Lingonberry: useful properties of berries

Lingonberry is a wild berry that grows on short bushes and is a storehouse of substances useful to humans. Such a unique creation of nature as lingonberry, since ancient times has earned the attention of healers and culinary specialists. In antiquity on the island of Crete, it was called "the wonderful vine from the mountainside of Ida." In a plant, not only its fruits, but also its leaves have valuable beneficial substances.

In Russia, lingonberries have always been called the queen of all the berries, because she can not only heal, but also prevent many serious diseases.

If we refer to the description of lingonberry from the point of view of a biological species, it is a short shrub that remains evergreen at any time of the year. Occurs plant from the family of heather, class dicotyledonous, kind Vaccinium. The common lingonberry grows in the wild in the forest or tundra, choosing coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests, and it is often found on swampy soils, sometimes on peatlands.

The plant is unpretentious to soil moisture and sunlight, but the lowlands are its favorite habitat. Growing, often forms small areas of several meters around.

The root of the plant has a horizontal structure, it is also called creeping, as it grows not deep, but in width. The root system of lingonberry is entangled with mushroom mycelium, with its help there is an influx of mineral components from the soil to the roots, which are absorbed by the roots. From the root crawling under the ground, vertically upwards, twigs and shoots depart, forming young branching bushes, whose height reaches 20 cm.

The leaves of the cranberries are oval, the edges of the leaves are slightly curved, the size can be up to three centimeters in length and up to one and a half centimeters in width. Externally, the leaves look leathery, shiny, dense. On the twigs they are often, in turn, in order. Outside, the leaf has a dark green color, and from the inside it looks pale green, with small dotted dimples, with which the plant absorbs water.

Lingonberry blooms in late spring, approximately until June 15, the flowering time and its duration largely depend on the region of growth. The flowers are pale pink in color, clustered in small buds. Bees like to visit cowberry flowers, collecting pollen and nectar from them. Lingonberry berries look like bright red or pinkish balls, reaching up to a maximum of 8 millimeters in diameter. Each berry contains many seeds and has a tart sweet-sour taste.

Lingonberry begins to ripen only by the end of August - the beginning of September, after the very first minus night temperatures, the berry becomes watery, which makes it difficult to collect and transport. However, the berry stuck in the frosts can survive the entire winter, not falling off the branch before the arrival of spring. In the spring from the lightest touch of the berries fall to the ground. Birds and animals love to feast on the wild-growing fruits of lingonberries, spreading undigested seeds in their digestive system for several kilometers.

Currently, lingonberry is found not only as a wild-growing plant, but also as a selection garden crop. For the first time cultivate lingonberries in Russia began in the XVII century, but not as a fruit, but as an ornamental plant. At the court of Queen Elizabeth, a decree was issued on the placement of lingonberries in Peterhof, and the reason for this was the frost resistance and decorative qualities of the plant, capable of pleasing the eye throughout the year. In the XIX century garden fruit-bearing varieties of lingonberries began to appear in Europe, America, Russia.

Today, the demand for lingonberries, its vegetable and fruit components is very high. On average, 100 grams of fresh berries have a calorie content of 45 kilocalories and contain 0.8 grams of proteins, 0.6 grams of fatty acids and 8.5 grams of carbohydrate compounds. The plant contains vitamins such as retinol, beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, tocopherol, nicotinic acid, thiamine, riboflavin.

The chemical composition of lingonberry rich content potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, calcium. And this is not the whole list of valuable plant elements - lingonberries contain alkaloids, flavonoids, fruit and organic acids, pectin, essential oils and tannins.

The calorie content of such a valuable food crop as lingonberry, depends largely on the form in which it is used. For example, a frozen berry has a lower calorific value compared to fresh, and will be 43 kilocalories per 100 grams of product. A dried lingonberry in 100 grams already contains a little more than 300 kilocalories. The difference is very significant!

In addition, the content of berries in proteins, fats and carbohydrates is changing. Judge for yourself: 100 grams of frozen berries of proteins will be 0.7 grams, fat - 0.5 grams, carbohydrates - up to 10 grams, and in dried fruits - proteins and fat, 0.6 grams and carbohydrates - 72.5 grams .

If you mix the cowberry berries with sugar, taking them in equal proportions, the caloric content of the obtained product per 100 grams will be 221 kilocalories, while protein and fat will be 0.3 and 0.4 grams, respectively, and carbohydrates - 55.0 grams. therefore the most high-calorie can be called dried berries. This must be taken into account by those who keep strict records of calories entering the body.

