50 Delicious Types of Berries You Should Try

0
440
Types of Berries to Try

There are more than 400 different types of berries, with colors including yellow, red, purple, white, and blue. They can be sweet and juicy or tart and bitter. From the familiar strawberries and blueberries to the more exotic and lesser-known varieties such as wolfberries and crowberries, berries are diverse and exciting to learn about. 

Whether you’re looking to try something new or just learn about the delicious treats nature has to offer, you’re in luck. We’ve gathered up 50 incredible types of berries that are vibrant, succulent, and full of flavor.

Feel free to check out our delicious take on berries with our Swizzle Berries®. The set includes twelve delicious and juicy strawberries topped with semisweet chocolate and drizzled with white chocolate. Here are 50 types of berries:

1. Acai Berry

Acai berries

Acai berries (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) are native to the rainforests of South America. They contain antioxidants that can help boost heart health, improve memory, and protect against cancer.

2. Acerola Berry

Acerola Berry

Also called the West Indies cherry, Barbados cherry, acerola berries originated in southern Mexico and the Caribbean. They produce pleasant-tasting berries that have been used in modern and folk medicine for coughs, colds, dysentery, and more.

3. Aronia Berry

Aronia Berry

Aronia berries grow on a leafy shrub native to North America. They have an astringent, semi-sweet flavor and provide plenty of nutrients, including antioxidants like polyphenols and flavonoids, vitamin C, folate, and b-complex vitamins.

4. Bilberry

Biliberries

Bilberry produces berries similar to blueberries. They contain chemicals called tannins that help reduce swelling, lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, improve circulation, and so much more.

5. Blackberry

Blackberries

Blackberries contain protective plant compounds called anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that give them their deep purple color. They are considered a superfood due to the high amount of nutrients they contain, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

6. Blackcurrant

Blackcurrant

Black currant is a medium-sized shrub, only around five feet in size. The berries feature a strong tart taste due to the high levels of tannins and work well in jams, syrups, and alcoholic beverages.

7. Blueberry

Blueberries

Blueberries come packed with nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins. They may help reduce blood pressure, prevent heart disease, improve memory, reduce DNA damage, and so much more.

8. Boysenberry

Boysenberry

Boysenberries are a cross between blackberries, raspberries, and loganberries. The deep purple berry comes packed with antioxidants, polyphenols, fiber, manganese, folate, vitamin K, and vitamin C.

9. Cape Gooseberry

Cape Gooseberry

Cape gooseberry received their name because they are first grown at Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. They contain more vitamin C than a lemon and are also a good source of vitamin A, which boosts immunity and vision.

10. Chokeberry

Chokeberry

Native to North America, chokeberries provide a high amount of nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin K. Research also shows that chokeberries may help to strengthen and support the immune system.

11. Cloudberry

Cloudberry

Cloudberries come from a rhizomatous herb native to arctic or alpine environments. With a delicious taste, they provide the ability to protect against cardiovascular diseases, detoxify the body, and strengthen the immune system.

12. Cranberry

Cranberry

Related to the blueberry, cranberries are small, round, and deep-red with a very sharp and sour taste. Cranberries also contain compounds known as proanthocyanidins that help prevent urinary tract infections.

13. Crowberry

Crowberry

Crowberries grow in relatively colder climates and are little known outside the arctic regions. Rather acidic in taste, they provide a high amount of antioxidants, fiber, manganese, vitamin C, vitamin K, and copper.

14. Currant

Currant

Currants grow on medium shrub-like plants in the northern hemisphere. With a tart and sweet flavor, they provide vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and more.

15. Dewberry

Dewberry

Hailing from Europe and Asia, the dewberry also goes by the name European dewberry, blue bramble, and youngberry. It provides vitamins A and C, some protein, magnesium, zinc, and copper.

16. Elderberry

Elderberry

Elderberry, one of the most commonly used medicinal plants in the world, is often taken to treat cold and flu symptoms. These berries provide high amounts of vitamin C, phenolic acids, flavonols, and anthocyanins.

17. Goji berry

Goji Berry

Goji berries, also called wolfberries, are bright orange-red berries from a shrub native to China. They provide numerous benefits, including promoting a feeling of well-being and calmness, better sleep, weight loss, and a boost to your immune system.

18. Gooseberry

Gooseberry

Gooseberry is a tart fruit that is high in nutrients, including vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants such as phenols and flavonoids. Research has also shown that gooseberry provides anti-aging and skin protection properties.

19. Hackberry

Hackberry

Also known as nettle-tree, beaver wood, and sugarberry, hackberry is a long-lived hardwood with light-colored wood. The berries ripen during the fall and contain antioxidant and cytotoxic properties.

