Blueberry and blue raspberry are two of the most popular blue-colored flavors, but many people confuse them with each other. Are they the same thing? The answer is no–both flavors are distinct; they’re completely different, from their origin to their flavor to their uses. 

Blueberry is derived from a natural berry of the same name. It’s sweet yet slightly acidic, and it’s great to use as fruit or flavoring in various foods and drinks. Blue raspberry, on the other hand, doesn’t come from blue raspberry, as there’s no such thing (though its flavor does come from a type of raspberry). It’s sweet and tart, and it’s a summery flavor that people love in popsicles, slushies, and candies. It’s also one of the flavors Skinny Mixes highlights in our unique Sugar Free Unicorn Syrup.

The Differences Between Blueberry and Blue Raspberry

Blueberry and blue raspberry are not the same. They differ in many ways; here’s a breakdown of their distinctions:

Origin

Blueberries are actual fruits from the perennial flowering plants of the berry family, so any flavoring named after it mimics the taste of this fruit. Blue raspberry, on the other hand, is a sort of fictional flavor. 

There’s no blue raspberry fruit. Instead, the flavor of blue raspberry is more like white bark raspberry, which is, ironically, not even blue (nor white!). The blue color associated with the flavor stems from a history of food dyes and marketing; it was all a smart tactic to get people to try another flavor apart from the family of reds: cherry, strawberry, watermelon, etc.

Flavor

Blueberries taste like the fruit, albeit flavorings often come with more sweetness. They’re sweet yet acidic, and can be a tad floral, woody, and musky. So, what does blue raspberry flavoring taste like? This other blue flavor tastes a bit like raspberry, except it’s slightly tarter.

Uses

Blueberries have the flexibility of being used in either their fruit form or their flavoring form, depending on what’s required. For example, a blueberry cake can have blueberry flavoring in the base and still be topped off with blueberry fruits. 

Because blue raspberry isn’t a fruit, people are limited to flavoring. So, if you want something blue raspberry-flavored, it’s probably already mixed into the drink, baked good, etc.

What Is Blue Raspberry, Really?

Blue raspberry is a flavor invented by food manufacturers that has a similar flavor to raspberry, but with an electric blue hue. It tastes like a regular raspberry and more like a white bark raspberry, from which its flavor was taken. It’s sweet but slightly tarter than raspberry.

How Blue Raspberry Came to Be

Blue raspberry first became commercially known in the 1970s when brands like ICEE, Fla-Vor-Ice, and Otter Pops released blue-colored flavors with a taste similar to that of raspberries. Brands primarily started producing this flavor to deviate from and contrast a generally red market of flavors (such as cherry, strawberry, etc.).

The popularity of blue raspberry can also be attributed to the banning of FD&C (Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938) Red No. 2, also known as ‘amaranth.’ When this food dye was announced to be unsafe to digest in the 1970s, many food manufacturers latched onto Blue No. 1, the dye used for blue raspberry, pushing flavors made using it, instead.

Blue Raspberry in Skinny Mixes Unicorn Syrup

You’ve likely seen blue raspberry used in various treats, such as slushies, popsicles, candies, and gummies. It’s particularly popular as a cold dessert in the summer, with the image of children sticking out blue tongues becoming synonymous with the combination of the season and the flavor. Because it’s so beloved, Skinny Mixes incorporated it into its exclusive Unicorn Syrup.

What Is Unicorn Syrup?

Unicorn Syrup is a flavor designed by Skinny Mixes with the tastes of blue raspberry, cream frosting, and cotton candy. What flavor is normal cotton candy? It’s sweet, caramelly, and jammy, which works well with everything else in the mix.

The flavor is sweet and bright and will give anyone tasting it flashbacks of fun childhood memories. But the great thing about Skinny Mixes Unicorn Syrup is that it’s free of sugar, calories, and carbs, not to mention that it’s Kosher, gluten-free, and keto-friendly!

You can use Skinny Mixes Unicorn Syrup for anything you’d love to put some fun flavor in. You can even add a few drops to a glass of water for a hydrating twist!