From time immemorial lingonberry is considered to be healing for the human body. This benefit is proven by many years of practice and observation. The main properties of the cowberry collection:

• mild and quickly manifested diuretic effect, used in the treatment of kidney, urolithiasis;
• powerful anti-inflammatory effect used in cystitis, pyelonephritis, inflammation of the urinary tract, as well as in the treatment of rheumatism, gout, wound or burn surfaces;
• normalizes the pancreas, blood sugar levels and diuretic processes in diabetes mellitus;
• treats urinary incontinence;
• restores vitamin and mineral balance in case of hypovitaminosis, prevents the development of scurvy;
• stabilizes the level of cholesterol in the blood, has hemostatic properties;
• in ischemic heart disease, especially in the elderly, it significantly improves the general condition;

• normalizes the level of acidity of gastric juice, increases intestinal motility;
• increases the amount of hemoglobin in the blood when it is insufficient;
• reduces blood sugar levels, normalizing the activity of the pancreas;
• has a good regenerating property, which is used in the treatment of nonhealing wound surfaces;
• slightly reduces arterial blood pressure, has a slight sedative effect on the central nervous system;
• improves eyesight, increasing vigilance and preventing the early onset of age-related changes in the cornea and lens;
• tones and rejuvenates the skin, improving its appearance, color and elasticity.

Folk healers claim that lingonberry is able to dissolve small stones in the kidneys, and also has a beneficial effect on the male body in the treatment of prostatitis and increases potency. Not only berries, but also the leaves of this plant are part of herbal teas for the treatment of male problems associated with inflammatory processes in the urogenital system.

It has long been observed that regular use of fresh cranberries helps men maintain fertility and avoid the development of inflammatory processes in the prostate gland. Jam made from honey with cranberries is also an effective tool in this case.

It is believed that women who regularly eat lingonberries, easier to get pregnant. Therefore, fertility medications based on this medicinal plant are prescribed to women of childbearing age who are planning a pregnancy.

Freshly picked berries of lingonberry help to normalize the hormonal female background, regulate the monthly cycle, eliminate inflammation in the pelvic organs. Broths from the leaves of this plant are used in the treatment of uterine bleeding caused by hormonal disruption or inflammation. Lingonberry is an indispensable drug for the treatment of such frequent illness as cystitis.

Therapeutic herbal teas based on this plant can be used even during pregnancy and lactation. After childbirth for the prevention of the development of mastitis or inflammatory processes of the birth canal, women are actively prescribed the use of cranberries in the form of jam, syrup, fruit drink.

Lingonberry helps children to avoid frequent catarrhal diseases, as well as recover from their illness. For bedwetting, the cranberries are used as part of therapeutic agents prescribed for the treatment of this condition.

With poor appetite, the child is prescribed cranberries - due to increased intestinal motility, improved production of sufficient volume of saliva and increased secretion of gastric juice, appetite normalizes very quickly, and the digestibility of food is significantly improved. In addition, the daily stool is normalized - when taking lingonberry constipation, as a rule, children do not have.

In case of sore throat, sunburn, shingles, contaminated wounds and abrasions, cranberry water from the juice of berries is used for disinfection and early healing. Often, in order to reduce elevated body temperature, children are prescribed lingonberry preparations, since they are as effective as their chemical counterparts, but much less toxic to the child’s body.

In the composition of lingonberries, its fruits and leaves are very effective natural forces, which must be applied competently. Any product of plant origin used by humans can be beneficial to health if used wisely and can cause harm when used uncontrolledly.

List of main contraindications:

• gastritis with increased secretion of gastric juice;
• diarrhea; stool disorder;
• in inflammatory processes and / or stones in the gall bladder;
• peptic ulcer of the stomach and / or duodenum;
• erosive gastritis;

• kidney disease at the stage of decompensation, as well as with urolithiasis with the formation of conglomerates of urate etiology;
• with a low level of arterial blood pressure;
• varicose hemorrhoids;
• malignant neoplasms of the prostate gland;
• individual intolerance in the form of allergic manifestations.

List of restrictions:

• cowberry preparations based on its juice, it is advisable to take on an empty stomach or one hour before meals;
• use with caution in case of unstable level of arterial blood pressure;
• for kidney disease, especially without a clear diagnosis, use only as directed and under the supervision of a physician.

In addition to taking into account contraindications and restrictions, everyone who resorts to the treatment with lingonberries needs to know that its leaves are able to actively accumulate radiation. therefore it is best to buy this medicinal raw materials in pharmacies and carefully look at whether there is a mark on the package indicating that the radiation background of the raw material is at a level that is safe for human health.

Since childhood, the familiar cowberry berries have long found recognition in official and traditional medicine. There are a large number of unique recipes recovery, based on the use of lingonberry medicinal raw materials.