20. Huckleberry

Huckleberry

Huckleberries come in various sizes and shapes, and there are more than a dozen species in the Northwest. They contain arbutin, a plant compound that helps fight bacteria often associated with urinary tract and bladder infections.

21. Juniper Berry

Juniper Berry

Juniper berries aren’t technically berries but are, in fact, female seed cones. They have traditionally been used to detoxify the body, promote healthy digestion, and provide improved skin health.

22. Kiwi Berries

Kiwi Berries

Kiwi berries are bite-sized fruits that look like a fusion of kiwifruit, grapes, and kumquats. They provide your body with a nutritional powerhouse with over twenty nutrients, including vitamins C, A, B6, B2, and so much more.

23. Lingonberry

Lingonberry

Lingonberries grow on a small Evergreen shrub and can be added to sauce, juice, jams, jellies, and syrups. They contain phytochemicals, nutrients, and minerals, such as polyphenolic acids, resveratrol, flavonoids, and more.

24. Loganberry

Loganberry

Loganberries grow on vigorous, productive vines known as brambles. They provide an excellent source of manganese,  vitamin C, pantothenic acid, iron, folate, vitamins E and K, and essential B vitamins.

25. Marionberry

marionberry

A marionberry is a cultivar of blackberry developed in Marion County, Oregon. Larger and sweeter than common blackberries, they provide a healthy amount of antioxidants, including anthocyanins, that give them their deep purple color.

26. Mulberry

Mulberries

Related to figs and breadfruit, mulberries offer a sweet flavor, impressive nutritional value, and various health benefits. They contain a high amount of vitamin C, iron, vitamin K, potassium, and vitamin E.

27. Nannyberry

Nannyberry

The nannyberry tree grows up to 30 feet and produces small white flowers and small, juicy, and sweet fruits. Nannyberries may also have medicinal benefits, including protecting our brains and memory, preventing urinary tract infections, and much more.

28. Oregon Grape

Oregon Grape

Oregon grape is a bushy perennial plant that produces blackish-blue, unpleasant-tasting berries. Native American tribes used these berries for many ailments, including stomach problems, hemorrhages, tuberculosis, and arthritis.

29. Pawpaw

PawPaw

Pawpaws look like melons, but they’re actually large berries. They provide a high amount of vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, and much more.

30. Raspberry

Raspberry

Raspberries feature an impressive nutritional profile that makes them one of the healthiest choices available. They contain manganese, calcium, vitamin K, vitamin E, B vitamins, magnesium, copper, iron, and potassium.

31. Redcurrant

Redcurrant

Redcurrant is a small, deciduous low-growing shrub in the currant and gooseberry genus. Though sour, they provide antioxidants such as vitamin C, manganese, iron, potassium, and much more.

32. Salmonberry

Salmonberry

Similar to raspberries and blackberries, salmon berries grow locally in regions of Alaska and Canada. It contains a high amount of nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and also has various health benefits.

33. Saskatoon Berry

Saskatoon Berry

A type of tall shrub, the Saskatoon berry, grows in western regions of North America. They contain flavonoid compounds, such as flavanol, anthocyanin, and proanthocyanin, which may possess anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects.

34. Serviceberry

Serviceberry

Also known as juneberry, sugarplum, and Indian pear, serviceberries grow all over North America. Once a staple food of many indigenous peoples, the fruit tastes like a blend of strawberry and blueberry with a touch of almond and is rich in antioxidants and protein.

35. Snowberry

Snowberry

Snowberry belongs to the honeysuckle family and gets its name from the round and creamy white berries that resemble a snowball. Native Americans used the plant as a medicine and soap, and occasionally for food.

36. Strawberry

Strawberry

Strawberries are one of the most popular fruits in the United States, and the average person eats a little over five pounds of the fruit per year. They provide numerous health benefits, including cardiovascular support, inflammation reduction, a healthier gut, and more.

37. Tayberry

Tayberry

Derived from blackberries and raspberries, tayberries are a tender and juicy fruit that is dark magenta or maroon when ripe. Tayberries contain bioflavonoids, vitamin C, antioxidants, folic acid, fiber, and folate.

38. Thimbleberry

Thimbleberry

A deciduous herb native to western North America, thimbleberry bushes produce a cup-shaped, red fruit. They can be eaten right out of hand and deliver numerous health benefits, such as enhancing the immune system and reducing stomach problems.

39. Ugni Fruit

Ugni Fruit

Indigenous to Chile and southern Argentina, ugni fruit shrubs produce red, white, or purple berries. They contain antioxidants that may provide a number of health-promoting benefits, including potentially reducing the risk of certain types of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, cataracts, and other disorders.

