The benefits and harms of lingonberries

Autumn is the best time to harvest lingonberries for the winter. This berry with a sour, tart taste has a unique composition and is a source of vitamins, acids and minerals. Not only berries, but also twigs with leaves are suitable for treatment. Berries, infusions and decoctions have anti-inflammatory, diuretic and vitaminizing effects.

Benefits of lingonberries

The wild berry has a dense skin, very juicy due to its almost 86% water content. The product has low calorie content, only 46 kcal per 100 grams. Lingonberry contains:

• Vitamins of group B, PP, E, C and A. When consuming 100 g of berries, you can get almost 17% of the daily requirement of vitamin C.
• Acids necessary for the body: malic, benzoic, citric, oxalic.
• Microelements: iron, manganese.
• Starch and dietary fiber.

Lingonberry leaves are rich in flavonoids, tannins, antioxidants, vitamins and arbutin, which has a strong antiseptic effect.

Lingonberry berries and products are used to treat:

• Urolithiasis and kidney inflammation.
• Liver dysfunction, gallbladder disease.
• Gout, rheumatic pain, salt deposits.
• Colds with high fever, pneumonia.
• Preventing and stopping uterine bleeding.
• Diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
• Dermatological problems, early aging, skin fungi.
• Hair loss, dandruff, increased sebum production from the scalp.
• Helminth infestation.
• Decreased visual acuity.

Regular consumption of berries reduces the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood and helps remove toxins and accumulated salts of heavy metals from the body.

Harm of lingonberries

The maximum benefit can be obtained from clean berries collected away from highways. If the collection rules are not followed, then berries with accumulated heavy metal salts will end up in food. They are very harmful to the body, so there is no benefit from treating with lingonberries, only harm.

Beneficial properties of lingonberry leaves

Harvested lingonberries are used to prepare infusions and decoctions. Twigs with leaves can be prepared and dried yourself or purchased at the pharmacy. Decoctions have anti-inflammatory, astringent, antimicrobial, and choleretic effects. Regular use of decoctions actively stimulates the immune system.

The medicinal properties of lingonberry decoctions are explained by the high content of arbutin in the leaves. The substance is classified as a glycoside that has an antiseptic effect. The antioxidant lycopene and organic acids, tannins with an active astringent effect, tannins help in the treatment of various diseases:

• Chronic and acute pyelonephritis.
• Prostatitis, inflammation of the genitourinary system in men, cystitis.
• Diseases of the oral cavity, inflammation of the gums.
• Pneumonia, bronchitis.
• Benign and malignant formations.
• Gout, osteochondrosis, arthritis.

Tea brewed from dried lingonberries increases immune strength and tones the body. If you take it in the morning, the body's performance increases and fatigue decreases. Antioxidants in the infusion prevent early aging and prolong the youth of the skin.

Lingonberry contraindications

The high content of organic acids in berries can negatively affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract in people with increased secretory function. If a person has an ulcer or an exacerbation of gastritis, then the product can harm him.

Regular consumption of lingonberries reduces blood pressure. People prone to hypotension should not eat these berries. In rare cases, individual intolerance to the product or an allergic reaction due to overeating may occur.

Lingonberries during pregnancy

During During pregnancy, the body needs more vitamins, microelements. Increasing body weight leads to high loads on the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, it is important to eat foods rich in beneficial components. Lingonberries will help maintain vitality and satisfy the body's need for vitamins.

Carotene will help maintain visual acuity, which often decreases during pregnancy. The high content of vitamin C will help protect against colds and maintain youth. An unstable emotional state improves by consuming foods containing B vitamins. Berries will help you survive mood swings.

During gestation women often suffer from swelling, they become especially strong in the third trimester. It is possible to alleviate the condition by taking lingonberry infusion, which has diuretic properties.

It is known that a decoction of blooming lingonberries promotes an easy pregnancy, and boiled berries help quickly restore shape after the birth of the baby. Berries rarely cause allergies, so they are allowed at all stages of pregnancy.

It is necessary to limit the consumption of the product in case of low acidity or acute gastritis. If a woman has kidney stones or sand, she should consult a doctor before using the product.

Can children have lingonberries?

Beautiful berries will undoubtedly attract the baby's attention and interest him. Not all children will like the sour taste, then the lingonberries can be poured with syrup or sprinkled with powdered sugar. The product activates appetite, which is important for low-weight children.