• Lingonberry juice obtained by pressing from fresh berries, after which the resulting composition can be filtered. Often syrup is added to the juice on the basis of sugar or honey. Take the juice of one-third of the glass several times a day according to indications.
• Mors Juice is squeezed out of 300 grams of berries, and the remaining component is poured with half a liter of water and brought to a boil. After that, 50 grams of sugar or honey is added to the drink, then, while holding the container with the drink over low heat, the honey is allowed to dissolve. Then the juice should be filtered through a fine-mesh sieve and combined with the previously obtained lingonberry juice.

• Kidney Phytotea. Pre-assemble the following composition: take 10 grams of leaves of lingonberry, herb St. John's wort, calendula flowers, finely chopped licorice root, anise seeds and dried juniper berries. Of the total mixture take 20 grams of raw materials and pour hot boiling water. Insist in heat for 30 minutes, then filtered and consumed a glass of drink twice a day.
• Infusion for the treatment of bronchitis. Prepare a mixture of herbs, taken in the amount of: 15 grams of lingonberry leaf, 20 grams of dried raspberries, 5 grams of bone and oregano leaves. From the total volume of the mixture obtained take 2 tablespoons of raw materials and pour 500 milliliters of hot boiling water. You need to insist in a warm place for at least 2 hours, then strain. Drink take a glass twice a day. Keep the finished drink more than a day is not recommended. It is advisable to prepare a fresh batch every day.
• Infusion for gout. Take lingonberry leaves 45 grams, brew them with 300 ml of boiling water, and then leave to infuse for about an hour. Then filter and take 100 milliliters of money three times a day.

• Vitamin decoction - prepare the mixture, taking 15 grams of lingonberry leaves, wild rose berries, hawthorn, raspberries and add 5 grams of currant leaf to them. This composition is placed in an enamel bowl, pour half a liter of water. By the time of boiling, the fire is made slow and the composition under the lid is kept for no more than 10 minutes. After removing from the heat, the container is not opened, and the drink is allowed to brew until it cools completely. You can take after filtering 100-150 milliliters twice a day.
• Broth at elevated body temperature. The following composition is taken: 20 grams of lingonberry leaves, anise seeds, coltsfoot leaves, lime blossom and dried raspberries. Add 10 grams of dried lingonberries. From the mixture obtained take two tablespoons of raw materials, pour boiling water. The water bath is heated to boiling, and then removed from the heat, but not removing the container from the water bath. The broth is allowed to stand for about 1-1.5 hours.Use in the form of heat 1 glass at night daily until recovery.

• Infusion with enuresis. Mix 10 grams of leaves of lingonberry, blueberry leaf, rosemary herb. All the ingredients are boiled in boiling water, and then boiled over low heat for another 10-15 minutes. The composition is drawn until it cools, and then it is filtered. It is taken in small portions, starting from 17 o'clock before the onset of bedtime.
• Infusion with diabetes. It will take 25 grams of lingonberry and blueberry leaves, St. John's wort grass, galegi. Add 10 grams of birch leaf and crushed buckthorn bark to them. Pre-buckthorn bark should be boiled for 15 minutes in 300 milliliters of boiling water, and then the rest of the ingredients are added to the drink, simmering it for another 5 minutes. The drink is allowed to cool, filtered, and then take one third of a glass 3 times a day one hour before meals.

Lingonberry is of interest not only as a medicine, but also as a component for preparing savory culinary dishes. For several centuries, lingonberries used in the preparation of sauces, pies, stewed fruit, jams and other dishes. They cook pies with lingonberry filling, stuff chicken with berries, add to meat. In addition, with the help of certain cooking, it is possible to preserve lingonberry berries for a long time. Here are some cooking recipes.

• Lingonberry steamed - thoroughly enumerated, washed berries are placed in a container with a thick bottom and a tight lid, then boiled in the oven for several hours. Then the berries are transferred to sterilized jars, covered with lids and stored in a cool, dark place.
• Lingonberry - take ripe berries and spring raw water in a ratio of 1: 3. In the container, place the berries on one third of the volume, then fill them to the top with water. Capacity clog up, sending in a cool dark storage space. Within a week, part of the lingonberry water can be drained, and a fresh portion of water can be added to the container.

• Jam - before cooking, the berries are scalded with hot water and then thrown onto a sieve with a large cell. Syrup is prepared at the rate of 1.5 kilograms of sugar per 500 milliliters of water. To the boiled syrup add 1 kilogram of berries, then boil over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Next, the jam is removed from the heat, allowing it to cool. To cranberry jam sometimes add orange peel, ground cinnamon, cloves or pieces of fruit.
• Jelly - can be used as a sweet delicacy or in the uncool form served to fish and meat. Cowberries need to be boiled in their own juice, without adding sugar and water. The resulting mass is filtered, cooled, then melted honey is introduced into it in a ratio of 1: 1, slightly boiled down and a little gelatin is added. Then poured into the banks.