40. Vaccinium Ovatum

vaccinium ovatum

Also called California huckleberry, evergreen blueberry, or box blueberry, vaccinium ovatum is a small shrub that grows on the western coast of the United States. The berries are difficult to pick and separate from the foliage but are delicious in baked goods.

41. Pineberry

Pineberry

A natural hybrid cross between two different species of strawberries, pineberries look like small, white strawberries with bright red seeds. Their name comes from the fact that their flavor closely resembles that of juicy pineapple.

42. Wild Blueberry

Wild Blueberry

Grown in Maine and Atlantic Canada, wild blueberries are considered “wild” because they are naturally occurring stands and differ in size, color, and complex flavors. They contain high levels of flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and antioxidants.

43. Wild Strawberry

Wild Strawberry

Also known as Fragaria Vesca, wild strawberries are a perennial herbaceous plant that belongs to the rose family. Wild strawberries differ from their traditionally cultivated counterparts in that they are much smaller and pack a sweeter and more flavorful taste.

44. Wineberry

Wineberry

Wineberry is a mid-size, perennial, berry-producing viney shrub that produces wine-colored berries. The berries taste similar to raspberries with a tart twist and provide plenty of vitamin C, antioxidants, minerals, and fiber.

45. Wolfberry

Wolfberry

With a high concentration of nutrients, the wolfberry contains many health benefits including boosting your immune response, protecting against vision loss, and slowing down the progression of dementia. They feature a unique sweet and sour flavor.

46. Yew Berry

Yew Berry

A densely branching, evergreen tree, yew trees feature narrow dark green leaves with a pointed tip and cup-like berries. Yew berries are eaten by many bird species, squirrels, and mice.

47. Youngberry

Youngberry

Youngberries resemble small blackberries and feature a deep wine color and sweet flavor when ripe. They are said to help enhance eyesight, promote digestion, and build stronger bones and teeth.

48. Bearberry

Bearberry

A small shrub with small white and red flowers, bearberry produces small red fruits. The berries have been used for centuries for medicinal purposes, such as treating urinary tract infections and kidney inflammation.

49. White Mulberry

White Mulberry

Native to China, the white mulberry features a white colored fruit similar to a blackberry, but with an unpleasant taste. It provides a number of health benefits, including keeping blood sugar levels even, bringing down cholesterol levels, and lowering high blood pressure.

50. Seaberry

Seaberry

The seaberry (also known as the sea buckthorn berry) packs a nutritional punch with high levels of calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins B1, B2, and E. The berries are quite bitter, but you can drink them in teas, shots, or juices.

Now that you’ve learned about 50 different types of berries, will you give something new a try? There are so many different varieties of succulent and vibrant berries out there just waiting to be picked and enjoyed.

More Questions About Various Types of Berries

How many types of berry fruits are there?

There are more than 400 types of berry fruits. Some are common, widely-recognized berries like acai berries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, and strawberries. Others are lesser-known types of berries, such as cloudberries, hackberries, lingonberries, and tayberries.

What are the top 10 healthiest berries?

Some of the healthiest berries, offering numerous health benefits, such as antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals, and fiber, are:

  1. Acai berries
  2. Blueberries
  3. Blackberries
  4. Goji berries
  5. Elderberries
  6. Cranberries
  7. Raspberries
  8. Strawberries
  9. Huckleberries
  10. Bilberries

What is the most common wildberry?

In the United States, three types of berries are commonly found growing in the wild, including:

  • Raspberries
  • Blackberries
  • Elderberries

Many other types of berries grow in the wild in other parts of the world. For instance, cloudberries are native to the Northern Hemisphere. They grow in the wild near the Arctic Circle and thrive in unforgiving climates, so they can be found growing in the wild in places like Russia and Scandinavia. They can also grow in Canada and the US; it’s possible to find them (although rare) in Alaska, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Northern Minnesota.

Are all berries safe to consume?

No. In fact, some berries are actually poisonous. You can safely eat about 1 out of 10 types of white and yellow berries, 1 out of 2 types of red berries, and 9 out of 10 types of berries that are blue, purple, or black.

In general, you should avoid consuming any berry found in the wild unless you can confidently identify it. Some types of berries are quite common, such as holly berries are commonly used in Christmas decor, yet they’re poisonous to both people and animals if eaten. Likewise, mistletoe berries are poisonous and can cause organ damage to your heart, kidneys, or stomach. Additionally, ivy berries — which grow on poison ivy — should be avoided not only due to the dangers of eating the berries but also the itchy rash that comes with contact with the plant’s leaves.