, the loganberry is a hybrid cross between a raspberry and a blackberry, but it measures slightly longer in length. The taste is also somewhere between the two.
Apparently, loganberries were accidentally created by a Californian horticulturist in the late 19th century.
Loganberries can be eaten fresh or used to make various condiments.
Like other types of berries, loganberries are high in vitamin C and contain a rich source of potentially beneficial flavonoids (45).
Per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving, here are the basic nutritional values for loganberries (46):
Calories: 55 kcal
Carbohydrate: 13.0 g
Fiber: 5.3 g
Sugars: 7.7 g
Fat: 0.3 g
Protein: 1.5 g
Key Point: A cross between blackberries and raspberries, loganberries share the traits of these two berries.
19) Pineberries
Pineberries have an unusual appearance, and they somewhat look like the reverse of a strawberry. For example, they are mainly white with little red seeds on them, and they even have the green leaf on top.
The reason for this: pineberries are a white strawberry cultivar (47).
Interestingly, pineberries have been grown for centuries in South America, apparently in places where red strawberries weren’t even known about. However, they have only recently arrived in European and North American markets (48).
While they may look similar, pineberries and strawberries are far away from each other in taste. It’s widely agreed that they taste totally different; some claim they taste like pineapple, yet others describe them as eating sweet water.
The nutritional values of pineberries closely resemble red strawberries. For more information on this unique berry, refer to this comprehensive guide:
Key Point: Raspberries are one of the world’s favorite berries. They also taste great with cream.
21) Redcurrants
Redcurrants are brightly red-colored berries that are native to Europe. The berry is thought to have originated in Belgium and then spread through the wild across Europe and Asia (51, 52).
Redcurrants are a significant source of vitamin C and anthocyanin polyphenols (53).
According to the United Kingdom’s Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset (CoFID), redcurrants offer the following nutritional values per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving (54):
Calories: 21 kcal
Carbohydrate: 4.4 g
Sugars: 4.4 g
Fat: 0 g
Protein: 1.1 g
Key Point: Redcurrants have an attractive appearance and a sweet and sour taste.
22) Red Mulberries
First, there are two different varieties of mulberries: red and white. As can be seen in the picture, the red kind looks slightly similar to a raspberry but longer and thinner.
Red mulberries are unfortunately quite rare, so they can be difficult to find.
Mulberry trees often contain both different types of berries, so you can collect red and white ones. However, the white variety is often sold in their dried form, which has a caramel-like sweetness to it – more information on this variety will be available later in this guide.
Mulberries are often regarded as one of the tastiest types of berry, and they are native to North America and Asia (55).
Nutritionally, a 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving of fresh mulberries provides (56):
Key Point: Mulberries grow in many areas, and they are tasty, nutritious, and popular berries.
23) Salmonberries
There are many interesting types of berries, but salmonberries have an impressive salmon-like orange color, which is unique.
Salmonberries have a bright orange color, and the taste is slightly sweet, a tiny bit sour, and very juicy. The berries are native to North America, but they can be found throughout Northwestern Europe (57).
It can be difficult to find salmonberries in stores, but many people enjoy picking their own.
Don’t know where to start? This excellent guide to foraging for salmonberries might help. As always, be safe and only pick berries that you can correctly identify with 100% confidence. Otherwise, leave them on the bush.
Regarding their nutritional benefits, salmonberries are a good source of manganese and vitamins A, C, and K. Additionally, studies suggest that wild salmonberries are an exceptional source of polyphenols (58).
Per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving, salmonberries provide (59):
Calories: 47 kcal
Carbohydrate: 10.1 g
Fiber: 1.9 g
Sugars: 3.7 g
Fat: 0.3 g
Protein: 0.9 g
Key Point: Salmonberries have a unique appearance and a nice taste (and nutritional) profile.
24) Seaberries (Sea Buckthorns)
Seaberries are otherwise known as Sea Buckthorn, and they are brightly-colored yellow to orange berries.
We can find these berries throughout the world, from Western Europe and North America to Russia and China (60).
On the positive side, seaberries are also tasty, and they have a juicy, sweet, and slightly sour taste. The berries can be consumed alone, or they are also popularly used for making jams and juices.
The berries are also full of vitamin C, with just 100 grams of seaberries providing 500 mg of vitamin C, which is more than 400% of the daily value (61).
Unlike most berries, sea buckthorn is a source of fat and carbohydrate, and the fatty acids in the berries are used to make sea buckthorn oil supplements (62).
According to the CRDB nutritional database, here are the basic nutritional values for seaberries per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving (63):
Calories: 90 kcal
Carbohydrate: 12.3 g
Fiber: 6.0 g
Sugars: 6.3 g
Fat: 5.0 g
Protein: 0.7 g
Key Point: Seaberries are tasty, slightly sour berries that are a source of both carbohydrates and fat.
25) Strawberries
As one of the most popular berries globally, not much needs to be said about strawberries.
Famed for how well they pair with cream, strawberries are among the tastiest and sweetest-tasting berry options. Fresh strawberries are available almost everywhere, but frozen strawberries are a great (and generally cheaper) option.
Although different strawberries grow worldwide, the common garden strawberry that most of us know was accidentally created as a hybrid in Brittany, France, in 1750.
Key Point: Strawberries are a very common fruit, but that doesn’t mean they are any less beneficial than newly-popular exotic berries.
26) Tayberries
The tayberry is a relatively new berry variety, having originated in Scotland during the late 20th century. Tayberries are a species of berry closely related to raspberries. In fact, they are a cross between raspberries and blackberries (65).
Does that make them the same as loganberries? Although they have many similarities, the major difference between loganberries and tayberries is the size and sweetness.
Originally loganberries were an unintentional cross-breed, whereas tayberries have been cultivated specifically for size and high sweetness levels (66).
Unfortunately, reliable nutritional values for tayberries have yet to be published.
Key Point: Tayberries are quite similar to loganberries. They belong to the raspberry family and have a sweeter taste.
27) White Mulberries
Unlike the red mulberry, which is native to the United States, the white mulberry is a Chinese native berry.
However, it is now widespread in America and appears to be slowly displacing the native red mulberry (67).
White mulberries are also on sale in dried form, which is much higher in calories and many times sweeter due to the lower water content and concentrated taste.
White mulberries are high in vitamin C and flavonoids and have an all-around nutritious profile (68).
Overall, red and white mulberries have similar nutritional values. However, here is the typical nutritional profile for dried white mulberries per 100-gram (3.5 oz) serving (69):
Calories: 300 kcal
Carbohydrate: 67.5 g
Fiber: 12.5 g
Sugars: 55.0 g
Fat: 2.5 g
Protein: 10.0 g
As you can see from the nutritional profile, just a handful of dried mulberries is a big enough serving.
Key Point: White mulberries are native to China, but they are growing across the world. They are particularly popular in their dried form, which has a sweet and caramel-like taste.
Final Thoughts
Overall, all berries are an excellent and healthy dietary choice. They are nutrient-dense and usually quite tasty too.
So, which berry is the best?
The answer to that question is simple: it’s one that each individual enjoys the most.
Michael works as a nutritionist in a community setting and holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Nutrition. He is a Registered Associate Nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition.