• Sauce for meat and fish - 100 grams of berries are ground in a blender, mixed with a tablespoon of sugar. Next you need to take half a glass of beef broth and add a couple of tablespoons of red dessert wine there, heat the mixture over low heat without bringing it to a boil. Add chopped berries mixed with sugar to the broth and add another 100 grams of fresh berries. The sauce is served to any meat or fish finished products. If desired, you can add hot spices to it.
• Compote from cowberry with black chokeberry - 6 tablespoons of sugar diluted in two liters of boiling water. Take 200 grams of cranberries and chokeberry, grind them in a blender.At the moment of boiling, add the berry puree to the water, boil for literally 5 minutes, then cover with a lid and let stand.

In addition to alternative medicine and cooking, lingonberries can be found in pharmaceutical preparations. Official medicine has long appreciated its medicinal properties, taking them into service. Today in the pharmacy network you can find fitosbori, homeopathic medicines, dietary supplements. Here are some of them:

• pharmacy syrup "Lingonberry";
• medicinal drink "Litovit-lingonberry";
• cowberry leaf powder in capsules;
• Brusniver phytotea with lingonberries, wild rose and St. John's wort;
• diuretic fee "Fitonefrol" for the treatment of kidneys;
• drug "Uriflan";
• BAA "Syrup Health Glade";
• drug "Lessons."

Recently, herbal preparations based on lingonberries began to be actively used in dietetics for weight loss. The effect of weight loss is based on the gentle removal from the body of excess water, as well as by improving the secretory activity of the gastrointestinal tract.

Using lingonberries, metabolic processes and the digestibility of food are enhanced, so food satiety comes from much smaller amounts of food eaten. In addition, the daily stool is normalized, excluding prolonged constipation, leading to intoxication of the body.

Especially important is the support of such a balanced favorable state of the gastrointestinal tract and the regulation of the general hormonal background in type 2 diabetes. Using lingonberries, patients suffering from this disease suffer their disease much more easily. Besides, Regular consumption of lingonberries helps to control blood glucose levels, improving the chances for a long full life of a person.

But that's not all! Lingonberry quite effectively used in cosmetology. Today, modern science is very actively applying this miraculous berry to tone the skin. Application is not only berries, but also the leaves of the plant with young shoots. The rich content of vitamins, tannins, and organic acids makes it possible to use lingonberries as a disinfectant, regenerating, and also a nutrient for the skin of the face and body.

The juice of the berries well whitens and softens the skin of the hands, it is especially useful for women in adulthood, when age spots appear on the skin and its elasticity decreases. If after washing the hair to rinse the head with cranberry water or decoction of the cranberry leaf, you can get rid of itching, dandruff and solve the problem of hair loss. In addition, scientists have found that Lingonberry is quite a powerful antioxidant, so its use is able to rejuvenate skin cells, contributing to their enhanced renewal.

The modern cosmetic industry makes gels, mousses, masks, tonics and various creams based on the extracted components of lingonberries. Their use has a beneficial effect on the upper layers of the epidermis, supplying the skin with vitamins, preventing the appearance of acne, pustular eruptions, skin irritations, age spots.Often in the production of cosmetics, lingonberries are used as a natural preservative component.

In cosmetology, lingonberries are used not only for the manufacture of industrial products. Here are some makeup recipes that can be made from this berry at home.

• Face tonic - 2 teaspoons of a mixture of leaves and berries of lingonberry mix with 1 teaspoon of rosemary and 1 teaspoon of chamomile. Pour the ingredients with 100 milliliters of apple cider vinegar. Capacity clog and leave to infuse for a week. Then the composition must be filtered and poured into another container. Daily dilute 1 tablespoon of the composition in half a glass of warm water and use for washing.

• Cowberry mask - fresh berries must be kneaded to a state of mashed potatoes. Soak a gauze napkin with the mixture and apply on face, after pressing a little. In the case when the skin of the face you are prone to increased fat content, berry puree makes sense to put directly on the face. If the skin of the face is dry, then a tablespoon of cream or sour cream is added to the berries. After 20 minutes, the composition can be removed by washing with ordinary water at room temperature. This mask nourishes and moisturizes the skin.
• Cosmetic scrub - in order to conduct peeling at home, you need to take walnut kernels and grind them in a coffee grinder to a state that closely resembles powder. One tablespoon of fresh berries cranberries knead to the consistency of mashed potatoes. Next, you need to take 1 tbsp. spoon walnut powder and mix it with berry puree. The resulting composition is applied to the face and gently massaging movements process it for a short time (approximately 3 minutes). Next, the composition should be held on the skin for another 10 minutes, then wash with water at room temperature. Such a scrub can not only help remove horny parts of the epithelium, but also vitaminizes the skin of the face with simultaneous deep moisturizing.