It is better to start introducing berries into the diet after consultation with a pediatrician, once you reach child aged 1 year. You need to start eating berries one teaspoon a day, gradually increasing to 3-4 spoons. After the first days, it is worth observing the baby’s reaction to see if he has an allergic reaction. If a rash, red spots, or itching appears, then you should stop eating the berries.

Having a lot of dietary fiber helps improve digestion and regulate bowel movements. If a child suffers from constipation, then the berries will have a mild laxative effect.

Lingonberry decoction is effective for colds with high fever. The mild diuretic effect activates the kidneys to remove toxins from the body. Sour berries are useful for throat diseases.

Lingonberry treatment

Various remedies for the treatment and prevention of diseases are prepared from berries and dried lingonberry branches.

The most popular drink made from juicy berries is fruit juice. To prepare it, the washed berries are sorted and placed in an enamel or glass container. Then the berries are mashed with a wooden masher. It is better not to use metal utensils, since some of the beneficial substances are lost upon contact with metal. Pour boiling water into the container, add 2 large spoons of honey or granulated sugar. After an hour, the fruit drink is ready to eat. The drink is effective as an antipyretic and for the prevention of colds and infectious diseases. Drink a glass of fruit drink throughout the day.

A healing decoction is prepared from lingonberry leaves. For preparation, crushed dried leaves are used. Mixture proportions 1 tbsp. l. per 100 g of water. The glass container with the mixture is heated in a water bath for 30 minutes. Then the infusion is cooled and filtered. The container is kept in a dark place for 2 days, then diluted slightly with water. The decoction is taken for medicinal purposes after consultation with specialists. The daily norm for an adult does not exceed 100-150 g per day. The decoction is most effective when consumed 30-40 minutes before meals.

You can prepare a fortified drink from prepared lingonberry juice. It helps with headaches, decreased tone and immunity, and colds. Lingonberry juice is mixed with boiled water in a ratio of 1:3. Granulated sugar and honey are added to the mixture. Drink the drink after meals 2-4 times a day.

Women with urological problems and frequent cystitis are recommended to drink tea from dried lingonberry leaves. To prepare it, 1 tbsp. l. chopped dried lingonberries pour a glass of water. The mixture is boiled in an enamel container for 15-20 minutes. The decoction is filtered, taken 100 g 2-3 times a day as a separate drink or mixed with tea. The recommended course of drinking the drink is at least 2 weeks. After which a lasting positive effect will appear.

Those with a sweet tooth will appreciate the recipe for a medicinal mixture of lingonberries with the addition of honey. Place clean berries in a saucepan and coat with honey at the rate of 100 g per 300 g of berries. The mixture is boiled for 5-7 minutes, cooled. The finished product is stored in the refrigerator and eaten with tea or as a dessert. In winter, it is an excellent source of vitamins and organic acids.

Ground berries with granulated sugar perfectly retain their nutritional value all winter. Dry berries are crushed in a meat grinder or blender and covered with sugar at a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2. The mixture is left at room temperature until the sugar is completely dissolved. Next, the mass is placed in clean jars and stored at a temperature of 7-15 degrees. Grated lingonberries can be used to stir fruit drinks for colds, used for filling pies, and consumed as dessert.

Our grandparents were treated with pickled lingonberries. The product retains vitamins and has a general strengthening, anti-inflammatory and diuretic effect. First of all, prepare syrup from a liter of cold water with 2 tbsp. l. granulated sugar, 0.5 tsp. salt. Spicy herbs are added to the syrup: cinnamon, cloves. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes. The berries are cleared of debris, washed with running water and poured into glass jars. Lingonberries are poured with syrup and the jars are covered with parchment. The soaked berries can be stored in any cool place. Eat it 1 tablespoon 2-3 times a day. The product can be an excellent addition to cold and hot meat dishes.

Another option for preserving berries for future use is drying. Clean berries are laid out on a baking sheet in the oven at a temperature of 50-60°C. When drying, it is recommended to stir the lingonberries. Then the product is stored in linen bags or closed glass containers.

Do not neglect natural gifts for the treatment of various diseases. Tasty and juicy lingonberries will fill the body with vitamins, acids, and help increase hemoglobin and immunity.