Moistened lingonberry: useful properties and recipes

Wooded lingonberries - one of the most popular preparations for the winter for Russian hostesses. This little berry contains a huge amount of nutrients, which is why in the cold season, lingonberry is an indispensable medicine. In addition to its healing properties, it has a pleasant smell and taste, which allows cooks to decorate desserts and side dishes with it, cook fruit drinks, and also simply serve soaked lingonberries all year round.

Lingonberry is a small, evergreen, berry shrub that grows in northern latitudes. It blooms in late May - early June, and the fruits ripen to early September. Lingonberry berries are red and sweetish with a slight bitterness, they are stored for a long time. Leaves of dark green color, as well as fruits, contain many vitamins and microelements. The most favorable soil for the growth of this shrub is peat.

Lingonberry is a honey plant. Honey from it is amber in color, with a fragrant smell and very delicate in taste. In folk medicine, cosmetology, pharmacy, they use both the fruits and the leaves of the plant. But in the culinary industry, only juicy lingonberries are considered a delight. The composition of lingonberry includes: vitamin B group (thiamine, nicotinic acid, pyridoxine, folic acid, cyanocobalamin), vitamin C, A, E, manganese, chlorine, potassium, magnesium, chromium, copper, tannins, organic acids, antioxidants, flavinids , Katelins, etc.

There are many of them:

• Anti-inflammatory effect of this small berry has due to the high content of ascorbic acid.
• The analgesic effect is due to flavins and catelins.
• Antibacterial action occurs due to the variety of organic acids (oxalic, malic, citric).
• It is a powerful antioxidant due to the content in the berries and leaves of vitamin A and E.
• Improvement of metabolism occurs due to the recovery in the body of cholesterol and protein metabolism.
• Hypotensive effect (reduction of blood pressure) have trace elements that are part of the fruit of lingonberries.
• The antiseptic effect is due to the presence of benzoic acid.
• Berries have antitumor properties due to a large number of antioxidants.
• Antipyretic action contribute to tannins.
• This is a strong immune stimulator due to the vitamin composition of the berry.
• Restoration of visual functions is carried out by the unique substance beta-carotene.

Lingonberry itself is so good that the list of contraindications is not so long.

• Lingonberry should not be taken if your body is sensitive to the components of the berry.
• Lingonberry should not be taken by people with gallstone and urolithiasis. Due to the fact that lingonberry substances destroy stone formations in the gall bladder and kidneys, you should not use it so as not to cause an acute condition in the form of renal colic.
• The composition of lingonberry includes such components that enhance the secretion of gastric and intestinal juice, which is why its use is prohibited in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, especially during the period of exacerbation, as it is possible to cause harm.
• Acute heart failure.
• Liver diseases in the period of exacerbation.
• Pregnancy is a relative contraindication, as the moderate use of the berries of lingonberries does not harm either the expectant mother or the fetus, and will only bring benefit.

On what useful properties and contraindications has a lingonberry, see the following video.

First, prepare the container in which you plan to soak the berries. It must be thoroughly washed and dried. You can use a glass jar, metal bucket, basin. You will need a 1 liter jar of lingonberries and 2.5 liters of water. Move these ingredients into a container and seal with parchment paper or cardboard so that you can cut a hole.Then put in a cold dark place.

For this recipe you will need sterilized jars, a kilogram of fruit, salt, honey, cinnamon, cloves. Fill the jar to the top with berries, then put the spices (who does not like spices, then you can not add them at all), pour boiled warm water into the container, let it brew, and then drain. In this water, dissolve the honey. If the liquid has cooled and the honey does not dissolve in it, then heat it in a water bath.

First you need to cook a syrup of 1 liter of water, 150 gr. sugar and 2 grams. salt. While the syrup is being prepared, place the berries in the cans, and on top you can put a couple of apple slices. Cool the syrup, and then pour it into the jars. Do not pour hot liquid, as it will damage the skin of the berries. Then you need to wrap the neck of the jars with gauze and close the lid, in which you should make holes in advance. Ready syrup should be stored for the first 3 weeks in a dark and cold place, and then put into the refrigerator.

For this recipe, you need to prepare a brine from 1 liter of water, 20 gr. salt, 3 gr. sugars and 1 cloves. Banks are required to fill the fruits, and then pour the brine. Cover tightly with lids and set aside for 10 days in a dark cool place, and then move to the refrigerator.

From the spices you need to take 6 pcs. Carnations, 7 pcs. allspice peas and cinnamon sticks. All this needs to be put in a pan, then pour 1 l of water and add 50 grams. Sahara. Simmer until sugar dissolves. The resulting syrup should cool and infuse. Sterilize the jars and fill them with berries, then pour them with syrup and tightly close with cardboard covers.

You can use this recipe if it is impossible to purchase fresh berries in your area. To do this, you will need 1 kg of frozen berries that need to be defrosted. The liquid that will drain after thawing lingonberries, 0.5 liters of water and bring it to a boil. Then cool the resulting juice and pour over the berries. Cover and place in a dark place, and after 3 weeks, move the container to the refrigerator.

At 10 kg of pears you need only 1.5 kg of cranberries. Place the pears in the bucket and fill them with lingonberries with leaves. For syrup need 10 liters of water, 1 tbsp. l dry mustard, 1 sl. l salt and 10 tsp. yogurt. Then fill this mixture with fruits and berries, keep at room temperature for 10 days, and then transfer to a cold place.

First you need to cook a syrup of 1 liter of water, spices (1 stick of cinnamon, 7 pieces of cloves) and 1 tbsp. l Sahara. Berries should be slightly pressed down so that a part of the juice comes out of them, and then pour hot syrup. Let it cool, put it in a jar, then put it in a dark, cold place for 3 days so that the lingonberry gives juice. After that, the berries are ready to eat.