The harvest time of ripe lingonberries falls at the end of August - the beginning of September. The process of gathering does not cause difficulties, because the berries are located on the bush in small clusters. Lingonberry is a rather elastic berry, but exactly until the first frost grabs it. Therefore, it should be collected before the first frost.

During the harvest, the harvesters often use a special scoop, with which the process goes much faster, but irreparable damage is caused to the berry bush. Often, when collecting with a shovel, they cut off a large number of leaves, break twigs, and often the shrub itself is pulled out directly from the root. After such a collection to recover the plant can be quite difficult its yield for the next year is significantly reduced. Try to keep this in mind when the time comes for the harvesting of berries, and do not allow such carelessness.

Cranberry leaves can be harvested twice a year - in spring and autumn. In the spring, collecting the leaf should be done before the plant starts flowering, and in the fall - only after full ripening of all the berries on it. The leaves that are harvested in summer tend to turn brown during drying.The most valuable raw material is a leaf collected during active melting of snow, when the plant is poured with juices and contains the maximum amount of useful valuable substances.

The collected leaves are dried in a well-ventilated dark room, scattering it on special pallets with a thin layer. If there is a desire to speed up the drying process, it can be done using heating appliances, dehydrator or oven, but only at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. After drying, it is necessary to remove blackened leaves, small twigs or other impurities from the total mass.

Lingonberry berries can also be dried, but the lingonberry gathered in the fall will not be able to dry naturally in the sun, so it is dried in the oven with the door ajar and at a temperature of up to 40 degrees. Electric drier will also help to cope with this task. The berries are dried to a state of elasticity, preventing overdrying and blackening. If the berry crumbles into dust, it is considered unsuitable for use, overdried.

Dried leaves and berries are stored in a glass container with a mouth closed with gauze, preventing moisture from entering the container. Best of all, the raw materials will retain their beneficial properties if stored in a dark, cool place, as if exposed to sunlight, many vitamins can break down. Shelf life of raw materials is up to 3 years from the date of its collection.

In addition, lingonberries can be frozen in the freezer, pre-laid in special containers. Thawing berries is best at room temperature naturally. Frozen lingonberries can be stored and retain their healing properties frozen for a very long time.

By consuming the familiar lingonberries for food or treatment, need to take into account some tips.

• Since lingonberry grows in the northern latitudes of our continent, residents of the southern regions can buy it only in retail outlets or markets. Choosing a place to buy lingonberries, it is best to give preference to a stationary outlet and ask the seller for a certificate of quality for the goods. So you can be sure that the berry is gathered in the radiation-friendly places of its growth and will not harm you and your loved ones.
• Before using cranberries for medicinal purposes, you need to undergo a medical examination., to know for sure about the state of his health and to make sure that the lingonberry is not contraindicated to you. The frequency and duration of the course of application is best discussed with your doctor or knowledgeable specialist. It is better to do the first courses short and use lingonberries in small quantities, while carefully observing your well-being. If any system of the body fails and you feel unwell, it is advisable to stop the course of treatment and consult a doctor, informing him that you have taken cranberries for medical purposes.
• Never eat berries without first washing them.. Better yet, pour boiling water over them before eating. The myth that wild berries do not need to be washed before a meal remains just a myth. Fine sand, dust, foreign forest small garbage - all this must be removed before you begin to eat lingonberries. It is especially important not to forget to do this if you did not pick the berries yourself, but purchased them on the market.

• Never use raw materials that have already expired. - you cannot get the expected benefits from it. Fresh berries are sure to sort out, removing rotten or damaged fruit.Be careful about the choice of dried raw materials. If the dried leaves of cowberry are black, this means only one thing - such raw materials are not suitable for use.
• If you know exactly what you are allergic to acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)then it is best to refrain from eating lingonberries, as it contains this acid in its composition.
• When using lingonberry for cosmetic purposes always carry out an allergy test by applying a small amount of the drug on the wrist or elbow bend. At the first signs of the appearance of itching, redness or swelling, you need to wash off the drug with water and take an antiallergic drug. In this case, the use of lingonberries is contraindicated for you.

For more on the beneficial properties of lingonberries, see the next video.